How to clean cast iron range cooker pan supports? Please help!

[louisdog]

Hiya

I have a Mercury range cooker which was here when I moved in. In our last house we had a ceramic hob and I wiped it clean very time I used it, and it looked sparkling. This new beast is such a pita! The cast iron pan supports are really heavy and don't fit in the sink. I bought a tray from Lakeland and try to wash them in there but they still seem greasy/not clean enough. It is such a faff dismantling the thing as well. Has anyone got any tips on how to keep it clean or do I just need to accept it takes a lot longer/more work to keep this type of hob top clean?

It's Mercury brand and I see they do induction-topped ranges, I wonder if I could get the top swapped for a nice easy-clean induction, anyone done this please?

Cheers
L

Hi
I have a mercury but have to admit my husband cleans it!
All the burner bits go in the dishwasher and we (he)washes the pan supports in the sink in biological washing powder and rinses them very hot water and they seem to come up a treat.You mentioned the sink is not bit enough,what about your bath?You could buy a cheap rubber mat to put them on if you are frightened of scratching the bath.
Also the washing powder will give the bath a deep clean.(win win)
I am sorry that you are not enjoying your mercury,we love ours but can understand the shock of having had something that can be wiped over in a moment
On the plus side the pan supports are so chunky that they can hide a multitude of muck own the top of the cooker!

I just bung them in the dishwasher.

I soaked my cast iron pan supports in bath filled with biological washing powder & hot water.

Left them over night and they came up amazing!!!!!

The bath didn't take long to clean either

if there is burnt-on fat, a green nylon scourer and WUL will get it off.

When the gloss goes (especially in a dishwasher) you can rub them with a drop of cooking oil on a rag, polished off afterwards.

Thanks so much for all the replies, I soaked all the bits in near boiling water with bio washing gel for a few hours and after some elbow grease with a sponge scourer they came up a treat - like new!

Really want to try the pan supports in the dishwasher but thinking they might rust?

I am still not loving my Mercury range though, I am not sure what its good points are over a regular cooker, are they a lot more solid/well-made/reliable?

Cheers
L

they won't rust.

however if they are plain grey cast iron with no enamel, you can rub them (dry) with your scourer when they come out, then polish off with kitchen roll and half a drop of cooking oil.

Great, thanks for the advice - will definitely try the dishwasher next time (cos I am lazy!)

Hi,
I have an electric cooker with a gas hob, it's about 12 years old and was in the house when I moved in. The cooking is ok in both of them but the cast iron pot stands are now giving me a bit of trouble. I do know how to clean them and lilt them but the prongs are starting to 'crumble' and rust. The rust I can cope with but not the crumbling. Does anyone have any ideas?

The best way to clean these is by getting 1 gallon zip bags, get a large bottle of ammonia, place the racks in the bags and then divide the chemical equally between the bags, zip the bags up tight and leave for 24hrs.
Wearing a pair of gloves, open the bags in the zinc under a running tap and rinse the racks thoroughly. There won't be anything left on them. If they are starting to fade, you can buy cast iron restorer, or you can rub anytype of oil, vegetable or olive oil into the racks, then bake them in an oven for half and hour and then leave to cool. Rub some more oil into them and leave for a few minutes then wipe them clean with a cloth. This process is known as seasoning and can be used on pans as well.
Doug
www.ocdovencleaning.co.uk

Hi Doug,

Don't mean to sound a bit dim but does this work for cast iron trivets? I have tried the dishwasher, good old elbow grease, soaked over night in washing powder and even bought a steam cleaner but still not happy with them.