Asked on Dec 15, 2015

How can I clean burnt sugar off glass stove top?

Megquinn
by Megquinn

I was boiling sugar and water on the stove and it boiled over on my glass stovetop, and of course immediately hardened. Now I can't get burnt sugar on the glass stove top off and it is ruined! I tried glass top cleaner but it made no difference :(. Help, does anyone know how to get burnt sugar off stove top?



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  32 answers
  • Mary McNeill Mary McNeill on Dec 15, 2015
    Soaking it with water first to loosen it should help after all it is sugar. Maybe even lay a very wet cloth on it and keep it wet. When it gets soft it should come right off. It will take time and effort. I bought a pad from a local kitchen ware store that is safe for glass tops but wouldn't know where to tell you to buy one.
  • Madde Madde on Dec 15, 2015
    I had the same problem. Try heating top slightly, then scrape sugar with a widget blade. Should come off. Good luck. Hope it didn't crack your top!
  • Terrie Neudorf Terrie Neudorf on Dec 15, 2015
    Warm vinegar and baking soda and let sit , the scub away and wipe with cloth till clean.
  • Becca Becca on Dec 15, 2015
    I would take a hot wet cloth and lay it on the sugar. Let it set and the sugar should melt and wipe off easily. It may take a couple of applications if the hardened sugar is very thick.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Dec 15, 2015
    Heat white vinegar in the microwave until just before boiling. Apply to burnt area and immediately put baking soda on. Leave on the spot long enough to beak up the residue then clean as you normally would.
  • Peggy Davis Peggy Davis on Dec 15, 2015
    when i spill sticky stuff on the glass top, i usually let it dry and then scrape it off with a single edge razor.
    • See 1 previous
    • Lisa Dye Lisa Dye on Dec 16, 2015
      Trick to the razor blade is using the glass top cleaner to make a lubricant, holding the blade at a 45 degree angle, & not digging or chipping at the spot. Just smoothly glide it on the glass using a little more pressure as you go across the spot. Then wipe the soap up with a sponge.
  • Susan Bechamp Susan Bechamp on Dec 15, 2015
    Do the vinegar and soda soak. Several times if needed. Then use a non-abrasive cleaner and a scrubber to remove any residual marks. Be patient, be persistent . Do not use a razor blade. It can scratch the glass deeper than you realize. Then when you turn that burner on, the glass cracks. Expensive and takes weeks for a replacement.
    • Viv Viv on Jan 23, 2018

      Hi Susan.. I’ll give it a go , agree with you about not using razors . Thanks for the tip . Fingers crossed 👍🏻X

  • Rus1058682 Rus1058682 on Dec 15, 2015
    Take a washcloth, soak it with water, and put it in your microwave for 1-3 minutes. Remove with tongs, and lay it on the area. Do this a couple times and the sugar should come up without damaging the glasstop.. , if needed, take the tongs and use them to scrub the cloth.. It will be steaming hot, so be careful... It works for me when I have mishaps on mine..
  • Megquinn Megquinn on Dec 15, 2015
    Thanks all! I will try everyone's suggestions tomorrow!! I'm desperate
  • Susan Susan on Dec 16, 2015
    Bleach eats up the burn in my stainless steel pans. If it is glass, soak cotton balls in bleach and cover with plastic wrap for a few days. It might work
  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Dec 16, 2015
    I have a glass top stove myself and use Barkeepers soft scrub, warm water and a kitchen sponge. It cleans really well without using any sharp instrument.
    • See 2 previous
    • Annadele Annadele on Dec 16, 2015
      Diana, agree with Lisa that a single edge razor blade will take this off. I keep several in a utility drawer, and use them all the time. It is actually much easier on the stovetop than any cleaners. A sharp blade will not scratch. All I use on my glass stovetop is baking soda and razor blades. Always looks like new.
  • Mary Barrett Mary Barrett on Dec 16, 2015
    A razorblade cleans gunk off mine. It's ceramic, not truly glass, so scraping with a razorblade does not scratch it. Works, truly.
  • Lisa Dye Lisa Dye on Dec 16, 2015
    Because it's burned, it has carbonized & won't dissolve with water. This procedure works with anything that's burned on a glass or ceramic stovetop. Use a COOK-TOP cleaner (best I've found is by Whink & I buy it from a hardware store). Pour a small amount on the cooktop then use a wet sponge to get it sudsy all over the burner. Here's the secret - now take a straight razor blade (also hardware store) and holding it against the glass at a 45 degree angle, scrape the burn off the glass. Don't dig or chip at it or you'll chip the glass. It may take few tries but it's worked for everything that's been burned on my ceramic cooktop.
  • Elaine Simmons Elaine Simmons on Dec 16, 2015
    I once had some candy overflow on my glass top range. It pitted the glass so there is no way I could repair it. You may find that out too once you get it off your stove. I vowed never to have a glass top range if I could help it. I have a gas range now and love it!
    • Pam Butler Pam Butler on Jul 24, 2018

      I think that is what happened to mine, it is now pitted. I have tried everything, and I, too, have vowed NEVER to have another glass topped stove - EVER! Give me gas anytime!

