A quick guide to common Pesach questions

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

What do I do with these items? Clean them? Kasher them? Sell them?

Becher — Clean and kasher through hagalah.

Betty Crocker — Clean from visible chometz and put away with chometz dishes.

Books / Seforim — If during the year they were used while eating chometz and you’re planning to use them during Pesach, they need to be cleaned and inspected (at bedikas chometz). If you’re not planning to use them during Pesach, cleaning and inspection isn’t required.

Car — Requires a thorough cleaning (of all accessible areas) and inspection. If car will not be used on Pesach, the car may be sold through mechiras chometz.

Cookbooks — Put away with chometz dishes.

Countertops — Stone, marble, butcher block, and quartz counters (without cracks where food can be trapped) may be kashered by cleaning and scrubbing well with water and soap (making sure to scrub every seam or crevice) and then pouring boiling water from a kli rishon over the entire area. If done correctly, covering the counters is not required, but still preferable. Ceramic, glass, Formica, and other plastic materials shouldn’t be kashered for Pesach and covering them with water-resistant covering is required.

Dish towels (aprons, mitts) — Machine wash (hot setting) with detergent. You’re not required to have special ones for Pesach.

Dishwasher — Remove visible chometz and close up. Don’t use on Pesach.

Food processor / mixer — Remove visible chometz and put away with chometz dishes.

Glassware (decorative) — Put away with chometz dishes.

Havdalah paraphernalia — Clean well and use on Pesach.

Hot water urn — If you’re aware that during the year it came in direct contact with chometz or chometz dishes, kashering not recommended. Otherwise, kasher by filling it with water and bringing it to boil, and then opening the tap and letting the boiling water flow out.

Microwave oven — Remove visible chometz and put it away. Kashering not recommended.

Oven (self-clean) — Remove all visible food. Run full self-clean cycle with racks in place. No need for thorough cleaning or waiting 24 hours from last usage. After kashering, cover inside door with foil.

Oven (non-self-cleaning/steam-clean/convection) — Clean all surfaces (walls, floor, doors, and racks) thoroughly with a caustic cleanser. Pay special attention to the thermostat, oven window, and edges of the oven chamber. Black discoloration that is flush with the metal need not be removed. Oven shouldn’t be used for 24 hours before kashering. Place racks in the oven and turn on the oven to broil (highest heat) for 90 minutes. After kashering, cover racks and inside door with foil.

Pantry shelves — Clean thoroughly. Lining not required.

Portable grill — Kashering not recommended. Remove visible chometz, tape it shut, and put it away with chometz dishes.

Refrigerator shelves / bins — Clean thoroughly with soap and water, paying special attention to the edges where crumbs may get trapped. Lining not required.

Stovetop (gas) — Clean entire area well, then kasher by turning on fire to the maximum temperature for 20 minutes. After kashering, cover knobs, control panel and area between the grates with foil.

Stovetop (electric) — Clean the stovetop surface. Turn on the burners until they glow red. After kashering, cover knobs, control panel, and area between burners with foil.

Stovetop (glass) — Can’t be kashered properly. Instead, clean stovetop surface thoroughly and turn on burners till they glow red. After waiting 24 hours, cook for Pesach by placing all pots on metal disks (rivets), or use a specially made glass stovetop cover (available at Walmart), thereby avoiding any direct hot contact with the glass surface.

Stovetop hood — Clean well. If possible, cover with silver foil.

Toys — If used during the year while eating chometz and you’re planning to use them on Pesach, then wash well and inspect. If not planning to use on Pesach, remove any visible chometz (washing and scrubbing not required) and put them away.

Tablecloths — Machine wash (hot setting) with detergent. You’re not required to have special Pesach tablecloths. If hot setting will damage tablecloths, wash with warm setting and use on Pesach with a double cover.

Warming Drawers — Clean from visible chometz and tape up. Don’t use on Pesach.

Washing cups — Clean well and use.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 985)