So this is my stove. Looks clean, right?… Not very…
You get in a little closer and see the battle scars from making home made french fries.. Gross right? Yes, I know I probably should have cleaned it up right after the mess happened, but let’s face it – it was too hot to touch and then I forgot about it. Also I’m the queen of boil overs, and there’s no real good stovetop cleaner out there. I’ve heard of different care methods, like using an exacto blade to scrape off carbonized residue, but I was afraid it would scratch up the smooth glass. Not wanting that to happen, I looked into some other alternatives, and the best one is.. Baking Soda!!
Don’t ever assume that it’s easier to clean than the old fashioned coils. I thought that 6 months ago when we got this stove that it would be easier to clean for its smooth surface, but don’t be fooled. Whatever the case, it’s awful and yucky looking, so I thought it was high time to see how I could get rid of this fossilized grease on my stovetop.
All you need is
- Bowl & Hot Soapy Water
- Baking Soda
- A Cleaning Rag
- Gloves (I didn’t use any because I thought baking soda wouldnt be harsh on my hands.. but I was wrong, so try to use gloves, you’ll thank me later)
First, you fill a bowl with hot tap water water and mix it with some dish soap. Submerge the rag in the bowl and get it wet.
Apply baking soda in a generous amount all over the affected area.
Now pull out that hot soapy rag out of the bowl and squeeze half the water out. You want it to be soggy, not sopping.
Then wait about 15 minutes…
Then swirl the rag around in circles, using the baking soda paste as a gentle scrub.
The dry up the surface and shine it up with windex. Good as new!!
I repeated these steps 1 time to achieve these results. You may also leave the rag on for longer, depending on how bad it is.
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Just tried this –worked great! Thanks for the tip!
THANK YOU! This has been an aggravation for me, too.
great tip! Thanks for sharing! Do you think this method would work well as an oven cleaner?
Im sure it would work great as cleaner in general, but im not sure how you would soak the inside walls of the oven with the towel.. Maybe the bottom part where the heating element is? Couldn’t hurt to try!
Baking soda made into a paste with water makes a great oven cleaner. Just apply to the walls and floor of the oven, don’t forget the inside of the door as well! Leave for an hour or more and then wipe off with hot soapy water. For more stubborn stains I gently warmed the oven before application and repeated above. Beats heating up the whole house and/or using harsh chemicals! I used a scruuby sponge for tackling some really stubborn stains. I swear it came up as well if not better than many oven cleaners I’ve used. PS… I use it for my smooth top as well!
Thanks for the tip!
thanks. yes it works. I didn’t use soap. just water and baking soda. My toaster oven came out super clean and shining.
I’ll need to try this tonight after dinner dishes!
Worked like a charm!! Thank you!!!
I’m going to try this! I’ve also had great success on my stove, counters, and table with laying a rag over the stuck-on spot, pouring almost boiling water on it just enough to soak the rag, and then wiping it up about 10 minutes later.
I am gonna try this. I like you was fooled by the thought that it would be easier to clean boy was I ever WRONG!! I have cleaned with every possible “cooktop cleaner” I could find and neither has worked. Thanks.
I have this same exact stove~~~definitely hard to clean! I use baking soda and peroxide to clean my stainless steel pots and pans, I wonder if this would work better that soapy water???? I will have to try it~
Couldn’t hurt to try! Although I think hot soapy water did a pretty good job softening and loosening all the crusty stuff.
Fantastic, I knew baking soda cured a lot of things. I’m just going to add this one to the list.
Thanks so much!
Oh I am so trying this today. I don’t care if it’s my birthday or not, lol.
LOL well have a happy b-day! and a clean cooktop too!
Awesome… thank you… cant wait to try it!
Thanks for the tip! I have a glass top and I’m so anal about my husband setting hot dishes on it! It drives me mad when it gets dirty!
I’m about to move into a place with this stove, what happens when you set hot dishes on it??
Another good thing to help remove the stubborn cooked on spots on glass top stoves are the white magic eraser sponges. When you’ve cleaned all you can clean and get to the point where there are just those little brown spots that will not go away, just wet and wring out one of those sponges and get to work. You’ll have to scrub a little on some of them but for the most, they come up pretty easy.
