"Recipe" for smooth top stove cleaner?

[Princess Tink]

I love my glass top stove, have had it for 6 yrs or so. Yes, it takes some getting use to, but IMO it was worth it. Yes, you should use the special cleaner....it actually 'conditions' it for lack of a better word. It's like 'furniture polish' for the stove...if you use it the stove will love new for a long time, if not you will tell. You should only have to use the 'special' cleaner stuff on it once a week or so....I just wipe it off with regular soap and water along with the counter tops every night. I have only bought 2 btls of cleaner in the 6 or so yrs I've had it.

 

[mousemomof2]

A magic eraser and some elbow grease does great for us.

 

[cami89]

I use Soft Scrub and Mr. Clean erasers on mine - learned this tip on another board I go to - it works GREAT!! I do have the flat stovetop cleaner that came with our stove and it's okay, but it involves a little more work than using the Soft Scrub.

 

[brandylouwho]

A magic eraser and some elbow grease does great for us.

me too...it works great, but I do use the special cleaner occasionally to keep it shiny.

 

[middleofamerica]

I couldn't ever go back to those awful dirty drip pans! This is our first smooth top stove and I just love the ease of cleaning it. There is never a need for a lengthy cleaning of those little pans! Even if there are a few spots that won't come up it is better than those dirty pans IMHO.

 

[evilqueenfan]

I also have a glass top stove, absolutely love it! I use the CeramaBryte cooktop cleaner (white paste) on mine when cleaning but recently found a new product to use for touchups. It is called CeramaBryte Touchups. It is in a canister type plastic bottle and has 40 wipes that can be used for quick wipeups or in-between cleaning. They are great for small spills on your cooktop that you don't want to leave on the stove to harden or burn. They are great when the whole stove doesn't need cleaned and you just need a quick clean up. I found them at Lowe's.

 

[mytwotinks]

Mine got really really bad. I wasn't having much luck w/ the special cleaner and a Mr. Clean sponge. Now I use oven cleaner (I use Dollar General brand copy of Oven Off). You spray it on and wait 20 minutes and then just wipe it clean! Works like a charm.

 

[luv2nascar]

We just use a plain razor blade at my house if it is a real bad burn. It is a pain to keep clean. It attracts dust and stuff burns on real quick. I like the flat top but cleaning it is pain.

 

[ducklite]

To clean a baked on stain (except water rings) heat a damp sponge for about 15 seconds in the microwave, then put the sponge over the stain on a cool stove for about five minutes. That will losen up the baked on food enough to allow you to wipe it clean with a little elbow grease.

To clean hard water stains, use a non-abrasive cleanser like Comet or Barkeepers friend (IMHO a far superior product) and a very soft plastic "scrubbie"--preferably one made for ceramic cook tops.

I use the Cerama-Brite and think it's wonderful. While the other cleaners can get the cook top clean, none of them make it shine without waterspots. You use it with a dry papertowel, rubbing in a circular motion.

My cook top looks brand new after I clean it. I pop to knobs off and actually run those through the dishwasher overy few weeks.

Anne

 

[tae1218]

A magic eraser and some elbow grease does great for us.

Magic eraser does a great job!

 

[Maybelle]

There are things I like and dislike about the smooth top. It definately looks nicer, and I don't think it is too bad to clean. The things I don't like:

Takes longer to get anything hot. Pans really have to be perfectly flat on the bottom. My pans are older, so heating and especially boiling take forever.

the pans do slide around on the top of the stove.

I have to put hot pads down on the stove top when I take corelle or pyrex out of the oven. I am always afraid the dish will shatter when being set down on a cold glass surface.

 

[ducklite]

There are things I like and dislike about the smooth top. It definately looks nicer, and I don't think it is too bad to clean. The things I don't like:

Takes longer to get anything hot. Pans really have to be perfectly flat on the bottom. My pans are older, so heating and especially boiling take forever.

the pans do slide around on the top of the stove.

I have to put hot pads down on the stove top when I take corelle or pyrex out of the oven. I am always afraid the dish will shatter when being set down on a cold glass surface.

Interesting. I think it depends on your pans, because mine don't slide around. I have a fairly new set of Calphalon One, and don't have the sliding problem at all with them. And my tea water boils as fast as it did on the gas stove in my old house.

