Guide · Home care
Oven and Stove Care
A friendly, practical guide to cooking safely and caring for ovens, gas and electric stoves and range hoods, from everyday cleaning to anti-tip brackets.
Where to start
- Pan on fire?
Turn off the burner and slide a lid over the pan. See if a pan catches fire.
- Smell gas?
Don’t touch switches or the stove. Leave the home and call the gas company or 911 from outside.
- Own the home?
Start with before someone moves in.
The short version
The stove is where many good meals and many kitchen fires begin, so a few careful habits go a long way.
Stay with your cooking, keep towels and paper away from burners, and keep a lid nearby for small pan fires.
Clean the cooktop, oven and range hood filter regularly, and make sure the range has an anti-tip bracket.
Never throw water on a grease fire, never use the oven to heat the home, and if you smell gas, leave and call from outside.
Who repairs a stove usually depends on the lease and local rules, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at both. If you ever have questions, we would love to help.
Four simple rules
- 1Stay with your cooking
Never leave the stove on when you leave the kitchen, even for a minute.
- 2Keep it clear
Keep towels, paper, oven mitts and anything that can burn away from the burners.
- 3Keep it clean
Grease on cooktops, ovens and hood filters can catch fire. Regular cleaning helps.
- 4Share any problem
Report a gas smell, sparking, a wobbly stove or a burner that won’t work, in writing.
If a pan catches fire
- Stay calm. If it is a small pan fire and you feel safe, turn off the burner.
- Slide a lid or cookie sheet over the pan to smother the flames, and leave it covered until it is completely cool.
- For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.
- If the fire grows or you are unsure, get everyone out, close the door behind you and call 911 from outside.
- If you smell gas, don’t touch light switches, the stove or anything that could spark. Leave the home and call the gas company or 911 from outside.
- Once everyone is safe, share what happened in writing, with photos. You did exactly the right thing.
Please don’t ever throw water on a grease fire. It can spread the flames.
Stove safety checklist
From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.
All done. We hope every meal comes out delicious and your kitchen stays safe.
Cleaning and care, the easy way
A few examples from the guide. Your owner’s manual always comes first.
- Many metal range hood filters come clean after a soak in very hot water with a little dish soap and baking soda.
- On glass cooktops, use cleaners made for glass and a soft pad. Sliding heavy pots or using scouring powder can scratch the surface.
- Please don’t line the oven floor or burner pans with foil unless the maker says it is safe.
- Self clean runs very hot and can create smoke and fumes. Follow the manual, open a window, run the hood fan, and keep pets, especially birds, and children away from the kitchen while it runs.
- Gas burners should burn mostly blue. A lazy yellow or orange flame may need attention from a qualified gas professional, so please share it.
Keep a lid that fits your biggest frying pan sitting right next to the stove. If grease ever flares up, turning off the burner and sliding that lid over the pan is the fastest, safest move you can make.
For owners: before someone moves in
From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.
All done. Thank you for setting the kitchen up safely.
Guides that go well with this one
Helpful resources
The guide points to these for details. Rules differ from place to place, so the official pages where your home is are the best guide.
Like it on paper?
The printable checklist for this guide is fillable, with a screen version and an ink saver print version. Keep it on your phone or pin it to the fridge.
How much do you remember?
4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.
Go deeper with The Perfect Seasonal Home Care Checklist Workbook
Simple, step by step checklists you can write in, one topic at a time, to help any home stay warm, safe and dry through every season.
Keep the full guide handy
The PDF has everything: everyday habits, what to do when something goes wrong, common myths, helpful resources and plenty of real-world tips. Print it, save it or share it with anyone who could use it.
Download the PDFTake it with you
- Bunklow Home Guide 044: Electric Range Surface Coil Burners and Porcelain Drip Pan ReplacementA printable guide to electric range surface coil burners and porcelain drip pan replacement, in plain steps.See it in the shop
- Bunklow Home Guide 046: Gas Range Surface Burner Head Ports and Igniter Electrode DetailingA printable Bunklow guide to gas range surface burner head ports and igniter electrode detailing: plain steps, how often to check, and when to call a pro.See it in the shop
- Kitchen and Laundry Checklist PackThe Kitchen and Laundry checklists in one pack, fillable on screen or printable.See it in the shop
More guides
This guide shares general information to help you, and is not legal, fire-safety or appliance repair advice. Please follow your owner’s manual and call a qualified technician for repairs. Bunklow does not inspect or repair appliances.