Can You Clean a Stove With Clorox Wipes?

Cleaning a stove is one of the biggest housekeeping challenges. Tons of grime and dirt build up over time as you use your stove for cooking and preparing meals. While you can clean the stove in different ways, some think about Clorox wipes – but can these wipes clean your stove?

You can clean a stove with Clorox wipes. First, use a razor blade or a scrub brush to remove the dried-on grime, grease, and stains. Then, use wipes to clean the stove surface. To disinfect it, use enough wipes and keep it visibly wet for 4 minutes, allowing the chemicals in the wipes to react.

Keep reading the rest of this article to learn more about Clorox wipes’ function and how they help clean surfaces such as a stove. We also recommend some other methods for deep cleaning your dirty stove.

How Clorox Wipes Work

The manufacturer of Clorox wipes claims that they’re able to clean and disinfect 99.9% of germs. Clorox says its wipes can kill viruses and bacteria such as: 

• Cold and flu germs
• Staph
• MRSA
• E. coli
• Strep
• Salmonella
• Other disease-causing organisms

But, how do you use these wipes to clean your stove? 

Cleaning 

The function of Clorox wipes isn’t complicated. On its website, the first step mentioned is to clean the treated surface. This means that you should first clean up all the physical remains like dirt and grimes from the stove.

If you don’t remove those layers and directly use wipes or other chemicals for cleaning the stove, they won’t reach the germs and can’t affect them. The surface may look clean, but the microbes won’t die and will still be present.

You can use a razor blade, a scrub brush, or a knife and gently scratch the sticky and stubborn grime. However, be cautious when working with a knife or razor blade so that you don’t scratch metal stoves or hurt yourself. 

Wiping out 

The second step is to wipe out the surface using enough wipes. Before using Clorox wipes on your stove, check out the compatibility of the stove materials with the wipes to ensure they don’t damage the stove. You can check it out by clicking here. 

Once you make sure your stove surface is compatible with Clorox wipes, you can use them safely on the surface. Wipe out the dirt all over the stove, and don’t forget its rims which may be out of sight.

Use enough wipes for cleaning. While there’s no official figure indicating how much surface a Clorox wipe can suffice, a study in 2018 showed that generally, one wipe over 1-2 square ft (0.09-0.18 sq m) is enough for more than an 8 square ft (0.74 sq m) area.

Additionally, if you read the instructions written on the Clorox label, it says: “Use enough wipes for the treated surface to remain visibly wet.” So, use enough wipes to keep your stove surface wet for a few minutes.

Let It Sit

Per the official instructions for Clorox wipes, you will see that it needs about 4 minutes of contact time and approximately 15 seconds in order to kill viruses. You’ll need to ensure that the wipes remain on your stove for this amount of time.

The chemical ingredients used in the wipes have to react to be effective, and this chemical reaction doesn’t occur instantly. This is why you see a specified time (in this case, 4 minutes) on the product’s label.

If you’re using Clorox wipes to clean the stove and notice that you can’t keep its surface visibly wet for 4 minutes, you’re probably using too few wipes to cover a given area.

The Final Wipe 

As a final step, give your stove a once-over using a clean wipe to make sure no residue has remained on the stove. There’s no need to use a Clorox wipe for this step – a cleaning wipe should suffice. 

Here is a super helpful YouTube video that shows you how to clean a stove with Clorox wipes for those of you who are a fan of visual materials:

Other Methods To Use for Cleaning Stove

Clorox wipes are not the only option you have to clean your stove. There are several other options you can consider if you don’t have these wipes on hand, most of which are easily available in your pantry. Here are some options you can consider:

Baking Soda 

Baking soda is a great cleaner and can loosen any kind of grime. You can use it with vinegar, lemon, or dish soap. Mix it with those ingredients to create a paste, and then use it on the stove surface.

You can also sprinkle it on the stove surface and then rub it with a slice of a lemon, or place a few wet (or soapy) cloths on the baking soda for about 15 minutes.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t make electric stoves wet – instead, you should only take off the removable parts and clean them. Then, allow them to dry completely. To wipe the surface, use a damp (but not wet) cloth.

Ammonia 

One of the easiest methods for cleaning a stove is using ammonia. Just take off the removable parts of your stove (such as burners) and put them in Ziploc bags.

Then add a splash of ammonia and let those parts sit in the solution overnight. The next day, take them out and wipe them with a soapy sponge or dishcloth. 

Keep in mind that ammonia is gaseous and can be toxic, so make sure that there is good ventilation in the area.

Vinegar 

Vinegar is the most effective option for cleaning glass-top stoves as it can loosen the dried-on stains and grime. 

To use vinegar for cleaning your stove, add one part of white vinegar to two parts of water. Then, pour the solution into an unused spray bottle and use it for cleaning your stove. You can also use this vinegar solution for everyday cleaning.

Conclusion 

Cleaning a stove surface can be challenging, especially if you don’t do it regularly. Clorox wipes can help you in the process, and cleaning with Clorox wipes can make your stove look brand new! However, you should first get rid of all the dirt and grime before using the wipes.