Viking Range Cleaning Tips

Neglecting the habit of cleaning your Viking stovetop can be a very dangerous and unsanitary. Not only will you find that the grease splatters and bits of food stuck to your stovetop look unsightly, but they also attract all kinds of bacteria and insects. Even more dangerous is the fact that all that stuff building up on top of your cooktop increases the risk of your setting your home on fire. Cleaning the top of your cooking range doesn’t have to take very long and it could very well save your life.

Don’t assume that just because the top of your Viking cooking range looks good, that you don’t have to worry about cleaning it. This won’t be the case at all. You can’t always see the grease splatters. Every single time you use your cooking range; you need to use a damp sponge and wipe the top of your cooking range. This will only take you a second and will prevent some serious scrubbing later on.

At least once a week, you need to set up some warm water and mix a little soap in. Using a stiff scrubbing pad, you should go over the entire top of your Viking range, don’t leave anything unscrubbed. For stubborn spots, pour a little Soft Scrub directly onto the range top, and let it stand for a couple of minutes. When you return, you should be able to remove the Soft Scrub, and the stick grease splatter with the simple swipe of a paper towel.

If you’re dealing with a particularly nasty stain, you should grab a can of your favorite oven cleaner. Before spraying this on your cooking range, remember that a little bit will go a long way. You’ll want to spray a dab on the stain, give it a couple of minutes to soak in, and then use soap and water to scrub it off. By the time you’re done, your cooktop will look brand new, and you’ll be ready to start preparing a gourmet meal.

The Burners on your Viking Range

It would be nice if you could just wipe off the top of your cooking range and walk away, but sadly, this isn’t the case. The best way to prevent a range fire from starting in your home will be making sure you keep the burners clean and grease free.

Many people avoid cleaning their burners because they take one look at them and think they’ll be way too difficult to scrub. This doesn’t have to be the case at all. Other people think that dunking their burners in the dish water a couple times a week, will keep them sufficiently clean. Again, this isn’t true.

The best way to make sure your burners remain grease free and looking great will be to avoid soaking the burners. Instead you should use wipe them down with the soapy water and let them dry.

When we’ve had to replace a cooking range’s burners it’s almost always because the owner didn’t take the time to make sure the burners were completely dry before returning them to the range top. Over time the moisture trapped between the burner and cooking range causes the burners to rust, until eventually they have to be replaced. The best way to ensure that the burners last for a very long time will be turning the heat to high, and warming the burners for about fifteen seconds. This removes any excess moisture from the iron.

If you do notice some rust starting to form on your burners, you should invest in a product called Bar Keeper’s Friend. A dab of this and some scrubbing will remove the rust and have your burner looking as good as new.

Every couple of months, you should wipe a very thin layer of vegetable oil on your burners and let it set for about fifteen minutes before washing it off. This conditions the burners.

While you’re waiting for the burners to dry, you should turn your attention to the burner bases. The best time to clean these will be during the cooling phase. Never, ever, use anything abrasive like steel wool, cleaners, or powders on the burner bases. The best way to clean this will be with a hot towel to loosen any encrusted debris, and a wooden or rubber spatula.

The Sealed Burner Top

The best way to maintain the beauty of you Viking range’s sealed burner top and the burner bowls will be making sure you wipe them down with warm water after every use. If you need something stronger to remove stains, you need to stick to a soft scrub that doesn’t have any bleach, and a soft rag so your range doesn’t develop and unsightly scratches.

The Grill Plate

After cooking with your grill plate, you’ll want to use some warm water and a soft bristle brush to clean it while it’s still hot. This should be done after every use. After several heavy uses, you’ll want to check the owner’s manual and see what they say about deep cleaning the grill plate. Soak the grill plate in hot water for several minutes and then use a blue Scotch-Brite pad to scrub it clean.

The Rest of Your Viking Cooking Range

Keeping the rest of your cooking range won’t be hard at all, especially if you wipe it down after every single use. All you have to do will be to use the same soapy water you used on your stovetop, and wipe the front of your oven. The hardest part will be removing the knobs, which should be scrubbed after every use. If you have white oven knobs, you’ll want to keep some 409 handy so you can easily remove finger smudges.

The most important thing to keep in mind will be that if you’re cooking with anything that’s acidic and it lands on your stainless steel trim, it needs to be wiped up immediately. Both tomato and lemon will quickly cause the stainless steel to pit. Using just a little Thor polish on the stainless steel every few weeks will keep it in show room condition.

The Oven

Most of today’s ovens have a self-cleaning feature, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll have to wipe down the interior with soapy water. This will help keep food from building up inside and damaging the inner workings.

In addition to wiping down the interior, you need to remove the racks every few weeks and use soft scrub to remove built up junk that tends to stick to them. While you’re letting them soak, you should with the inside of your oven door with some oven cleaner.

If you have a self-cleaning oven you’re going to want to consult with your owner’s manual about the best way to keep it clean. Keep in mind that different brands have different criteria, especially about things like the removal of the racks. Don’t assume it will be just like cleaning your previous oven.

The most important thing to remember when cleaning your Viking oven will be to avoid the infrared broiler. This is a particularly delicate part, and can be easily damaged by cleaners.