Totally agree, magic erasers are the bomb! Infact, I used one today to clean my shower stall after dying my hair.. It’s sparkling now!
Yes! Magic erasers!! Totally what I was going to post. Those things are miracle workers.
So, I normally cringe at the thought of cleaning…BUT when I saw this post on Pinterest I knew I had to check it out. I tried it today and it worked GREAT!!!! I had one burner that was just black almost all over (I think my husband did it somehow) but it took it all off! And I must say that I thought I was the queen of boil-overs…
Thanks for the great tip!
Baking soda is seriously the most versatile tool in the kitchen, love it!
this is great, i have purchased a couple of different glass cooktop cleaners and none of them have cleaned as well as your technique! THANKS!
Thank you so much! I have a bigger problem than you though….broke my leg and hubby cooked for us….he took my iron skillet out to the grill and used it for something…then he brought that nasty bottom right to my nice, clean cooktop! I have rings that I cannot seem to clear up….but I will try your tip tomorrow….I know it is Sunday, but I just know that God will understand why I must work on that stovetop! LOL….after church of course.
Wow! Another Awesome use for Baking Soda! I am definitely going to try this tomorrow on my stove top!
I use white vinegar to clean my stove top just like this one. It works just as great as the baking soda! Nice to have an alternative if I come across something that really sticks. I do use a razor blade like the ones for scraping windows when I need to and it hasn’t scratched mine. I am careful though and the instructions that came with the stove said to use if needed. Works great!
I also use a razor blade. As a self-employed housekeeper with a smooth top stove of my own, I clean these stoves daily. I have never scratched one with the blades.
Tried it, but it didn’t work as well as my favorite: Bar Keeper’s Friend.
Agreed – Bar Keeper’s Friend is a miracle worker in just a few minutes! Put some elbow grease into it and the marks will come right up.
I will have to give this a try I really like the razor and the stove top cleaner by 3m that has pads that you can swtich out and a handle…but would like somthing with less chemicals.
I also have a boil over problem, I just read on pinterest that you can put a wooden spoon over the top of your pot and it will prevent boil overs
FYI ~ Spoon helps slow the boil overs but doesn’t prevent entirely.
Thanks! I’ll try to remember that next time
Bed Bath and beyond, go to their pots and pans section and hanging on the wall they have these little round stone looking things with a chef on them. Put that down into your pot before you start to boil the water. Will not have a boil over. Tried and True! I have like 8 of those things lol And I use them all the time, haven’t had a boil over since I got them.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to check that out
Thanks so much for sharing a great tutorial here. I’ve tried some expensive cleaners and they work, but your idea is inexpensive and easy to do while cleaning other things. I’m anxious to give it a try!
most people don’t know this but windex is abrasive. you will get minor scratches using that. glass plus is a better option. thanks for the baking soda tip!
Thanks for the tip! I didn’t know that!
I didn’t know Windex was abrasive, but I do remember when we purchased ours, that we were advised never to use Windex. Regular dish soap and drying well / polishing w/ towel usually gets my top nice and sparkly.
I was told when I bought my cooktop not to use windex as it can also ruin the seal around the glass top. I suppose a little vinegar would give a nice shine and be far more economical.
Is glass top the same as ceramic top? My stove is a ceramic top and the instruction booklet said to never put cleaners on it (unless specifically designed for ceramic top ovens). I’d love to try this but I want to make sure that it won’t scratch it. Any advice?
They are the same. The tops are formed first as glass, then the glass is treated with heat application that causes it to partially crystallize giving it ceramic qualities. I’m a self-employed housekeeper who cleans these stove tops on a daily basis. I’ve also owned one for about 10 years. I’ve used razor blades, Bar Keeper’s friend, and baking soda along with cleaners made for them. I’ve never scratched a top and my 10 year old top still looks like new.
I have the exact same stove! Any ideas on how to clean the window in the oven part? I have some splatters on that and I cannot seem to be able to get them off. I have tried everything…. HELP!
HI! I just saw on pinterest another lady recommends the same method for the glass inside the oven, too!
