I tried this chemical-free hack to make my burner rings sparkle — and I'm so impressed

Cleaning gas stove top
Cleaning gas stove top (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Cleaning the burner rings on my stovetop is probably one of my least favorite kitchen cleaning jobs. Especially after I've been getting deep into the grooves of my stovetop and giving every edge and corner a good scrub.

It might be tempting to just give those dirty rings a light wipe and go on to the next task, but honestly, it's not going to make your life any easier in the long run — I should know.

I've never cleaned my stovetop burners. Don't judge me that hard as I've only lived in my house for 8 months, and I obviously wipe them down when I do my daily stovetop clean in the evening. But, I'm yet to actually give them a deep clean. And it's getting to the point that you can see they need it, so it was time to find a fast hack to get this job done. Because I hate scrubbing, and I'm yet to invest in one of those electrical scrubbers.

@ao

♬ original sound - AO Lets Go

I'm a big fan of cleaning hacks that involve soaking. So, when I came across a TikTok that used just two ingredients to soak stovetop burner rings, and afterward it left them sparkling, I knew I had to try it.

And where better to test this than on my crusty stovetop? Does it actually do the job, without scrubbing and with zero chemicals? I put it to the test.

Everything you need

Baking soda, one lemon and a bowl of burner rings on countertop

(Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer)
  • One lemon
  • Baking soda
  • A bowl
  • Boiling water
365 by Whole Foods Market Baking Soda
365 by Whole Foods Market Baking Soda: $1.79 at Amazon

Amazon's Choice for good reason, this baking soda is a total steal at $1.79 per box, and each box contains 16oz of powder. With this amount of baking soda, you can clean and deodorize everywhere in your home in time for spring. From your plug holes to your dishwasher.

Prepare your burner rings

Burner rings in a bowl

(Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer)

It's a pretty simple method to clean your stovetop burner rings but first, you'll want to boil your kettle. Then, grab a sizeable bowl and pop your rings in there.

Go ahead and cut your lemon in half. Squeeze half of the lemon over the burner rings in the bowl. Then, pop both the squeezed half of the lemon and the untouched half into the bowl. Sprinkle over a generous amount of baking soda until it starts fizzing.

Next, you're going to fill the bowl with boiling water until all of the burner rings are covered.

Leave them to soak

Burner rings in bowl with lemon halves and baking soda, fizzing

(Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer)

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Once the timer has gone off, remove the burner rings, one by one, from the water and run them under your faucet. Then, clean them lightly with soapy water.

Lastly, dry your rings and pop them back into place.

Good to know

Burner rings soaking in a bowl

(Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer)

You're going to want to make sure that all burner rings are covered in lemon juice and the bicarb initially, and that once the boiling water is added, they're all completely under the water.

Baked-on grease might be harder to shift, I found that some of my rings were actually damaged rather than dirty so although they looked dirty afterward, they were smooth to the touch so I must've damaged them at some point.

Clean burner ring

(Image credit: Future/Annie Collyer)

After pouring the water away, you can use the lemon halves again, in your dishwasher, or for cleaning anything else like a wooden chopping board, before throwing them in the bin.

If you use a large enough bowl (which I didn't) you should be able to use what's left in the bowl afterward for your grates. You can let them have a soak and wash them with soapy water, too.

More from Tom's Guide

Annie Collyer
Freelance Contributor

Annie is a freelancer at Tom's Guide. She's been an Editor at various home magazines for 7 years — reviewing and writing about everything from cleaning products to air fryers and mattresses. Annie started her career at Real Homes as Deals Editor in 2018 and by 2020 she was the UK Shopping Editor at Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, and Ideal Home. She was in charge of the majority of eCommerce content on these sites, including reviews and buying guides. Now, as a freelancer, she writes features, reviews, and guides for several brands including BBC Good Food, Ideal Home, and Parade Home & Garden.

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