The major items of equipment that involve us here are the refrigerator and range and, of the two, the range perhaps poses the most exacting cleaning problem. It calls for rubber gloves, if you are fastidious, and know-how. The cleaning method is essentially the same whether power is supplied by electricity, oil, or gas. After baking we always facing the problem with the grease in the oven. Here are some special tips to help you solve your problem.



MODERN KITCHEN RANGES have a fine porcelain enamel finish. It is durable and tough, and resistant to heat, stains, acids, and alkalies. A wipe with a damp cloth usually leaves the outside clean and shining if you attend to spilled foods promptly. If the surface is very hot when something spills, use a dry cloth rather than a wet one; you will be less likely to burn yourself or to crack the finish. For a thorough cleanup of the exterior use a cloth or sponge wrung out of detergent suds; rinse, and wipe dry. You should never need an abrasive on a fine enameled finish but, if you do, use whiting or the finest you can find. Try to avoid sharp blows and overheating. Keep strong acids and alkalies away from it. Remember that you are dealing with glass fused on steel.

WHEN YOU USE THE BROILER, remove the pan and the rack with your steak so that the grease will not be cooked on harder by the remaining heat. Wash them thoroughly later and, before putting them back, wipe grease-spatters off the walls and the inside of the door of the broiler compartment which has now probably cooled sufficiently. Use hot water and a detergent or soapsuds containing ammonia. For stubborn spots use steel wool with ammonia or a mild scouring powder.

OVENS SHOULD BE CLEANED REGULARLY. If long neglected they become coated with burned-on grease and food and are very difficult to cleaned. For routine cleaning use the same materials and methods described for the broiler compartment. When it has cooled, after use, always wipe up any spatters of grease or food from the oven so that they will not have a chance to burn on hard the next time the oven is heated.

AMMONIA IS A GREAT AID in cleaning a grease-spattered oven. The General Electric Company suggests that on the night before you plan a thorough cleaning, you place a small bowl containing about half a cup of ammonia in the oven, and close the door tight. The fumes loosen grease and burned-on food so that it will wash off quite easily in the morning.

FOR SPECIAL CLEANING take the racks out and then clean the bottom, sides, and the inside of the door with hot water and a detergent or soapsuds and ammonia. Use steel wool, with a mild scouring powder if needed. Stubborn stains on the bottom of the oven can be rubbed with a cloth dipped in ammonia. If necessary, leave the ammonia-saturated cloth on the stain for several hours to loosen it.

COMMERCIAL CLEANERS such as Easy-Off and Oven-Aid are available for cleaning neglected ovens. If you select such a cleaner be sure to read the directions carefully and to follow them exactly.

OVEN RACKS. If the racks from the oven do not come clean with a thorough washing in the sink with hot suds, put them on a thick layer of newspaper and scrub them with steel wool. Use scouring powder with the steel wool, or ammonia, or both.

THE GLASS WINDOW OF THE OVEN should be kept clean by rubbing it frequently with a damp cloth that has been dipped in baking soda. If the glass gums up badly it is very difficult to clean.

A REMOVABLE OVEN VENT, that can be taken out and washed in the dishpan is found on some electric ranges. Vents which are not removable should be washed now and then with a cloth wrung out of hot suds.

Use the ammonia to remove the grease spattered oven. Use the hot suds if the oven still don't come clean. Use the cloth which has been dipped in baking soda to clean the glass window of the oven.

Clean the fine porcelain enamel finish kitchen with the damp cloth or dry cloth. You can use the hot water and detergent containing ammonia to remove the grease spatter on the walls of the kitchen, this solution can also be done to clean the burned grease food in the oven which is difficult to clean.