Cleaning a stove grate, which can quickly become dirty due to boil-overs and splatters while cooking, is relatively easy with the right methods and products. To start, remove the grates from the stove. Then, take them outside, spray them with an oven cleaner and let them sit for several hours. Fill up your sink or a large bucket with very hot, soapy water and let each stove grate soak for as long as possible, and then lightly scrub them with a sponge and rinse them off. Make sure that the grates are completely dry before returning them to the stove.
In general, it is best to remove a stove grate before cleaning it, as it can be difficult to get rid of spills and dirt from inside and underneath the grates. Before you start, make sure that each stovetop burner is off and cool to the touch. Then, gently push the grate towards one side, lifting it up from the other to remove it from the latches or hooks that hold it in place.
Find a place outdoors, lay out some newspaper, and place each stove grate on the newspaper in one layer. Take a high quality spray-on oven cleaner and evenly coat every side of the grates, making sure to spray inside the coils. Each stove grate should be completely saturated in oven cleaner. Leave the grates outside for several hours or, if possible, overnight. This will allow the oven cleaner to do most of the work for you, especially if the grates are heavily soiled.
Once they have soaked, put a small amount of grease fighting dish soap in the bottom of a bucket or a sink. If using a sink, make sure to stop up the drain before adding in soap. Then, fill the sink or bucket with extremely hot water and place the stove grates into the water. Let them sit for at least an hour in the hot, soapy water, even if they seem to have come clean with the oven cleaner. This step will help to get rid of the last layer of grease on each stove grate.
Take a scrub brush or double-sided sponge with a scrubbing side and hand wash each stove grate, making sure to get inside of the groves. Rinse the grate thoroughly in warm, clean water and lay it on a clean kitchen towel. Continue with the rest of grates in the same fashion.
Thoroughly dry each grate with another clean towel or let them air dry. Prior to putting a stove grate back on the cooktop, make sure that it is thoroughly dry, especially if the grate plugs in. Once they are dry, place them back on the stove.