Can you put stove grates in the dishwasher?

If you are someone who uses the stove a lot when cooking meals, you will know all about how dirty your stove grates can get. Regardless of how careful you are while cooking, these grates just seem to attract dirt.

Today, we’ll be looking at whether you can put stove grates in the dishwasher to resolve this nagging issue. We’ll also take a look at some alternative cleaning solutions for those who don’t own a dishwasher or enjoy using one.

What are stove grates?

Stove grates are the layers of cast iron that typically sit above and around your gas stoves. The purpose of these heavy grates is to distribute the heat from the stoves evenly to your pans and subsequently your food. They also provide you with a more secure fitting position for your pans.

Stove grates usually come as standard with all gas stoves because they are essential to the stove doing its job properly. It’s vital that you keep these grates clean at all times because they interact with food each time you use the stove. If any lingering bacteria is stuck to the grates then your food could become contaminated.

Can you put stove grates in the dishwasher? The simple answer

Stove grates can be washed in the dishwasher, however, you may prefer to hand wash them for several reasons.

First of all, the vast majority of stove grates are made out of cast iron. As a general rule, cast iron products aren’t meant to go in a dishwasher because many of these products are seasoned. When exposed to the intense scrubbing and heat of a dishwasher, this seasoning is worn away. Luckily, cast iron stove grates don’t come with this seasoning so this shouldn’t be an issue.

Secondly, cast iron has been known to easily rust after a cycle in a dishwasher. The last thing you want is for your stove grates to look old and rusty as it will put you off making food on and around them. Rust is a nightmare to try and remove so this is a good enough reason alone to opt for an alternative to dishwashing.

Finally, stove grates can be quite weighty and awkward in size. You may find that you need to allocate the entire top shelf of your dishwasher to clean your grates. For those of us who like to be as efficient as possible with water usage, this is a nightmare, especially when you factor in the other downsides.

Despite all that, if you do still want to wash your stove grates in your dishwasher then you are safe to do so. Nothing is going to happen to them that will make the unusable.

Alternative ways to clean your stove grates

If you decide that you don’t want to run the risk of causing your grates to rust or if the lack of efficiency is a dealbreaker then don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways to wash your stove grates. We have outlined the best three methods below:

The soap and hot water method

1. Carefully remove the stove grates from your stove and place them into an empty sink. You don’t want to do this straight after you’ve finished your dinner because they will still be too hot to touch so leave it a few hours.
2. Put the plug into the sink and then pour in some hot water. As the water begins to rise, add in a few squirts of dish soap until the water is foamy and full of soap bubbles.
3. Leave the grates to soak in the water for a couple of hours and return to it once the water has cooled down.
4. Pick up a sponge and apply some dish soap to it. Pick the grates out of the sink and begin scrubbing them gently to remove any excess dirt, grim or stains that haven’t been removed by the hot water/dish soap mix.
5. After you’ve finished scrubbing and the grates are looking brand new, grab a cloth and dry them instantly. You don’t want to leave them to dry on their own because rust can develop.
6. Once all of your grates are cleaned and dried, place them back on your stove and enjoy a clean cooking experience.

The baking soda method

1. Carefully remove your grates from the stove, leaving enough time after you have finished cooking to ensure you don’t get burned. Place them into an empty sink.
2. Mix together some baking soda and water in a bowl until you produce a thick, smooth paste.
3. Put some gloves on and spread the paste all over the stove grates, ensuring every inch of them is covered.
4. Leave the paste to sit on the grates for half an hour. This gives the baking soda solution time to absorb and remove any top layer of grease and dirt.
5. After half an hour has passed return to the sink and begin scrubbing the grates with a soft-bristled brush. This should ensure that all excess dirt is wiped away.
6. Rinse away the remaining paste underneath a tap, while continuing to wipe away any remaining dirt from your grates.
7. Once your grates are looking shiny and new, dry them immediately with a towel and place them back on your stove.

The degreaser method

1. Remove your grates from the stove and place them in your sink. Leave enough time after your dinner to allow the grate to cool down.
2. Grab a bottle of degreaser and spray your grates with it.
3. Leave the grates in the sink for an hour and allow the degreaser to settle on them.
4. Come back to your grates and scrub them thoroughly with a sponge to wipe away any excess dirt and grease.
5. Repeat the process until the grates are looking nice and clean and then dry them with a cloth/towel.
6. Place them back on your stove in time for your next meal.

Conclusion

To conclude, stove grates can be put in the dishwasher but they probably shouldn’t. Hand washing them one of the three methods outlined above is going to provide your grates with the safest and most bespoke wash possible.