Carbon Dating

So for those who don't know, I spent last week giving my kitchen a complete and total scrub-down. And of course, no kitchen scrub down would be complete if we didn't tackle that messy issue of the stove. I have a gas stove, which I love beyond words... But one of the issues has always been those drip pans. No matter how clean you keep them, eventually, it gets that carbon build-up. I hate that carbon build-up. You can scrub and scrub and scrub and scrub, and you'll take the finish off your drip pans before you get any carbon off of it.

What's funny is that I know others have that problem too, and their solutions for it always intrigue me. One person I know buys disposable aluminum drip pans. Another I know wraps hers in tinfoil. Both are solutions to be sure, but I don't think they're especially attractive solutions... At least, not in my kitchen. I've had quite a few people tell me that when theirs get soiled beyond recognition, they just throw them out because you can replace them for only $20 or so. I can't bring myself to do that for so, so, so many reasons. The funniest solution I've heard is to just buy and use black drip pans so you won't notice the carbon build-up. LOL!

Lucky for me, I learned the trick about how to have spotless drip pans with only very minimal effort. Unfortunately, the process isn’t a chemical-free one, so if you’re sensitive to the strong smell of ammonia, you might just want to stick to those black drip pans. :)

To clean the carbon build-up off of your drip pans, all you need to do is take a drip pan and put it in a large trash bag. Lay the drip pan flat, either on the floor or in a tub (I do this in the garage so it’s outside in a well-ventilated area, but not where animals can get at it), then pour in some ammonia onto the drip pan. Not a ton, but enough to cover the inside of the drip pan. I use about a cup, maybe a cup and a half if I’ve not done this in awhile. Tie the trash bag closed and leave it undisturbed for several hours, or overnight.

When it’s done, a simple wet cloth or sponge and soapy water should be enough to just wipe off those pesky carbon stains. No scrubbing, no scratching the finish, no tinfoil or disposable trays. Just a beautiful, shiny, clean drip pan. And by doing it in a trash bag, you contain the fumes, and can just chuck the bag when you’re done.

Voila!

Be sure to check out the other ladies who've submitted ideas for Works for Me Wed over at Rocks in my Dryer!