  • Michell Michell on Dec 17, 2015
    I have a glass cooktop and I use a razor blade that came with it to scratch off burned spillage. It works really well. I also use windex to soak while I scrub it out.
  • Lois Franklin Lois Franklin on Dec 17, 2015
    You might want to cover the burned area with baking soda, keep it damp (with just water) and let it sit for awhile. It might help to lift it up a bit before you start scraping. I'd leave it on there for at least several hours or even a day or two. It's worked with my stainless steel cookware.
  • Stella Love Stella Love on Feb 01, 2016
    I have a glass scraper for cleaning mine.
  • Slartibartfast Slartibartfast on Feb 19, 2017

    Just boiled over some Lemon/Lime bar mix I was making, and two spots under the pot were fully carbonized before I realized what was happening. While still warm I scraped off 98% with a razor edged scraper blade, then followed up with a ceramic top cleaning paste. It cleaned off perfectly with no scratches at all from the razor, but the two badly carbonized spots pitted the surface a bit, as described by Elaine Simmons. It doesn't look bad and the top is slightly damaged, but far from ruined. My only worry is that the pitting might weaken the ceramic under repeated heat/cool cycles and the top might eventually crack, but for now it was just a lesson learned.


    The ceramic material is much harder than the steel in a razor blade or scraper, so you don't have to worry about scratching the surface, but I strongly recommend against using a carbide scraper blade.

  • Patricia Rando Patricia Rando on Jun 20, 2017

    After trying several of the above ideas, I put the burner on high and got the glass very hot. I immediately took a wet, soapy sponge and the burnt on honey wiped right off. Be careful not to burn your fingers.

  • Zhaiyere Zhaiyere on Nov 23, 2017

    Get a pointed knife and some oil. Find your starting point. As you lift apply oil under to help it come off easier

  • Aramis Sanders Aramis Sanders on Sep 25, 2018

    We just scraped the top layer off and used a magic eraser for the burned sugar. It worked like a charm.

  • Doxy Doxy on Nov 21, 2018

    Soft Scrub with Oxi, a Dobie scouring pad, a pan of warm rinse water, and some patience.


    I had a large amount of cranberry sauce bowl over and the simple sugar water turned to hard crack and hard/gooey globs.


    I got the Dobie wet, poured some Soft Scrub on the cooktop and gently rubbed it in circles. It didn't take much elbow grease; just patience and a few applications.


    Dried it off and then cleaned it with my usual glass cleaner.



  • Beth Bamford Beth Bamford on Dec 24, 2018

    Had a fudge mishap last night and the marshmallow/evaporated milk/sugar mixture spilled EVERYWHERE. I’ve used some of these suggestions minus the razor blade (I’m WAY to uncoordinated to risk it) and got almost all of it off except a few spots have a verrrry thin last layer that’s being super stubborn!! Vinegar and baking soda, microwaved wet cloth, microwaved wet cloth on top of vinegar... nothing is working. Any thoughts for that very last part? Thanks!!

  • Joanie Edwards Joanie Edwards on Aug 20, 2019

    I had to soak it for a long time with baking soda & vinegar. Then I scraped it with the scraper blade. A lot of it pitted but got it good enough to use the burner again.

    • Nancy McCalment Nancy McCalment on Mar 18, 2021

      I didn’t see any outs on my cook top after using the razor blade. Use a single edged blade...safer.

  • Leila Jackson Leila Jackson on Dec 07, 2020

    I did this too with an orange glaze and it completely pitted my glass top. I tried Vin/soda, oven cleaner, and scrapping and absolutely nothing is coming up which is when I realized that the stove was clean but now has a redesigned look, not pretty!

  • Pat Pat on Dec 08, 2020

    When I got my glass top stove, I read the manual and it said to NEVER let any sugar liquid slash or boil over...it will pit the glass. I have been going by that and being very careful.

  • Riaan Riaan on Mar 17, 2021

    Lisa Dye.........when last did someone told you You are a genius ! That razor blade worked great ! Thanks my glass top looks like if it was delivered this morning !

    • Nancy McCalment Nancy McCalment on Mar 18, 2021

      I use a razor single edged razor blade when baking soda and Mr. Clean sponge doesn’t take it all off. Works every time! Wipe with wet rag and dry with a paper towel. Looks like new!

  • Deb K Deb K on Aug 06, 2023

    Hi Meg, hope this helps you.

    Combine vinegar and water in a spray bottle and mist the affected area. Let it sit for 30 minutes, then scrub it with a sponge or scrub brush. If the burnt sugar is stubborn, you can make a paste from baking soda and vinegar. Apply it to the stains, let it sit for an hour, then scrub it away.

  • Libbie B Libbie B on Sep 26, 2023

    I love a product called The Pink Stuff. It works wonders on my glass top stove.

  • Hey there, Megquinn! You can try by using vinegar and baking soda.

    To do this, mix equal parts of white vinegar and baking soda in a bowl to form a paste. Apply the paste to the burnt sugar and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then, use a damp rag to wipe away the paste and the burnt sugar. This method is non-abrasive and safe for most stove tops. Hope this helps!

  • Judith Judith on Jan 10, 2024

    Turn the flat top on where the baked sugar is, pour water on it and start gently scraping with a butter knife. Works great. I tried every product I could think of on it but they didn't work at all.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 10, 2024

    Take a single edged razor blade at a 45 degree angle and scrape it, be careful to not dig into the surface.