To clean a glass stovetop, turn the burners off and let the glass cool, put a few drops of ceramic cooktop cleaner (or just water) on the dirty spots, give it a few minutes to soften, then wipe with a soft non-scratch sponge and buff dry. For burnt-on food, a razor scraper works on standard ceramic glass. On coated glass, scrapers do damage.
So before you reach for a blade, find out which kind of glass you have.
First, check which kind of glass you have#
Many glass and induction cooktops are plain ceramic glass. Some newer ones have an easy-clean coating, and the cleaning rules are different. Whirlpool sells both, and its two sets of instructions contradict each other:
- On standard ceramic glass, Whirlpool's cooktop cleaning instructions say to use a cooktop scraper while the surface is still warm but not hot, held at about 45 degrees, then finish with a ceramic glass cleaner.
- On its coated WipeClean cooktops, Whirlpool's WipeClean cleaning page says the surface must be completely cool, the main cleaner is water, and a cooktop scraper may damage the coating.
Other brands may use their own coatings under their own names. Look up your model number (usually on a label under the cooktop or on the side of the range) and search the manual for "scraper." If the manual mentions a coating or warns against scrapers, treat it as coated.
How to clean a glass stovetop after cooking#
This is the everyday version, for grease spatter and small drips.
- Turn every burner off and let the glass cool. Turn on the cooktop lock if yours has one, so you don't switch a zone on while wiping.
- Brush off crumbs with a dry cloth first. Grit dragged across the glass is what makes fine scratches.
- Spray the surface with water, or put a few dime-sized drops of cooktop cleaner on the grease.
- Give it a few minutes.
- Wipe with a soft sponge or microfiber cloth, then buff dry with a clean cloth.
Keep a separate cloth for the cooktop. The one you use on the counters carries crumbs and grit. (Microfiber works well here; here's how to keep it clean.)
How to get burnt-on food off a glass stovetop#
Standard ceramic glass#
- Wait until the cooktop is warm but not hot to the touch, and wear an oven mitt.
- Hold a cooktop razor scraper at about a 45-degree angle and push it gently under the burnt layer in short strokes.
- Let the glass cool completely.
- Put a few drops of ceramic cooktop cleaner on the marks, rub it in with a non-scratch pad, and let it dry to a haze.
- Buff it off with a dry cloth or paper towel. Repeat on anything left.
Use a scraper sold for cooktops, with a fresh blade. A nicked blade scratches.
Coated glass#
Patience instead of pressure. Whirlpool's WipeClean steps:
- Make sure the cooktop is completely cool and all controls are off.
- Spray the dirty area with water and leave it at least 5 minutes. Heavy stains need 20 to 25 minutes, and very heavy soil can take up to 45.
- Lift the loosened food with a paper towel, then wipe with a damp, soft sponge.
- For anything left, use a small amount of non-abrasive cooktop cleaner on a paper towel, then wipe it off with a warm, damp cloth.
Whirlpool says not to leave detergents on the coating for more than 10 minutes. It also rules out abrasive powder cleansers, so leave the baking soda paste you see recommended online off a coated top.
What not to use on a glass cooktop#
Whirlpool's lists for both surfaces rule out steel wool, abrasive powder cleansers, chlorine bleach, rust remover, and ammonia. The WipeClean list adds glass window cleaner and scrubby or coarse sponges, which means the green side of a kitchen sponge is out too.
A few more habits that save the glass:
- Lift pans to move them. Sliding a heavy pan, especially cast iron, drags whatever grit is under it across the surface.
- Check the bottoms of pans before you put them down. Burnt-on residue on a pan base transfers to the glass when it heats.
- Don't use the cooktop as a counter. A dropped jar can crack it.
Sugar, melted plastic, and cracks#
If sugar, jam, or a plastic bag melts onto the glass, turn the burner off and check your manual right away. Don't leave it for the routine wipe: melted sugar and plastic set hard as they cool, and your manual is the reliable guide to getting them off your particular surface.
A crack is not a cleaning problem. Stop using the cooktop, switch it off at the breaker, and call for service. Don't wipe a cracked cooktop with water.
If a mark won't come off with cleaner and a scraper (on ceramic glass), run a fingernail across it. If your nail catches, it's a scratch, and more scraping will only make it worse.
How often should you clean it?#
Wipe it down after any cooking that spatters, once it's cool. Whirlpool's WipeClean page says to clean the surface after every spill. Then give it a proper clean with cooktop cleaner once a week if you cook most days. Grease that's left to bake on through several cooking sessions is what turns a two-minute wipe into a scraper job.
The oven below and the hood above have their own routines; see our guides to cleaning an oven and range hood filters.