Blocked gas burners: how to solve it

If you have a gas cooker, you have most likely realised that a lot of dirt builds up around the burners. Stubborn fat and grease, burnt food remains and soot can all affect the efficiency of the burners. Nevertheless, bringing back their original shine and ensuring they work as well as the first day is a lot easier than you might think.

Signs that a gas burner is blocked

Before getting down to work, it is vital to know when our appliance needs some urgent maintenance. A gas burner in poor condition is not only less effective when cooking, but it also consumes more gas.

The following are the warning signs:

• A yellow or orange flame. Clean combustion should produce a bright blue flame. If it turns orange, this is a sign that there are impurities or a lack of oxygen due to blockages.
• Crackling or strange noises. If you hear popping while you are cooking, there are probably solid residues around the gas outlets.
• Hard to light. If there is an irregular gas flow, it will be harder for the lighter to ignite the pilot flame.
• Stronger than normal gas smell. Since combustion is not as it should be, there can be small leaks of unburnt gas.

How to clean blocked gas burners step by step

In order to guarantee a uniform gas flow, follow this meticulous process that combines efficacy and safety:

1. Safety first. Make sure that the burners are completely cold, and just as a precaution, close the gas valve.
2. Disassembly. Remove the pan supports and burner caps. Remove the burner base (usually an aluminium part).
3. Cleaning the holes. Use a soft bristle brush, or for more difficult blockages, a pin or a thin piece of wire. Important: do it gently so as not to enlarge the gas outlet holes and to avoid scratching the metal sides since this could deform them and alter the gas output flow.
4. Soaking. Use one of the cleaning tips (ammonia or baking powder with vinegar) that we describe later on. 
5. Dry completely. This is the most critical step. Before reassembling the parts, make sure that not even a single drop of liquid is left behind in the ducts. A wet burner can cause immediate lighting failures.

Recommended products for cleaning burners

To clean blocked gas burners professionally, we should choose the right products. Depending on how dirty they are, the following are some of the most effective gas burner cleaning products:

• Specialised Degreaser. This is the quickest option for everyday cleaning. Apply some of the product and scrub. This will avoid splashed oil from everyday use burning on and becoming a hard, black crust which is hard to clean.
• The ammonia method. An indispensable product for its degreasing properties. Because ammonia is a toxic product, use it in a well-ventilated place. Put the burners in a sealed bag with a squirt of ammonia. Close the bag and allow it to work for 12 hours. The chemical reaction will make the dirt detach effortlessly. Then wash it with detergent and water.
• Baking powder, vinegar and lemon. The very effective, environmentally friendly alternative. Mix some lemon juice or vinegar with two spoonfuls of baking powder in a bowl with hot water. Submerge the parts and let them soak for an hour. For more stubborn dirt, make a paste with baking powder and scrub with an aluminium scouring pad.

How to prevent dirt from building up on a gas hob

Gas hobs require some maintenance to avoid wear and tear, the build-up of bacteria and possible blockages caused by dirt.

To avoid all this, we recommend:

• Cleaning off any food that falls or splashes onto the hob while cooking as soon as possible, taking care not to burn yourself.
• Use lids to prevent splashes.
• When the burners are cold, wipe the surfaces with a damp cloth every time you use the gas hob.
• Clean the pan supports and burners with degreaser once a week. This will make occasional deep cleaning much easier when the time comes.

By employing these tips and advice you will notice that your gas cooker stays clean and shiny, and will last much longer. Who said “it can’t be done”?