Americans have had a love affair with smooth cooktops since the 1970s when they were first introduced. At that time, the cooktops were created from pyroceramic glass — the same material as Corningware dishes. This material was replaced with less-brittle glass ceramic in the 1990s.
While glass ceramic cooktops lend a sleek, modern silhouette to the kitchen, they have different care requirements than conventional stovetops.
While you won’t need to dig around burners and drip pans, you do need to use caution to avoid scratching the cooktop and you may need to clean it more frequently.
Which cleaning products to use
Avoid using abrasive cleaners and rough scouring pads, which may damage the surface. Products such as bleach, ammonia and oven cleaner may cause discoloring.
The ideal product to use to clean the glass ceramic cooktop is one that is manufactured expressly for that purpose. Read your owner’s manual for a recommendation or consider one of the following products:
How to clean the cooktop
Light stains and spills are easy to clean up if you attend to them as soon as possible.
- Wait until the cooktop is completely cool.
- Pour a few drops of the cleaner onto the surface.
- Use a cleaning pad (included with some of the products) or a clean, soft cloth to wipe the soiled area clean.
To remove heavy stains:
- Use a cooktop scraper (included with some of the aforementioned products) or a metal razorblade scraper, at a 30-degree angle, to lightly scrape the soil from the surface.
- Wipe up the loosened debris.
- Apply a few drops of the cleaner and rub the cooktop with the cleaning pad until it’s clean.
- Buff the surface of the cooktop with a clean microfiber cloth.
Melted plastic, or spills of foods that contain a lot of sugar may require special treatment:
- Don’t wait for the cooktop to cool – these stains require immediate removal.
- Protect your hands with oven mitts.
- Use the scraper or razor blade to scrape the stain from the cooktop.
- Immediately wipe away the loosened debris.
- Allow the cooktop to cool and then clean with the cooktop cleaner and a cleaning pad.