I used a paste of baking soda and water, painted it on and left it to ‘soak’ for an hour or so. Took a lot of the stains off. I just repeat on a regular basis. Eventually they get less and less.
For your top after cleaning you can apply Goddards cream. I use on my countertops and white appliances to give a shine.
My oven window was dirty so I called servicing at store where we bought oven; they sent someone out and charged $50.00! I watched and repair man said I could do it myself, but it did look complicated and he had alot of tools. It is in center of window so it has to be taken apart!
We took our door apart to clean the window…all it took was a screwdriver, some baking soda & soapy water and two people to put it back together. One person to hold the pieces in place and another to put the screws back in. It looks great!
Colleen, I am wanting to try to do this also since all the grease spots are between the outer and inner window panel. Can you explain how you did it? I tried it on my own and all the pieces kind of fell apart and I dont think I put it back together right.
Bar Keeper’s Friend works well and won’t take as much time, not so many steps. I always keep it on hand. I also use it on my SS pots and pans.
I have used bar keepers friend & it works great. Gets the gunk off, along with a razor. It doesn’t scratch it. But I am going to try the baking soda treatment.
I love my glass top….hated to clean burners and how the pans always looked rusted after just a few cleanings.
Mine is 7-8 years old and still looks brand new. I use a baking soda based cleaner that came with the stove top. I’ll have to try this tip next time the potatoes boil over though.
Thanks for the tip!!
Thanks for the tip. No more buying that gooey stuff.
WORKS WONDERFULLY!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!
I did have to do it twice, put down a little elbow grease
But my stove top is clean and shiny!!
Saw this on Pinterest, totally going to give this a try! The cleaner that came with our glass top stove doesn’t really work that great and it stinks! I’m all for homemade solutions!!!
Totally agree! before I tried this method, I bought this expensive cleaner from a high end shop that sells professional stoves and cooktops. It was no better than something from the dollar store! Baking soda rocks
I use the Shaklee cherry scrub on mine. It works the same, but a dab of that and a wet paper towel is all I need. No soaking.
I use Shaklee scrub too, But we ran out and have been using baking soda. My 8yo son keeps asking me when I am going to buy the Shaklee again. He says it worrks better & it definitely smells better.
This is awesome! Can’t wait to do this!
Neat idea but just for reference Soft Scrub also works well, along with a razor blade.
So glad I saw this on Pinterest. I got a new stove 10 days ago and I am not sure that I am going to like it. The spatters bake on and are hard to get off even right after it cools..I thought getting rid of the drip pans were going to be a good thing! I will have to give this a go.Thanks!
great tip! Thanks for sharing your secret
Thanks for the info! I found you through pintrest & I’m so glad! I posted a link to you on my blog, too. I was so happy with the results! Thanks again!
I’ve had my black glasstop for three years and wouldn’t trade it for anything! I use one of the “made for glasstop” cleansers and the little yellow scrubber pads to clean . . . but the real secret, I think, is that after cleaning off the cleanser, I use a dry microfiber cloth to polish it. I do this after dinner every evening — it takes no more than a minute or two, and it looks perfect. BUT . . . I’m going to try baking soda!!
I’ve had my Electrolux black glasstop for three years and wouldn’t give it up for anything. It looks like new . . . I clean it every evening after dinner with one of the “made for glasstop” cleansers and a little yellow scrub pad — also made for glasstops. But I think the real secret is that after rinsing off the cleanser with a bar cloth, I polish the glasstop with a microfiber cloth — it takes me only a minute or two and looks perfectly clean. However!!! I’m going to try your baking soda tip — along with the magic microfiber cloth!
Wow, I have the same stove and my stove is sooo gross. I guess with having so many kids (4 daughters and working full time) I just can’t find the time to scrape the stupid appliance. I’m going to try tonight.
This looks amazing, i’m so trying it today! Thanks for sharing!
I too have scrubbed for countless hours trying to get all the junk off of my stove top! I am going to try this tomorrow… with that said- I was wondering if I could “recycle” the box of baking soda that I use in my fridge and freezer to suck up the odors??? I am going to try and see!!!
give it a shot! I’m sure it will work fine
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this!! I have a glass top and I absolutely hate it! I am just waiting until the day we can get a gas oven and range. But at least now I have a good way to clean it, without the harsh chemicals. I’m going to go run and do this now:-)
~Steph
You’re welcome!!
