# Cleaning gas stove burners

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-gas-stove-burners/227103>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 1, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-gas-stove-burners/227103 "2004-02-01T23:36:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-gas-stove-burners/227103/1 "2004-02-01T23:36:58Z")

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I didn’t realise they were symetrical, so the problem is on the back burner now rather than the front.  
The burner is question has soot on the outside and inside and produces an odor.  
How do I clean the inside of the burner?  
Thanks

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**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-gas-stove-burners/227103/2 "2004-02-02T02:23:02Z")

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Well I know they used to use a brass brush for things like that (looks like a big toothbrush with brass bristles). Not sure how you would clean the “inside” though.

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-gas-stove-burners/227103/3 "2004-02-02T04:01:21Z")

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Soak the offending burner in a shallow pan of solvent to remove all fuel based crud. Resoak in a soap solution to loosen any food based crud which remains. The brush idea is good. Hold the burner up to a light source and see if you can confirm that all holes/slots are open. Failing this, take the model and serial number of the appliance to a parts store, or look online. The part may be sufficiently inexpensive that it’s not worth the aggravation.