How to Clean Electric Coil Burners
Electric stoves with coil heating elements can get soiled overtime with food spills. If left unattended, these can create unpleasant smoke, smells or even flame when the stove is operated. As with any other appliance, start with your user manual to find the appropriate cleaning methods.
- Remove the completely cooled burners. Most burners will have two prongs that unplug from socket fittings on the stove. You may need to squeeze the prongs together to loosen mounting collars in order to pull them free. Be careful when unplugging the coil as bending the prongs may ruin them.
- Use a cleaning cloth and a mixture of mild dish soap and water to remove any food residue. Since the heat from the coils will cook off most residue, this step is usually all that is needed. Don’t submerge the coils in water as this may ruin the electrical connections.
- If burnt-on food persists, try making a baking soda and water paste. Use it to gently scrub residue off the electric heater coil. You can let the paste sit on the coil for up to 20 minutes before scrubbing for tough stains. Rinse off the paste thoroughly afterwards.
- Clean drip pans at this point in the process. Dump out any charred remnants and wipe down the pans. Replace once dried.
- Carefully plug the prongs back into their sockets. Careful not to bend or damage the prongs during this process.
- For regular maintenance, simply wipe down the heater coils whenever you wipe down the stove during routine cleaning.
Source: the Spruce