How to clean a glass stovetop without scratching it

Step by step: how to clean a glass stovetop without scratching it

Safety first. Clean only when the controls are off. Wear an oven mitt if you scrape while the glass is warm, and keep the razor blade sharp and flat to the glass. Do not use chlorine bleach, ammonia or rust remover on the cooktop.

1. 1

   Turn everything off and let it cool

   Make sure all burners are off and lock the controls if your range has a lockout. Wait until the glass is warm but no longer hot. Burner zones stay hot after the glow fades, so check with your hand held above the surface first.

2. 2

   Wipe off loose crumbs and grease

   Wipe the whole top with a damp microfiber cloth to remove crumbs and loose grease. Grit left on the glass scratches it once you start scrubbing.

3. 3

   Scrape burnt-on spots

   Wearing an oven mitt, hold a cooktop razor scraper at about a 45 degree angle and push it across burnt food with firm, short strokes. Keep the blade flat-ish and the corner off the glass. Most black crust lifts off in flakes.

4. 4

   Apply cooktop cleaner

   Once the glass is cool, shake the cleaner and put a few dime-sized drops on the dirty areas. Rub it in with a non-scratch cooktop pad, pressing harder on stains and burner rings.

5. 5

   Let it dry to a white haze

   Leave the cleaner for a minute or two until it dries to a light white haze. That haze is what lifts the remaining film and leaves a thin protective layer.

6. 6

   Buff it clean

   Polish the whole surface with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel until no streaks are left. Repeat the scrape, clean and buff steps on any stain that is still visible.

7. 7

   Treat stubborn rings with baking soda

   For rings that will not budge, sprinkle baking soda over them, lay a towel soaked in hot soapy water on top and leave it for 15 minutes. Wipe the paste in small circles, then wipe clean and buff dry.

What to do when sugar or plastic melts on the glass

Remove it right away, while the cooktop is still hot. Melted sugar, jam, syrup and plastic can bond to the glass as they cool and pit the surface permanently.

• Turn off the burner and move the pan off.
• Put on an oven mitt and use a new, sharp razor scraper to push the spill to a cool part of the cooktop.
• Lift it off with a folded paper towel, then let the rest of the cooktop cool before cleaning normally.

Haier’s glass cooktop care instructions warn that sugary spills and melted plastic can cause pitting unless removed while still hot, and that pitting is not covered by the warranty. Every other kind of mess can wait until the glass is cool.

Cooktop cleaner, baking soda or vinegar: which works?

Ceramic cooktop cleaner is the best everyday choice because it cleans and leaves a protective layer. Baking soda and vinegar are fine for occasional stains, but they do not protect the glass.

Whirlpool’s glass cooktop instructions follow the same three steps: scrape at about 45 degrees, apply a few dime-sized drops of cooktop cleaner and rub with a blue cooktop pad, let it dry to a white haze, then polish with a dry cloth. They list steel wool, abrasive powder cleansers, chlorine bleach, rust remover and ammonia as products to avoid. The range version adds turning on the cooktop lockout, if you have one, before you start.

How to keep a glass stovetop from scratching

Most scratches come from cookware, not cleaning. Small habits keep the glass looking new.

• Lift pans instead of sliding them, especially cast iron and stoneware with rough bottoms.
• Use pans with flat, clean, dry bottoms; residue on the base burns onto the glass.
• Never use the cooktop as a cutting board or a place to set hot lids and utensils with crusted food.
• Wipe up spills once the glass cools each time, so nothing bakes on twice.
• Include the stovetop in your weekly routine from our kitchen cleaning checklist.

If you find a crack or a chip, stop using the cooktop and call for service. A cracked glass top is a shock and burn hazard.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using steel wool, a green scouring pad or abrasive powder, which scratches the glass.
• Letting melted sugar or plastic cool on the surface, which can pit it permanently.
• Cleaning with ammonia-based glass cleaner or bleach, which manufacturers say to avoid.
• Holding the razor scraper upright so the corner digs into the glass.
• Leaving cleaner haze on the glass, which smokes and stains the next time you cook.
• Sliding cast iron across the surface instead of lifting it.