Skip to main content
MM logo white 1
MM logo red
Image description is not available
Image description is not available

How do you clean kitchen appliances?

Luuk12 MARCH 2026
A hand wipes a stainless steel stovetop with a yellow cloth, with a kettle and jars of pasta in the background.

It’s good to clean your kitchen appliances regularly, even if it’s not always the most enjoyable task. But how do you clean your cooker, BBQ, freezer, air fryer or oven? In this article we explain it to you.

How do you clean the cooker, hob and cooker hood?

A person wearing yellow gloves and an apron cleans a stove top with a green cloth in a kitchen with white cabinets and tiled walls.

Want to clean the cooker or hob? Make a bowl of warm soapy water with some washing-up liquid. Remove the pan supports and cooled gas burners from the cooker and soak the burners in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. The pan supports can go in the dishwasher if suitable. Wipe the cooker or hob with a damp cloth and the soapy water, then wipe dry with a clean cloth so it’s clean and streak-free. Don’t use scouring agents on the hob; these can scratch the surface.

To clean the cooker hood, first fill a pan with water and lemon juice and bring it to the boil with the extractor on. The hood will be de-greased by the evaporated water and lemon juice being drawn through. Then wipe the hood with a damp cloth. The extractor filters can go in the dishwasher at 40°C on a short cycle. The filter’s colour may change, but this doesn’t affect performance.

Advice on cookers

How do you clean a BBQ?

Cleaning a barbecue is very important. If you don’t do it straight away, the next time you switch it on it will produce smoke and your meat and vegetables may burn. First remove large food residues from the BBQ while the grill is still warm. Do this with a brush suitable for barbecues so you don’t damage the grate, and the food comes off easily. Then use soapy water and a sponge or cloth to remove the remaining dirt. Once the coals have gone out, remove them from the barbecue and brush away the ash. When the bowl is empty, use a cloth and soapy water to wipe down the barbecue. Don’t use scouring agents.

Sometimes prevention is better than cure. Before you start barbecuing, brush the grate with olive or sunflower oil so the meat doesn’t stick to the grill. If you don’t have oil, you can also use some lemon juice to coat the grate.

Advice about barbecues

How do you clean a freezer?

A hand in a yellow glove holds a green cloth, wiping down the inside of a white refrigerator with shelves.

Before cleaning the freezer, check what products are inside. Some items shouldn’t be refrozen after defrosting. Then switch off the freezer and keep the remaining products as cool as possible, for example in a cool box. Keep a dry cloth and a bucket to hand. Make sure all ice and water are removed by wiping with the cloth and wringing it out over the bucket. Clean the inside and, if needed, the outside with soapy water, a soft cloth and lukewarm water. Rinse again with hot water and then dry with a dry cloth. Ensure no moisture remains in the freezer when you switch it back on, otherwise ice will form. Then put your products back. This will keep you going for a long time again.

How to clean a fridge

How do you clean an air fryer or deep fryer?

A woman in an apron uses tongs to remove food from an air fryer in a kitchen setting.

Before you start cleaning, unplug the deep fryer and make sure the oil has cooled. Pour the old frying fat into a plastic bag or an empty bottle. Wipe any remaining oil out of the pan with kitchen paper. Meanwhile, boil some water. Take a small bowl, put a dishwasher tablet in it and pour in the boiling water. Once the tablet has dissolved, pour this into the fryer. Add more water until the pan is over half full. Switch the appliance on at 90 degrees and leave it to soak for about half an hour. Put your basket in the pan as well. Then clean with a wire brush and dry all parts with a microfibre cloth.

An air fryer also cooks snacks – just like a deep fryer – but uses hot air instead of oil.

Cleaning an air fryer

How do you clean an oven or microwave?

A person in yellow gloves cleans a black oven with a green sponge, with white cabinets in the background.

To use your oven or microwave safely and optimally, it’s important to keep it clean. Don’t leave burnt-on residues in the oven. If this happens, try the following:

  • Vacuum out your oven completely.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C and switch it off once it reaches temperature. Place an ovenproof dish with water and lemon inside and leave it for half an hour to de-grease the oven. Then remove the grease with kitchen paper or a damp microfibre cloth.
  • You can put the oven rack in the dishwasher. If it doesn’t fit, fill a tub with warm water and a dishwasher tablet and soak the rack for a few hours. Rinse it well before putting it back in the oven.

More oven cleaning advice

These articles might be interesting for you