Cleaning Car Drip Pans: Easy Tips For Sparkling Trays

Drip pans are a pain to clean, but it's not impossible. The best method for you will depend on the type of mess you're dealing with. For fresh spills, a simple soak in hot water and dish soap should do the trick. But if you're dealing with burnt-on food or grease, you may need to break out the heavy-duty cleaners like baking soda, vinegar, or ammonia. And if you're looking for a more natural solution, distilled white vinegar and baking soda can work wonders on even the toughest crud. Just be sure to give your drip pans a good scrub after soaking to ensure all the gunk is gone.

Removing the drip pans

Electric Stove

If you have an electric stove, start by removing the burner coil. Do this by lifting one side of the coil slightly—you will see the socket that the burner plugs into. Gently tug the burner coil straight out and set it aside. Now you can lift out the drip pan.

Gas Stove

Most gas stoves have metal grates that simply lift off, allowing you to access the drip pan underneath.

General Tips

Before removing the drip pans, ensure that the stove is turned off and that the stove is cool. Once the drip pans are removed, shake off loose crumbs into a garbage can and rinse thoroughly in the sink with hot water.

Preparing a cleaning solution

Dish Soap and Baking Soda

This method is great if you're in a hurry to clean your stove drip pans. It's a super-speedy method, but most of the time is for soaking, not scrubbing. Start by removing the drip pans from the stovetop and giving them a rinse in hot water. Then, prepare your cleaning solution by mixing liquid dish soap and baking soda in a 1:1 ratio. Half a cup of each should be a good starting point, but you can always add more if needed. Use your fingers or a pastry brush to liberally coat each drip pan with the mixture, scrubbing it in. Let the pans sit for about an hour, then rinse them with hot water and scrub any remaining dirty spots. Dry the drip pans with a dish towel and return them to your stovetop.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

This homemade cleaning method is perfect when soapy water just won't cut through the gunk. Start by removing the drip pans and shaking them over a trash can to get rid of any loose or burnt food particles. Then, fill your sink or a bucket with hot water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Soak the drip pans for 15 minutes, then drain the water and add enough distilled white vinegar to cover them. Let them soak for another 30 minutes. Next, sprinkle the solution with a generous amount of baking soda and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. If needed, use a plastic scrubber to scour the pans, adding more baking soda to tackle hard-to-remove stains. Finally, rinse the drip pans with hot water and dry them with a microfiber cloth before replacing them on the stovetop.

Ammonia

This method is perfect if you're dealing with greasy drip pans with heavily burned-on food. It takes the longest but is the most effective for tough stains. Place each drip pan in a separate resealable plastic bag and pour in a quarter of a cup of household ammonia. The fumes from the ammonia will cut through the grease and grime, so you don't need to worry about coating the pans completely. Seal the bags and let the ammonia work its magic for at least 12 hours. When you open the bags, do so in a well-ventilated area as the fumes will be strong. Remove the drip pans and dilute the ammonia with cold water before disposing of it down the drain. Wash the drip pans in hot soapy water, using a sponge and a plastic scrubber or melamine sponge on any stubborn spots. Rinse and dry the pans before returning them to the stovetop.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda

This method harnesses the fizzing reaction of vinegar and baking soda to lift gunk and mess from the drip pans. Sprinkle baking soda liberally onto the drip pans, then pour undiluted hydrogen peroxide over the top. You'll see the fizzing action start to work, lifting the gunk off the pans. Let the pans soak for about 30 minutes, then rinse them under cool water. Use a sponge to scrub away any remaining baking soda residue and repeat the process if necessary.

Soaking the pans

Step 1: Remove the Drip Pans

Before soaking, it is important to remove the drip pans from the stovetop. Ensure that they are completely cooled down to avoid burning your hands. Remove any loose crumbs or debris by shaking the pans over a garbage can. You can also rinse them with hot water to get rid of any loose particles.

Step 2: Prepare the Soaking Solution

There are a few different solutions that you can use for soaking, depending on the severity of the grime. Here are some common methods:

• Hot Water Soak: Fill your sink or a large bucket with very hot water. Ensure that the water level is high enough to completely cover the drip pans.
• Vinegar Soak: After soaking in hot water, drain the water and pour in distilled white vinegar until the pans are completely covered. Vinegar is an effective natural cleaner that helps to break down grease and grime.
• Ammonia Soak: Place each drip pan in a separate one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Pour about 1/4 cup of household ammonia into each bag. Ammonia is a strong cleaner, and the fumes will help loosen burnt-on food and grease.
• Baking Soda and Vinegar Soak: After soaking in hot water, drain the water and sprinkle baking soda generously over the pans. Then, add enough distilled white vinegar to completely cover the pans. The combination of baking soda and vinegar creates a fizzing reaction that helps lift gunk and burnt-on residue.

Step 3: Soaking Time

Allow the drip pans to soak for an appropriate amount of time. For hot water and vinegar soaks, 15 to 30 minutes is usually sufficient. For ammonia soaks, it is recommended to leave the pans overnight or for at least 12 hours to ensure maximum effectiveness. For the baking soda and vinegar soak, let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes.

Step 4: Rinse and Scrub

After soaking, rinse the drip pans with hot water. If there are still stubborn stains or residue, you can scrub them with a sponge, plastic scrubber, or melamine sponge. For tough stains, you can also use a cleaning agent like baking soda or dish soap to help remove them.

Remember to always work in a well-ventilated area when using strong chemicals like ammonia, and wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.

Scrubbing and rinsing

Once you've prepared your cleaning solution and applied it to the drip pans, it's time to start scrubbing and rinsing.

For the baking soda and dish soap method, use your fingers or a pastry brush to liberally coat each drip pan with the soap and baking soda mixture, scrubbing it into the pans. Let the mixture sit for about an hour. Then, tackle any remaining dirty spots with a scrub brush or a sponge freshly dipped in baking soda. Rinse the pans thoroughly with hot water to remove the soap mixture.

For the vinegar and baking soda method, sprinkle the vinegar solution with a generous amount of baking soda and let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes. Use a plastic scrubber to scour the pans, sprinkling additional baking soda onto areas with hard-to-remove stains. Rinse the drip pans with hot water and dry them with a microfiber cloth.

For the ammonia method, seal the bags and let the ammonia work for at least 12 hours. Open the bags in a well-ventilated location, as the ammonia fumes will be strong. Remove the drip pans and dilute the ammonia with cold water before disposing of it. If any dirty spots remain, wipe them away with a sponge and dish soap. Rinse the drip pans thoroughly with hot water.

For the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda method, let the drip pans soak in the solution for about 30 minutes. After soaking, rinse the pans under cool water and use a sponge to scrub away any remaining baking soda residue. Repeat if necessary.

Drying and replacing the pans

Once you've cleaned your car drip pans, it's important to dry them thoroughly before replacing them. Use a microfiber cloth, a soft dishcloth, or a towel to dry the pans. Make sure there is no water left on the pans, as this could cause rusting.

After drying the pans, you can put them back in place. If you have an electric stove, line up the openings in the burner bowl with the coil element receptacle. Hold the coil element as level as you can, then push the coil element terminal into the receptacle as far as it will go. Push the edge of the coil element opposite the receptacle down and into place.

If your stove is gas-powered, simply place the caps and grates back on top of the burner bases, ensuring that all components are completely dry.

Now your drip pans are clean, dry, and ready to catch any spills or splatters!

Frequently asked questions