Cleaning Stove / Oven

[sailcruiser]

I all, we just purchased a boat that needs a good cleaning. The stove is giving me fits with stuck on or discolored 'stuff'. It is your standard gimbaled stainless setup. So far I've tried vinegar and a stainless cleaner we had at home and it has improved but still is pretty icky. Any secrets out there? I haven't even started the oven yet! Can really scrub it with a nylon scrubby so I'm stuck. All suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,
SC

[cabo_sailor]

What's wrong with EasyOff oven cleaner?? Or some equivalent.

[sailcruiser]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

What's wrong with EasyOff oven cleaner?? Or some equivalent.

Nothing that I know of. I wasn't sure if that was stove safe. I've used it on the grill and it can be corrosive if not careful. Has anyone done this?

Thx!

[cabo_sailor]

Well yeah, it's corrosive. Wear gloves and either well ventilate or wear a respirator. However, some varieties from the same company are less dangerous than others so read the labels. Most don't need the respirator, just open some hatches, ports, etc. and don't keep your head buried in the oven. Some can even be applied to a cold oven. But remember, you are applying it to an oven and it is designed to clean ovens. It will not dissolve in front of you and it beats spending the next month with a brillo pad.

Have fun,

Rich

[sailcruiser]

Fun? Heh. I'd rather be sailing but I'm waiting to hear back from the coasties on the change of ownership paperwork. I figure I'll put the time to use. I'm pretty fussy about cleanliness especially in the galley so it's worth the effort. The p/o wasn't a terribly clean person so this needed quite a bit of elbow grease to make it livable for me. Thx Rich! Any other ideas out there?

[svpattyd]

I used oven cleaners for self cleaning ovens. U can also use bio green clean. It really works.

[svcambria]

Easy Off is prety good for getting the "concretions" out of the oven. For the stove top, I have had to resort at times to Mexican paint remover (the hottest stuff one can get); perhaps US paint removers still have some umph...otherwise, back to Easy Off. Some of these "deposits" just don't respond to abrasion...Scrapers leave scratch marks.

Michael

[sailnautilus]

I have had excellent success on very bad stainless stoves with "Bartenders Friend". It is abrasive, so it will leave stainless with a brushed appearance, but sometimes it is the only thing that will get off baked on crust. I have used it on Force 10 stoves and barbecues; I have also used it on the rusty crevices on railing and handrails with excellent results.
It is also great to take off stains from fiberglass gel coat, but do not use on painted surfaces.
Good Luck!!
Dr. Michele

[sailcruiser]

Thanks everyone! I have some ideas and I think I can find all but mexican paint remover. =) I haven't seen that up here in the great lakes. I'll report back what works. I have easy off so that will be try #1.

Cheers!
SC

[Jude2010]

In my teens I had my own bathroom. At one point I had two girls coming to visit from out of town. Suffice to say my tub needed some attending. Knowing little about cleaning products I rummaged through the cupboards and found easy off. My bright Idea I figured if it works on an oven it has to get my grimy tub clean! So I soaked it down with about half the bottle and scrubbed with a regular rag and my bare hands... After about 10 minutes the skin on my hands went completely numb! That's about the time I noticed the little symbol of a skeleton hand on the bottle. All in all I had the cleanest tub and the softest hands on the west coast. I ended up dating both girls and eventually marrying there friend! Who is now a nurse and working full time to put all her income into buying a boat to live on, and sail to the edge of the earth. Moral of the story, I don't know, but that easy oven cleaning is powerful stuff, I may not even be on here today if it weren't for it!

[savoir]

Use one of those spray on foamy oven cleaners. Check the waiting time which will be 1 hour or so. Close the oven door and get off the boat. Come back later, open all hatches, turn on fans and wipe the oven clean. You may need to repeat this process. There is no shortcut to cleaning a seriously dirty oven.

While you wait remove and clean the wire shelves. Stainless steel wool + hot water + soap = good

[Jude2010]

More practical than my previous post I love vim for grime and a hardware store will Cary a stainless steel polish in a spray can.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by savoir

Use one of those spray on foamy oven cleaners. Check the waiting time which will be 1 hour or so. Close the oven door and get off the boat. Come back later, open all hatches, turn on fans and wipe the oven clean. You may need to repeat this process. There is no shortcut to cleaning a seriously dirty oven.

While you wait remove and clean the wire shelves. Stainless steel wool + hot water + soap = good

Did ours this way last week, sadly no short cuts, though I was eyeing up a 2" paint scraper we had on board.

Pete

[sailcruiser]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Did ours this way last week, sadly no short cuts, though I was eyeing up a 2" paint scraper we had on board.

Pete

LOL I was doing the same.today I roll up my sleeves with easy off. Will report if I find any shortcuts but I wouldn't hold my breath!! =)

[barnakiel]

A combo of things work fine: regular solvents, hot soapy water, varnish stripper, etc..

I have seen one of the supermarket available 'clean your stove' things used and it worked magic.

b.