30
CARE AND CLEANING
(continued)
Burner Grates
Lift out when cool. Grates should be washed regularly
and, of course, after spillovers. Wash them in hot,
soapy water and rinse with clean water. After cleaning,
dry them thoroughly by putting them in a warm oven
for a few minutes. Don’t put the grates back on the
range while they are wet. When replacing the grates,
be sure they’re positioned securely over the burners.
To prevent rusting on cast iron grates, apply a light
coating of cooking oil on the bottom of the grates.
To get rid of burned-on food, place the grates in a
covered container (or plastic bag) with 1/4 cup
ammonia to loosen the soil. Then scrub with a
soap-filled scouring pad if necessary.
Although they’re durable, the grates will gradually
lose their shine, regardless of the best care you can
give them. This is due to their continual exposure to
high temperatures.
Do not operate a burner for an extended period of
time without cookware on the grate.
The finish on
the grate may chip without cookware to absorb the heat.
CAUTION: Do not clean the grates in the
self-cleaning oven.
Cooktop Surface
To avoid damaging the porcelain enamel surface
of the cooktop and to prevent it from becoming
dull, clean up spills right away. Foods with a lot of
acid (tomatoes, sauerkraut, fruit juices, etc.) or foods
with high sugar content could cause a dull spot if
allowed to set.
When the surface has cooled, wash and rinse. For
other spills such as fat spatterings, etc., wash with
soap and water once the surface has cooled. Then
rinse and polish with a dry cloth.
Do not store flammable materials in an oven or
near the cooktop. Do not store or use combustible
materials, gasoline or other flammable vapors and
liquids in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.
Oven Bottom
The oven bottom has a porcelain enamel finish.
To make cleaning easier, protect the oven bottom
from excessive spillovers by placing a cookie sheet on
the shelf below the shelf you are cooking on. You can
use aluminum foil if you do not cover the whole shelf.
This is particularly important when baking a fruit pie
or other foods with a high acid content. Hot fruit
fillings or other foods that are highly acidic (such as
milk, tomatoes or sauerkraut, and sauces with vinegar
or lemon juice) may cause pitting and damage to the
porcelain enamel surface and should be wiped up
immediately. To clean up spillovers, use soap and
water, an abrasive cleaner or scouring pad. Rinse
well to remove any soap before self-cleaning.