How to Remove and Clean a Clogged Aerator From Your Faucet

A Non-Working Burner Is a Maintenance Issue You Should Report

A broken stove burner is a functional deficiency that most landlords expect to be operational at move-out. Whether it is your responsibility to report and repair depends on the cause. If the burner was working when you moved in and stopped working during your tenancy without any obvious cause like damage you introduced, it is typically a normal wear appliance maintenance issue that is the landlord responsibility. If you broke a burner element by dropping something on it or through misuse, you bear some responsibility for the repair or replacement cost.

Electric Coil Burners

On electric ranges with coil burners, a non-working burner is usually caused by a failed burner element, a loose connection at the burner receptacle, or a tripped circuit. Start by lifting the burner slightly and checking that it is fully seated in the receptacle. If it wobbles or appears only partially inserted, remove it completely and reinsert firmly. If it is fully seated and still does not work, swap it with a known working burner of the same size from another position on the stove and test. If the replacement burner works in the problematic position, the original burner element is failed and needs replacement. Replacement coil elements are available for most common range brands for five to fifteen dollars.

Reporting the Issue

If the burner has been non-functional for some time during your tenancy and you did not report it, submit a written maintenance request before move-out. This documents that you are aware of the issue and are informing the landlord. In many states, unreported known maintenance issues create tenant liability for any resulting costs. A prompt written notification, even near the end of your tenancy, is better than leaving the issue undisclosed.

Gas Burner Issues

If you have a gas range with a burner that lights poorly or not at all, check that the burner cap and ports are clean. Food debris clogging the small ports around the burner is the most common cause of gas burner ignition issues. Remove the burner cap and grates, clean the ports with a pin or small brush, and wash the cap and grates thoroughly before reassembling. If the igniter sparks but the burner does not light or the flame is uneven, there may be a gas supply issue or igniter failure that requires a qualified repair technician.

Find replacement coil burner elements for electric ranges: stove burner replacement elements on Amazon.

More help: Appliances and Plumbing guides

Move-Out Cleaning That Protects Your Deposit

Move-out cleaning should restore the unit to the same cleanliness level it was in when you moved in — not necessarily spotless, but comparable. If your move-in documentation shows the unit was already lightly cleaned, your obligation is to match that standard. If the unit was professionally cleaned and documented as such at move-in, a landlord may have grounds to require professional cleaning at move-out as well, particularly if the lease specifies it. Reading your lease’s language around cleaning expectations is the first step in understanding your actual obligations versus what a landlord might claim.

The areas that generate the most deposit deductions for cleaning are predictable: kitchen appliances (especially oven interiors, refrigerator coils and drip pans, and range hood filters), bathroom grout and caulk, window tracks and sills, light fixtures, and baseboards. Professional move-out cleaners know these high-scrutiny areas and address them systematically. If you’re cleaning yourself, working from top to bottom (ceilings, fans, light fixtures before floors) and back to front (starting in the farthest room from the exit) ensures you don’t track dirt through cleaned areas. Budget at least two days for a thorough self-clean of an average two-bedroom apartment.

Odor is a category where renters frequently underestimate the effort required. Cooking odors, pet smells, and cigarette smoke require treatment of surfaces, not just masking with air fresheners. An enzyme-based cleaner on any fabric surface (carpet, upholstery, inside closets) breaks down organic compounds at the molecular level rather than covering them. Hard surfaces that have absorbed cooking oils or smoke require a degreaser rather than a standard all-purpose cleaner. Replacing HVAC filters before move-out eliminates a common landlord deduction, and running the system with a carbon filter for the last week of occupancy helps clear airborne odors from the space.

Photographing your cleaning efforts sounds unusual but is worth the effort. Before-and-after photos of the oven, bathroom, and any areas that were visibly dirty create documentation that supports your claim that you left the unit in good condition. Time-stamped photos taken on your final day in the unit — ideally with the landlord present or immediately before your landlord’s walkthrough — are particularly strong evidence. Some renters keep receipts from cleaning supply purchases or professional cleaning services as additional documentation. The stronger your cleaning documentation, the harder it is for a landlord to justify a cleaning deduction of any significant amount.