Cleaning flat top ceramic/glass stovetops

Elaine Thomas
by Elaine Thomas
Does anyone have a trick for cleaning the new stove tops? I tried all the cleaners on the market but after using my cast iron pans on it I can't get it totally clean anymore
  22 answers
  • Betsy Betsy on Jan 03, 2014
    I use a mixture of Dawn dishwashing liquid, vinegar, water, and baking soda. I wipe down the cooktop first, then liberally sprinkle baking soda on it. I mix the Dawn/vinegar/water together in a spray bottle, then spray it on top of the baking soda. Don't know if it's my imagination, but it seems to work better if I let the mixture set for 5- 10 minutes or so. Then I use a soft nylon net scrubber and some elbow grease on it. It takes a little scrubbing on the cooked-on spills, but not a lot. After a good wipe down with a warm clean washcloth, it's (almost) good as new. For stubborn spots that haven't totally come up, I work on that one spot or two again. This technique has worked as well if not better than any commercial cleaner I've found, it's cheap, and definitely eco-friendly! Hope this works for you..
    • Margaret Margaret on Jan 05, 2014
      @30 results are available, use up and down arrow keys to navigate.Betsy @Betsy What proportions of Dawn, vinegar, and water do you use? Also, which kind of vinegar, distilled or apple cider?
  • Mercedes McFarland Mercedes McFarland on Jan 03, 2014
    Only do this as a Last Resort if nothing else works.... Plain white toothpaste and baking soda mixture helps when it's rubbed in and leaving it on there for at least 15 minutes .... use a very sharp brand new razor and slowly lift up the grime with as you sweep it slowly (a little faster than a snail) at an angle, do not push down on it to create scratch marks. Seems to clean it up with that paste. Wipe up clean with with a clean cloth after wards. Should leave it shiny.
  • Karyl Conard Karyl Conard on Jan 03, 2014
    use ceramic cooktop cleaner with light duty nylon flat scrubber in circular pattern. Then use widget (flat razor blade scraper) gently, never on dry stovetop, always with cleaner on it. Keep blade flat so no scratches. This will get anything cooked on, off. Rinse with damp cloth as needed to remove all cleaning debris. Buff with microfiber cloth.
  • Elaine Thomas Elaine Thomas on Jan 03, 2014
    Thank you ladies, I will try all given suggestions tomorrow!!
  • Small Talk Mama Small Talk Mama on Jan 04, 2014
    I also use a razor blade VERY carefully when the cleaners won't work.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jan 04, 2014
    Years and years ago (late 70s) I was one of those few that had the Corning flat range top! I loved it. So I have 4-1/2 decades of experience cleaning these. First just wash it with soap and water. Then take a single edge razor blade and holding it at about a 15 degree angle, scrape the entire surface clean...even that part that does not appear to have cooked on gunk! You can add a little water and Bon Ami to help you get rid of the stain once the gunk is gone. Wipe it down good and you are ready to go. It takes me 5 minutes to clean mine!
  • I have to add (and some may argue) but using cast iron on your cook top is not advised! There is an exception if the cast iron pans are coated and flat but not the good old fashioned cast iron. I have a 36" Thermadoor glass cooktop and my care instructions state do not use cast iron because it can damage your top. What everyone says will work. Baking soda as an abrasive is mild and works on most spots. You need to read your care instructions because each top has its own "dos and don'ts". There is also a product at Lowe's (I think he said Cerama bryte) that coats your cook top in a silicone top glaze which makes cleaning easier. I just found this out asking the appliance guy (who has been doing it for 20 years there) what to do to make cleaning easier. There is also a cleaner that goes with it. I have not gotten any yet but I need to since my teenager is trying to cook and he makes a mess. Good luck
  • I use Weiman's Glass cooktop cleaner with a one sided 0-Cel-o scrubbing sponge. Works like a champ, quick and easy!
  • Mary Sue Weeks Mary Sue Weeks on Jan 04, 2014
    use Bartender's Friend and elbow grease -- my cooktop looks like new every time I use it.
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Jan 04, 2014
    Unless you have the new cast iron skillets that can be used on a glass top range the older ones can damage it the surface. Is it scratched or is it dirty? Use a razor and scrape it, then bar keepers friend if that doesn't work. If you have older cast iron skillets chances are it's scratched and you have to deal with it. It can't be fixed. There are many pots and pans that are made for these ranges.
