What can i use to clean my electric stove top

Q: Can you use Windex on electric stove top?

People often ask, Can I use Windex on my glass or ceramic stovetop?” We dont recommend it. Glass cleaners contain ammonia and can lead to permanent stains and streaks on stove cooktops. It might seem like an easy clean, but ammonia is too strong of a chemical to consistently use on glass and ceramic cooktops.

Kitchen

Your stove top shouldn’t reveal forensic evidence of everything you’ve recently cooked. Discover five easy steps to keep your electric range from exposing your culinary spills and missteps.

Table of Contents Show

Your stove top shouldn’t reveal forensic evidence of everything you’ve recently cooked. Discover five easy steps to keep your electric range from exposing your culinary spills and missteps.
Glass-Top Stove Cleaning Basics
Daily Cleaning for Glass-Top Stoves
Cleaning Dirtier Glass-Top Stoves
How to Clean a Glass-Top Stove With a Razor Blade
How to Clean Burnt Food on a Glass Stove Top
Why There Is Discoloration on Your Black Glass Stove Top
How to Clean a Glass Stove Top Naturally
How do you clean a black glass stove top?
What should you use to clean an electric stove top?
Can you use Windex on electric stove top?
How do you get burn marks off an electric stove top?

Photo: fotosearch.com

Like most home cooks, you probably love whipping up meals but hate cleaning up afterwards. If you neglect tidying up your trusty electric stove top, however, the leftover grime, grease, and dirt will build up and harden over time—and trying to chip it off could damage the coils and the surface. Fortunately, electric stove tops are easier to clean than their gas-fueled counterparts, plus you needn’t worry about clogging the igniter. Glass-topped versions respond to a quick swipe with a dish soap-soaked rag and a baking soda scrub. One with metal-coiled burners require a bit more attention—especially if it’s been a while since you’ve tackled it—so we’ve outlined the best way to go about it. You’ll be done in no time and ready to try out a new recipe, no matter how messy it might be.

Tools & Materials

Lint-free dish rags
Liquid dish soap
Baking soda
Cooktop scraper
Cooktop cleaning pad

Photo: fotosearch.com

Step 1

Electric stove tops are designed to be self-cleaning. To banish spills, first wipe gently with a clean, lint-free cloth damp with water (an old T-shirt works great!). Then remove all cookware from the stove, turn burners to high, and leave them on for two to three minutes. The high heat will burn off most of the mess. When the stove top has completely cooled, wipe off any remaining residue with a fresh cloth.

Step 2

Next, remove the burner coils from the socket with a quick tug and lift motion. If they don’t come out easily, refer to the cooktop user manual for removal tips. (Don’t despair if you can find it, since most manuals are available online. Simply search with the stove’s make and model number.)

Step 3

Soak a dishrag in a solution of warm water and dish soap. Squeeze out excess and gently scrub the burners, taking care to avoid wetting the socket—it is electric, after all! Follow with a swipe of a clean, moist, lint-free rag to rinse. If your burners look spic and span, go to Step 5. If not, continue to Step 4.

Step 4

Still confronted with crud? Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 3 to 4 tablespoons of water to create a thick, spreadable paste. Coat the burners with this gentle scouring agent and give it up to 20 minutes “dwell time.” Then moisten a clean, lint-free cloth and use it to remove the paste, rinsing after every few passes and making sure to avoid the socket.

Step 5

While the baking soda paste is doing its work, clean the surface below the coils. Carefully remove food residue with a cooktop scraper if necessary, and then scrub the surface with a gentle cleaning pad and a bit of baking soda paste (see Step 4 for quick instructions on how to whip this up). Remove the paste with a clean, moist rag, and dry with a fresh cloth. Finally, plug the clean, dry burners back into the sockets, and you’re ready to cook!

Get in the habit of wiping up spills as soon as the cooktop cools, and give it a thorough cleaning once a week. This way no one will know your messy little cooking secrets—unless, of course, you accidentally spill the beans!

DIY

Glass-top stoves can add a sleek, minimalist look to any kitchen. They also come with the major benefit of not having to clean or replace drip pans or burner grates. But if you have a one of these stoves, you’ve likely noticed that even the smallest spill or splatter shows up and can seem much more noticeable.

Learn how to clean your glass-top stove without scratching it so that you can keep your kitchen looking its best.

Glass-Top Stove Cleaning Basics

Before you set out on a mission to banish stains from your stovetop, keep the following tips in mind:

Clean while cool. Never clean your stovetop while the surface is still hot.
Less is more. There’s no need to pull out the heavy housekeeping artillery when cleaning these surfaces. After all, you don’t want residue from chemical cleaners to burn off as you cook, as they probably aren’t great for you to breathe in. In addition, harsh or especially abrasive cleaners can scratch your stovetop.
Consult your manufacturer’s instructions. Certain ranges require you to use a specific type of cleaning product. Check care instructions so that you don’t accidentally void any warranties.
Use gentler tools. Your stovetop is fairly resilient, but scouring pads or scrub brushes could leave scratches. Stick to softer cleaning materials, such as microfiber cloths or sponges. Razor blades are the exception to this rule, and we’ll discuss that below.