I have a 3-4 yr. old expensive gas cooktop and the areas around the burners are SO discolored. I have already scratched the stainless steel area around the burners with various things trying to clean. What can I use to get rid of the discoloration?
Also need help with drips from citrus (I think) down my stainless steel dishwashers and refrigerator.
If we can send a man to the moon why can’t we have easy to clean appliances?
Weiman’s stainless steel cleaner is the only product I have tried that actually cleans stainless steel appliances without streaks. I’ve paid a lot of money buying tons on cleansers that don’t work. So save yourself some money and go right to Weiman’s ans skip rhe others
Great tip! It works well! We have a glass cooktop which gets quite a work out. We live on a farm and do enormous amounts of canning and cooking. The 7 year old cooktop looks its age these days but your tip has given it new life! Whoo-hoo! Now it’s ready for another season of canning!!
I always have a sparkling stovetop. After I wipe it down with my dish cloth and then scrape with a flat razor. I use Bar Keepers friend. Its gentle but just abrasive enough to get everything up. And no I have never had the razor scratch my surface. Cleans it up nicely, just like new. But whatever works for you:)
Great idea!!! thanks!!!
OMGeeee! I found you via Pinterest; and, I have to say, this tip rocks! I have used both the soda and Barkeepers Friend, and I never thought to add the extra steps with the soap. Now I know and shall try.
You rock!
Thank you for posting this!
Ginger
I use soft scrub and the green nylon scratch pads. For the burned on stuff, I use a paint scraper with a single edge razor blade.
Thank you for this idea! We bought a house 6 months ago with a beautiful glass top stove, but it had stains that I haven’t been able to get out, and I’ve tried EVERYTHING!!! It almost seemed like the stains were under the glass top. I’d given up trying to get rid of them. I’m on my 2nd round of baking soda/soap and most of the staining seems to have disappeared.
THANK YOU!!!
i DID THIS AND TURNED THE STOVE ON LOW FOR A FEW MINUTES… WORKS GREAT THANKS TO MY SISTER!!!
I use soft scrub and it works great and does not scratch the stove top at all.
I just tried this and it worked!!! My stove top is shinning like a new penny. Thanks for the tip.
I have been cleaning my glass top stove with Windex and one of those green Scotch scrubbers. Has worked very well but think I’ll try your suggestion next time to avoid the Windex smell. Thanks.
I am definitely going to try this today, EXCEPT the Windex. The directions that came with my stove say never to use glass cleaner or any other ammonia based product. I do use a glass scraper all the time and it doesn’t scratch, but I still can’t quite get everything off.
Thanks so much for posting. I always use a magic eraser, but I love this idea!!
Does this work on melted plastic? Because I was a new glass top user and turned on the wrong burner.
Yikes! Im not so sure it would work on melted plastic, but if I were you I would resort to a razor or exacto knife to scrape that off. Alot of people mentioned that’s their main way to clean their cooktops. Good luck!
Plastic will scrap off. Do not be afraid to us a blade. These newer tops are hard. I use a cleaner made by Weiman for glass stoves. It works great. This suggestion sound good too. Baking soda would be less expensive.
Wow! I love this tip and it will make cleaning my stovetop so much easier! Thanks again!
this sounds good!! I was like you thought the flat top would be easier thatn the coils…in some ways it is but in others it diffinitely is not!
Thanks
I am going over to my parents house and surprise them with a very clean stove top tomorrow evening. Thanks for this.
This should come with a warning NOT to use on a cooktop with knobs on the surface. I did this yesterday on my cooktop and moisture got into the unit by the knobs and shorted the whole thing out!! It IS clean but it no longer work at all!!! Do NOT use this cleaning method on a built in counter cooktop with knobs on the top!!
Wow, I’m so sorry to hear that! Unfortunately when I wrote this, I really didn’t take cooktops like yours into consideration, I was simply sharing my personal method. I will post your comment just to heed warning to anybody else that tries this on a cooktop with exposed electrical knobs.
