Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Could I sandblast Stove grates to clean them? The grates are a solid piece and it is very hard to get under them to clean and the food just burns onto the grate. I was thinking if I could sandblast them, it would remove some of the Black that is burned into them.

I take mine into my back yard, along with the three sections of my stovetop, and spray them down with oven cleaner. I let them sit about 30-40 min., then brush down the worst areas, spray again, and eventually hose them off. Those things are 30 years old, and the enamel is still good, and except where the pans contact them, look almost new after this treatment.

Dave,
These grates have a really poor design and it is very difficult to get a brush deep inside. I supposed I could buy a really small wire brush if sandblasting wouldn't work.

Maybe burn it even more, self clean with a pressure washer after?

Todd,

I'd tend to clean them by heating them up to 600F+ for 1/2 hour. Assuming you have a way to do that.

Sandblasting is liable to damage even an enamel finish.

You could use walnut shells instead of sand to blast them. They are pretty effective at taking off gunk without damaging the underlying materials.

Are they enamel? If yes I'd try oven cleaner or that Dawn Power stuff. If cast irom I'd stick it in the oven while it's on self clean.

Or just be proud that you use your stove and know that that's why it's dirty.

Actually, it's not my stove. It's the commercial stove that I use when I cook at the Assisted Living. I'm pretty sure there isn't any enamel on the grates. The grates are huge solid pieces of cast iron. The top just doesn't lift off, the whole assembly is one piece right down to the burner. That's why they are so hard to clean.

I have a bead blaster in my shop that uses glass beads instead of sand, works well if you have access to one.

Frank, we have a bead blaster here at work as well as a Sandblaster. We use it to clean up our molds etc. I think I will try it and see how it works.