KASHERING FOR PASSOVER

One of the many preparations one must make for Pesach is kashering. If this is your first time it can feel overwhelming. To help we have put together links, video tutorials and some step by steps to preparing your kitchen for Passover.

How to Kasher your Kitchen for Passover?

KASHERING SPECIFIC ITEMS

Silverware, Pots and Other Small Items

Small items are kashered with hagalah, which involves:

Not using the utensil for anything, including non-chametz, for twenty-four hours. This also applies to the (non-Pesach) pot in which the hagalah water will be boiled.
Submerging the utensil in boiling water that is over the fire. The water must be at a rolling boil before the utensil to be kashered is put into it, and the water must touch every surface of the utensil. Therefore, each item should be kashered individually, and the water should be allowed to return to a boil before the next item is placed into the pot. Large utensils may be submerged in the water one part at a time.
Removing the utensil from the water and rinsing it in cold water.

Kashering a Self-Cleaning Oven

Remove any visible pieces of food (or other items) from the oven
Go through one complete self cleaning cycle with the racks in place

Kashering a Non-Self-Cleaning Oven

Clean walls, floor, door, ceiling and racks thoroughly with an abrasive cleaner (for example, Easy-Off ) to remove tangible chametz. Pay special attention to the temperature gauge, the window in the door and the edges of the oven chamber. Black discolorations that are flush with the metal do not have to be removed.
Once the oven is clean, it is preferable that it remain unused for twenty- four hours.
Place the racks back into the oven, and turn the oven to broil for one and-a-half hours. Pesach food or pans may be placed directly on the door or racks once the oven has been kashered.

If the oven has a separate broiler chamber, it should be kashered in the same manner as the oven chamber. A broiler pan that comes in direct contact with food cannot be kashered.

Stovetops

The grates of a gas stovetop should be kashered in the oven chamber in the same manner described above. For an electric stovetop, just clean the coils and turn on high for ten minutes. If you have a glass-topped stovetop, you should consult your Rabbi for directions on if/how it can be used for Pesach.

For a gas or electric stove, it is preferable to replace the drip pans that are under the burners; if this isn’t possible, the area should be covered with aluminum foil. The work area between the burners should be cleaned and covered with aluminum foil. The knobs and handles of the oven and stovetop should be wiped clean.

Kashering a Stainless Steel Sink

If the filter covering the drain has very fine holes, remove the filter and put it away for the duration of Pesach with the chametz dishes. If the holes are larger, the filter may be kashered with the sink.
Clean the sink, faucet and knobs, and don’t use the sink for anything other than cold water for twenty-four hours.
Boil water up in one or more large pots (clean pots that have not been used for twenty-four hours). The pots may be chametz pots.
Dry the sink, then pour the boiling water over every spot, first on the bottom, then the walls and on the faucet. One may kasher part of the sink and then boil more water for the rest of the sink. Extreme care should be taken during this type of kashering to ensure that none of the boiling water splashes onto the person doing the kashering or others who are nearby.
Rinse the sink and faucet with cold water. Put a new filter over the drain. One should also purchase new sponges and a fresh bottle of dishwashing liquid.

Kashering a Porcelain Sink

Since a porcelain sink cannot be kashered, one should kasher the faucet and knobs as outlined above and, for the duration of Pesach, place a basin (or insert) into the sink. All dishes, silverware, etc., should be washed in the basin, and wash-water can be disposed of through the sink’s drain. One should be careful not to allow the sink to fill with hot water while the basin is in the sink.

Microwave Oven

Wait twenty four hours since using the microwave and make sure that the microwave is clean. One should then heat water in the microwave for twenty minutes and then also pour boiling water over the bottom of the microwave oven. If one cannot pour boiling water over the bottom of the microwave oven, then after heating water for twenty minutes one should move the container to another spot and repeat the heating procedure again. The glass plate should be either covered or replaced for Passover.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers can be difficult to kasher for Pesach and therefore not recommended.

Refrigerators, Freezers, Food Shelves and Pantries

These areas should be thoroughly cleaned—paying special attention to the edges where crumbs may get trapped—and the shelves lined with paper or plastic. The refrigerator and freezer will operate more efficiently if one pokes a few holes in the lining.

Tablecloths, Kitchen Gloves, Aprons and Other Items Made of Fabric

Any item made of fabric can be kashered by washing it in a washing machine set on ‘hot’ and then checking to make sure that no pieces of food remain attached to it. Vinyl and plastic-lined tablecloths cannot be kashered.