  • Z Z on Jan 04, 2014
    A decade ago we were told that you could not use cast iron on glass top stoves which is why I chose coil and an indoor grill for my modular cook top. I have since had to stop using cast iron because of injuring my wrists (not while using cast iron pans) so we recently ordered a new glass top stove so I'm curious if the new cast iron skillets cook as well as the old ones did? @The Garden Frog with C Renee and @Sherrie, have either of you used them yourselves?
    • See 3 previous
    • Z Z on Jan 06, 2014
      @The Garden Frog with C Renee I don't bake enough to have a double oven so we actually have a 28" wall oven. The funny thing is I have used that more the first year we were here than I did the hole twenty years before. With hubby traveling I'm not using it much again. I had to give up my favorite car, Mercury Grand Marquis, as they no longer make them. We had five of them between hubby and I. We both switched to Ford Explorers now. I miss the luxury of the Merc, but my Explorer has heated leather seats and today at -32 wind chill I was glad for that. I had to sit on one hand at a time to keep them warm on my drive home from Omaha this evening. My steering wheel was so cold it burned right through my normally warm gloves.
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Jan 05, 2014
    Becky I bought my cast iron skillets at Macy's that can be used on top of a ceramic stove. They still have them. I bought new pots and pans recently and heard the sales woman tell a customer
    • Z Z on Jan 05, 2014
      Thank you @Sherri. Do you like cooking with them on your smooth top then? Are yours heavy? I do worry about about injuring my wrists again, but I miss how things tasted just a bit better in them.
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Jan 05, 2014
    That she had them. I need a new smooth top range, mine doesn't match everything in my kitchen and it is one if the first ones that were sold.
    • See 6 previous
    • Z Z on Jan 06, 2014
      Thank you@The Garden Frog with C Renee We do have them. That's a good idea. I have to time (our cooktop will not arrive until sometime in February) wait until we've some warmer weather before I get out again too. It's -8 with a wind chill of -19 right now. Too cold to even go get the mail at the end of the drive!
  • Diane Diane on Jan 05, 2014
    I like Mr. Clean erasers for my smooth top stove. They work great!
  • Trisha Trisha on Jan 05, 2014
    Try putting a gentle scrub and some window cleaner on it. Spread the paste around and cover with plastic wrap. Leave over night. Wipe of using a magic eraser for the tougher spots. Works for me.
  • Shari Shari on Jan 05, 2014
    I have used the Cerama Bryte, Weimans, and Soft Scrub with so-so results. For tough cooked-on spills I usually have to use the razor blade first, which several other members mentioned, and then follow up with one of the cleaners. I agree, the Mr. Clean Magic Sponges also do a pretty good job. Yesterday I saw a new product by Carbona so I decided to try it. ( I found it at Publix and since you are in Florida, you probably can find it at your nearest Publix too. I had just been to Walmart prior and didn't see it there.) So far, I think I like this Carbona product the best of anything else I've ever tried but in all fairness, when I tried it last night, my stove top wasn't really bad since I typically clean it almost every time I use it. I should try it on my daughter's cook top. Now that would be a real test! ;)
  • Elaine Thomas Elaine Thomas on Jan 05, 2014
    Shari, let me know how it works on your daughters :-)
    • Shari Shari on Jan 13, 2014
      @Elaine Thomas Okay, I did try this on my daughter's stove top and I have one word...AWESOME! She had a lot of baked on grease that needed some extra attention with the razor blade but this Carbona stuff is, hands down, the best I've ever used. One of the things I really, really like about it is that once you wipe it off, it does not leave a film or streaks like other cleaners. Both of our cook tops are black and having streaks on mine after I've cleaned it drives me crazy. But that won't be a problem for me anymore because this will be my ONE & ONLY ceramic cook top cleaner from now on!
  • Brenda Smith Brenda Smith on Jan 05, 2014
    FYI for those of you with glass cooktops: Be very careful not to use pots or pans that are more than about a1/2 inch larger that the burner circles.. Without thinking, we used a larger pot and the cooktop shattered….$400 just to replace the glass top…There was a one-line warning about this in the instruction book, but it was not emphasized at all.
  • Rose Rose on Jan 07, 2014
    I was told not to use cast iron on it, could get so hot to break the glass
  • Christina Christina on Jan 13, 2014
    Spray on oven cleaner, any kind will do. Works like a charm!
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Jan 14, 2014
    They make cast iron skillets that are made for smooth top ranges. But you can't use the old ones on it.