Daily Cleaning for Glass-Top Stoves

It’s a good idea to wipe down your stovetop after each use to prevent residue from building up and collecting dust.

You’ll need:

A spray bottle of water or distilled white vinegar
Microfiber cloths

Let the stovetop cool.
Spritz it with the vinegar or water.
Wipe the liquid away with the microfiber cloth.
Buff any streaks out with a dry cloth.

Cleaning Dirtier Glass-Top Stoves

For routine biweekly or monthly cleaning, you’ll want to go a bit further than a wipe-down with vinegar and a cloth.

You’ll need:

Baking soda
A spray bottle of distilled white vinegar
A clean towel
A clean sink basin or bucket filled with hot water
Microfiber cloths

Once the stovetop is cool, spray the surface generously with vinegar.
Liberally sprinkle baking soda over the liquid you just sprayed.
Dip your clean towel in the hot water, making sure to wring out excess liquid.
Place the towel over the baking soda and vinegar on the stovetop.
Let this sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the towel and wipe away the baking soda and vinegar with a microfiber cloth.
Spritz the surface with vinegar again and use a clean microfiber cloth to buff any streaks out.
Repeat the above steps until your stovetop is free of residue.

How to Clean a Glass-Top Stove With a Razor Blade

When thinking about how to clean a glass-top stove, it’s important to consider the inevitable burnt-on rings around the burners or epoxy-like gunk that just won’t disappear. When used properly, a razor blade can be your glass-top stove’s best friend.

You’ll need:

A razor blade in a holder or scraper tool
Distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle
A microfiber cloth

Before you use a razor blade on your glass-top stove, be certain to check your manufacturer’s instructions. If your manual advises against using a razor blade, heed that recommendation.
Make sure the surface is cool.
Spritz any offending areas with vinegar to help soften burnt-on residue.
Scrape the residue gently with the razor. Here it’s very important to hold the razor properly: Do not use the corners of the blade or you can etch your stovetop. Rather, hold the cutting edge at a very slight angle from the top of the stove. It should be as flat as possible. Use this to lightly scrape at debris until it comes free.
Wipe away residue with a clean microfiber cloth.
Repeat the above steps as necessary.
Looking for more kitchen cleaning inspiration? Learn how to remove grease from your stovetop and then check out these tips on keeping the gap between your stove and countertop clear and free of crumbs, grime and other food-based surprises.

How to Clean Burnt Food on a Glass Stove Top

The first step in dealing with burned on food is to wipe and clean your glass cooktop regularly so that it doesn’t build up and harden. If the food isn’t too baked on, just using vinegar will often do the trick. For more difficult stains, you may need to use baking soda or a combination of vinegar and baking soda together. If you are dealing with a thicker crust, you may have to do some careful scraping to break it down. Consider using a razor and be extra cautious to avoid scratching. Olive oil can also help loosen food chunks if they are larger and hard to scrape—just be sure to let it sit for a few minutes until it is absorbed.

Why There Is Discoloration on Your Black Glass Stove Top

There are a number of reasons why you may be noticing haziness or white spots on your glass stove. Sometimes, it is merely the result of food, liquids or oils spilling from your cookware. It can also be the result of water leaving behind mineral deposits (also known as water stains). In other instances, you may see discoloration after using the wrong kinds of cleaning solutions or tools. Harsh chemicals like ammonia can damage the glass while scrubbing tools can leave behind small abrasions. Thankfully, most of these problems can be resolved through the cleaning methods described above.

How to Clean a Glass Stove Top Naturally

There is good news for people who love natural cleaners because the best way to clean a glass stove is with all-natural cleaning products. Vinegar is the standard product recommended and is effective at eliminating most grime. Baking soda is a good supporting product to use alongside vinegar for tougher stains. Lemon juice can also be added to baking soda to make it even stronger. You can even use half a lemon like a cleaning sponge after applying baking soda to the stovetop surface.

And if you need a hand keeping your kitchen tidy — whether you’re recovering from a special event or are just plain busy — contact your local Merry Maids about kitchen cleaning services. We’re happy to keep your cooking space nice and neat, so that you can spend time doing the things you really enjoy.

How do you clean a black glass stove top?

Sometimes simple hard water stains are enough to discolor a black glass stove. To remove the stains, spray the cold stove top with white vinegar and clean as normal. The vinegar cuts through stains without causing damage to the glass.

What should you use to clean an electric stove top?

Clean the stove top itself with a paste made from a 1/2 cup of baking soda and 3 or 4 tablespoons of water. Use a soft scrubber or other non-abrasive kitchen cleaning tool.

Can you use Windex on electric stove top?

People often ask, “Can I use Windex on my glass or ceramic stovetop?” We don't recommend it. Glass cleaners contain ammonia and can lead to permanent stains and streaks on stove cooktops. It might seem like an easy clean, but ammonia is too strong of a chemical to consistently use on glass and ceramic cooktops.

How do you get burn marks off an electric stove top?

To remove burned-on food and stains, Roberts suggests using baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda directly over the stained area and add a bit of water to make a paste. Leave a warm, damp cloth on top of the spot and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then try to wipe the spot clean.