I've used a lot of elbow grease trying to get the inside of my oven clean, but cleaning daily splatters and spills on the stovetop? That's super easy. (Yes, really!) And I get slick, shiny results without special sprays. In fact, I have a bottle of spray that I never use; I find rubbing with a clean kitchen towel to be a far superior (and simpler) method. This is my basic routine.

How To Clean a Greasy Stovetop with Just Soap and Water

What You Need

• Sponge or cleaning cloth
• Dish soap
• Scrub brush
• Kitchen towel

Instructions

1. Gather your supplies: You only need a sponge or cleaning cloth, dish soap, a scrub brush, and a kitchen towel.
2. Prep the stovetop: If you can remove the grates and knobs, do.
3. Soak the knobs: Drop the knobs in soapy water and let them soak while you wipe down the stovetop.
4. Get your sponge just right: Squirt a very small drop of dishwashing liquid onto a sponge or cloth. Wet, then squeeze out most of the water. You need some soap to cut the grease, but you don't want swimming pools of water dripping into crevices.
5. Wipe and repeat: Wipe and scrub away the grease splatters and spilled sauces, rewetting and re-soaping your sponge if necessary. Repeat until the water from the sponge runs clear (no cloudy, greasy water, which can stick around). Then, with long strokes, wipe away the soap.
6. Buff: Use a clean, dry kitchen towel to buff away the water streaks. If you have stainless steel, wipe in the direction of the grain.
7. Keep buffing: Buff, buff, buff the shiny surfaces until they are streak-free, getting all water out of the corners.
8. Clean the grates: Use a soapy scrub brush to clean the grates in the sink. (I don't do this every time I cook; maybe once every couple of weeks.) Rinse and let dry completely.
9. Hit all the little details: Scrub the grease off of the knobs that have been soaking. Rinse and let dry completely. Wipe down the oven handle; grease lands there, too! Then replace the knobs and grates on the stovetop when dry, and you're done!

Additional Notes

• You can also remove the gas burner covers, but I find that they're hard to clean (the intense heat must really solidify those stains) and not worth the trouble. Plus, I fear getting water where it doesn't belong near those clicking gas starters.

This is my method, but I realize it isn't perfect for every type of stove. What are your best tips? Any electric stove users have some advice?