Thanks for the soda tip, I have always used a cleaner for the top, and a plastic scubber and it always comes clean. The thing I have learned about these stoves, that if your pan has gunk on the bottom and you cook with it that will transfer onto the stove top. I have to scurb all my pans, so this wouldn’t happen. Tip for boil overs, esp. potatoes is either run a ring around the inside top ( an inch or so dwon) of the pot with your finger ,use olive or vegetable oil then put in the water and potatoes or add a few drops of oil to the water when you start cooking, it will not boil over/
I’ll give those things a try! Thanks for the tip
Awesome! Now, do you know of any tricks to get the glass shower doors clean? I’ve tried every product out there and the grim is still on it!!!!
Mr. Clean Magic erasers work like a charm, that’s what I use
I’ll give it a try! Thank you!!! : )
Soft Scrub does a great job also and a lot faster. I like all ideals to make my job of cleaning easier.
You can safely use a razor blade. It’s what the manufacturer recommends. I actually use a penny on them to show clients they don’t scratch at all. You just created yourself a whole lot of trouble. razor blade would have cleaned it in a minute flat.
Although a blade probably would not harm the surface, many of us don’t want to take the chance given the cost of replacing them, should an accident happen. This is a cheap, natural method for those of us who don’t want to use a blade or abrasive cleaners.
I am doing this now and its working great! I have actually used the razor blade method before and it did work but took me DAYS to finish. (i had two years worth of burnt on rings. I have another 2yrs worth on this stove and in 10mins have one clean burner already and it was the worst one. So IMO this is way faster.
Great!! I’m so glad to hear it works well for you
Years ago, when I had a smooth top stove, you could go to Sears and they had something call Smooth top conditioner. After you thoroughly clean your stove you could apply this like car wax and it would keep your stove top easier to clean. Like wax on a car, it conditioned it and made stuff slide off. I applied it once a week or so.
Thanks for the info, I am definitely going to try this on mine.
Wanted to share something that I found worked for me for plastic that got on my cooktop – I sprayed some WD40 on it and let it soak in for about 5-10 minutes. I then took a razor blade and scraped the area and it worked like a charm… the plastic came right off!
THANK YOU!!!!! I just tried this and it worked like a charm!
Thanks so much for the tip. I will definitely try this sometimes. I’ve been using Cooktop Cleaning Cream from Sears. It’s been working great so far.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02240079000P?prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7
You rock! Thank you for your time saving share & for saving my arms from the torture they would have endured. I’ve got 2 teens that use this stove as well – need I say more? It was scary. This tip is priceless!~ I could not find a razor blade easily in my home but I had a pampered chef plastic scraper that came with my stoneware. I used this instead & it the gunk and goo came right off.
Great advice for cleaning my cooktop, I would really love to know more about the Scrunge Sponge, where can you buy them? Also what is Shaklee?
Thank you so much for this fantastic tip. I’d tried using a razor blade to scrape burned food from my glass stove top – without success. Using your technique – most of the food came right off. I was able to gently scrape off the tiny bit of food left because your technique softened the remaining burned food. Now I have a shiny glass stove top – thanks to you sharing
Jayna, I tried this method and it did not work for me. My cook top is relatively clean as I use the glass stove top cleaner and razor blades when necessary. But there are “water” marks and duller areas that I had hoped to get rid of. I was disappointed because this method did not work as well or as quickly as my usual method.
Unfortunately, it’s not a cure-all method – I’m not sure how well it cleans long term stains because my stove was pretty new. I’m sorry it didn’t work as well as you’d hoped!
Now does anyone have any ideas to clean the double glass on an oven window on a glass top stove? I had a spill and some of the liquid ran into the vents on the oven door and between the two pieces of glass. It looks terrible with the streaks down it but I don’t know how to get to them to wipe them.
I saw a post online a while ago that gave instructions as to how to take the door apart to clean it. I’m not sure but I think someone here may have done it as well. You might like to go back and scan the previous postings. Try a search online but make sure that whoever takes it apart knows what they are doing! It’s dreadful when you find a few leftover screws!!!
