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How To Clean Electric Coil Burners

By , About.com Guide

Photo Credit: Bryan Mullennix/Getty Images
Even the most careful cook sometimes finds that they've drizzled a little something on the burner. Usually the smoke and smell are the first indication that a spill has happened. So how do you clean an electric coil burner that's been drizzled on?
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 20 minutes

Here's How:

  1. Remove the completely cooled burners.

    Once the burners have completely cooled, remove them from the cook top area. Most burners unplug from the main part of the stove. If you have questions about how to remove your burners, refer to your manufacturer's instructions for best practices.

  2. Begin with dish soap and water.

    Use a cleaning cloth and a mild dish soap and water to try to remove residue at first. Because the burner coils cook off most food that comes into contact with them, a mild wipe down is often all that is needed. Don't submerge the burners or any electrical portion in water.

  3. Remove stuck on food.

    If mild dish soap and water wouldn't remove stuck or burnt on food, try making a baking soda and water paste to gently scrub residue off of the electric burner coil. Really tough stains may benefit from allowing the baking soda paste to sit on the burner for up to 20 minutes, before scrubbing. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

  4. Clean the drip pans.

    If your cook top has removable drip pans, this is the time to remove and clean those as well. Dump out any charred remnants of food. Wipe them down and replace them before replacing the burners.

  5. Maintain the burners.

    For regular maintenance of electric coil burners, just wiped down the burners at the same time you wipe down the top of the stove.

What You Need:

  • Cleaning cloth
  • Mild dish soap
  • Water
  • Baking soda
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