Thank you.. It worked great!!!
Be very careful if you take the door apart. I did that an thought I had it back together correctly. I made a mistake somewhere because a few days later the glass separated and fell in the floor and broke. A new door cost $150.00.
I lifted up a bit the first attempt, Second attempt is in the works. Ran out of Baking Soda now so when I go shopping today I will get more just to have a squeeky clean oven top
Thanks for the tips!!
You know the manufacturers have to be aware of how much of an issue it is to clean these…it looks like by now somebody would have invented some type of coating or something that would help. I know when the stainless steel fridges came out, there were isuues with keeping them clean because every little smudge or hand/finger print showed up. It wasn’t too long before they came out with an alternative. The name escapes me but am thinking it starts with a ‘p.’ I absolutely hate my stainless set and smooth top range. I am ready to toss these out and purchase a new set–just the basic white sets nothing fancy this time lol.
Rachel, I truly feel your ‘pain’. I was tempted witht he stainless version of my fridge and decided against it… my kitchen is samll and receives little natural light. White won… besides, it matches my stove etc. I also have a smooth top and have found the only way is to clean up every spill as soon as it happens. It works. For a thorough clean I use Baking soda as a scrub and for stubborn stuff or the odd baked on stain, I spray the BS with vinegar solution as well. scrub, rinse and polish with a tea towel or micro cloth. It’s keeping it in good shape. By the way, best way for avoiding boil overs is to steam things like potatoes, veggies, etc.
I tried this and it did not work at all. I followed all the instructions exactly and even did it a second time. The stovetop didn’t look any cleaner after than it did before
I have read through all the comments though and think I will give the bar keeper’s friends a try.
Sherry, I had posted to use a paint scraper on the cook top. It works like a charm for me. Try it and see. I keep one in the drawer just for this purpose exclusively. I also do use it occasionally on my granite counter top when something gets dryed on and the dishcloth has missed it. Never has scratched yet.
Thanks for the good tip! When we need to ‘scrub’ our glass stove top, we just use a magic eraser. Just wet it under water, and scrub away, works great! We also have a polish that we use every couple months, that really helps too.
I used to have a glass top and loved it. Would use the glasstop cleaner by weiman all the time and never had a problem with getting things out. Now that I’m in a new house with a gas stove, I’m finding it harder to clean off the last of the gunk that the previous tenants left behind. I think I’ll try your trick and see what happens.
Thanks for the tip.
Natalie, if the ‘gunk’ is on the cook top pan racks you can try popping them in a heavy ziploc bag and adding a couple tablespoons of ammonia, leave over night and just lightly scrub and rinse before use. I’m thinking of trying this on my oven racks. Got the idea from http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/2011/10/i-saw-it-i-tried-it-cleaning-the-grates-on-your-gas-stove/
Hope no one minds me attributing another blog.
My glass-top stove has a rubber “gasket” around the edge, and that’s usually where most of my gunk collects after cleaning the stove. Any suggestions on how to clean the rubber gasket around the stovetop?
Going to have to try this! An exacto knife does great tho, doesn’t scratch!!
Yeah, I got a glasstop last year & hate that it never looks clean! spotty, etc. I’ll give this a try – thanks!
Have you heard of the Scrunge sponge? They’ve made it for the glass cooktops and they’re incredible! They really work…may save you a bunch of time.
In addition to this wonderful task, you can go to Lowe’s or HD & purchase a tiny 3″ in length razor in it’s own holder for $1.00, along with an extra pack of razors (optional) & if the baking soda does not take up those stubborn spots, very carefully and holding the razor evenly, scrap those few crusty spots away in a jiffy. Works like a charm.
Can you re-use the baking soda from the freezer, I hate to just throw it away and Would love the GREEN aspect of reusing or repurposing the old stuff, any thougts??
I’ve actually tried this – and it still works!
I just use soapy water OR spray some Awesome($1 at Dollar General)and use a razor scraper that I bought at Lowes or Walmart for $1! Buff with a dry towel and it shines like new. My glass cooktop is fueled by natural gas and this works so great that I have always wondered why everyone else has not figured it out too.