Like you, I am very careful about setting a hot pan down on the cool cooktop, but then again I won't set a hot pan on anything--I have several round cork things to set hot pans on, and keep them convenient. I've also got a metal trivet standing along the back of my cook top which is right there if I forget to take a crok thingy out of the cabinet.

Anne

 

[zippeedee]

I love my glass top stove, it is so much easier to clean than those drip pans.

A few things I haven't seen mentioned - never take a hot lid off of a pan and place it flat on the glass top. As it cools it will stick. I was warned by a friend who cracked hers trying to remove a stuck lid.

Jiffy pop is the one thing I know you can't make. Shaking the pan across the burners will scratch the.

Also, be really careful with any kind of sugar. Burnt sugar will "burn in" and never come off. I make a lot of holiday candy and keep a damp paper towel handy for any sugar spills.

 

[WendyisDarling]

I too learned the hard way. The key to cleaning it is ....

DO NOT WIPE UP SPILLS OR TRY TO CLEAN IT UNTIL COOKTOP HAS COOLED!!! Wait until red light on the cook top has gone off, then you will know it is completely cooled!!!

That makes sense, now. I tried cleaning up as soon as the spill happened and the burner was hot. I have forever burns.
I must start reading owners' manuals
Thanks for the tip.

 

[dolphindan1]

I have bought to recommended cleaners and both do nothing except shine whats already clened....ours has got kinda burned stuff around the eyes and I dont know what to use...I think I will try soft scrub

 

[dclfun]

Is there really a "forever burn" or is there some super cleaner that will take it off? The reason I ask is that I had a dark burn over one burner. I started to wonder if the underlying gray "circle" had been rubbed off by cleaning. Since I asked the question on this thread I tried the vinegar and baking soda paste and about half the dark burn is now removed. Next I'm going to get the Mr. Clean eraser which has worked miracles on other things and get my son to use some serious elbow grease. Is there anything then that truly won't come off? When is it truly too late?---Kathy

 

[WendyisDarling]

Is there really a "forever burn" or is there some super cleaner that will take it off? The reason I ask is that I had a dark burn over one burner. I started to wonder if the underlying gray "circle" had been rubbed off by cleaning. Since I asked the question on this thread I tried the vinegar and baking soda paste and about half the dark burn is now removed. Next I'm going to get the Mr. Clean eraser which has worked miracles on other things and get my son to use some serious elbow grease. Is there anything then that truly won't come off? When is it truly too late?---Kathy

Wanting to know this,too!
I also was wondering if you can buy "replacement" surfaces. I'm sure that a professional repairman would need to do the work. Would the cost be worth it?
To the pp--please let me know if Magic Eraser works

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Is there really a "forever burn" or is there some super cleaner that will take it off? The reason I ask is that I had a dark burn over one burner. I started to wonder if the underlying gray "circle" had been rubbed off by cleaning. Since I asked the question on this thread I tried the vinegar and baking soda paste and about half the dark burn is now removed. Next I'm going to get the Mr. Clean eraser which has worked miracles on other things and get my son to use some serious elbow grease. Is there anything then that truly won't come off? When is it truly too late?---Kathy

The only warning I got with my stove is not to spill something cooked with sugar in it because it will pit the glass top.

They also said not to use cast iron. I use my LeCreuset and cast iron skillets from time to time with no problem. I just make sure I keep the temperature on the stove-top set to medium and below.

My glass top looks almost brand new and I've had it for years. My stove top is black and white and the cleaner I use says it's for black and white tops. Is there different cleaners made for different colored stoves?

My mother-in-law just bought a smooth-top from Sears and her's is gray and white. Maybe that has something to do with the problems some of you are having with keeping your stove clean? What color are your stove-tops?

I love my smooth-top and would never go back to burners. A smooth top is so much easier to keep clean.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

To clean a baked on stain (except water rings) heat a damp sponge for about 15 seconds in the microwave, then put the sponge over the stain on a cool stove for about five minutes. That will losen up the baked on food enough to allow you to wipe it clean with a little elbow grease.

To clean hard water stains, use a non-abrasive cleanser like Comet or Barkeepers friend (IMHO a far superior product) and a very soft plastic "scrubbie"--preferably one made for ceramic cook tops.

I use the Cerama-Brite and think it's wonderful. While the other cleaners can get the cook top clean, none of them make it shine without waterspots. You use it with a dry papertowel, rubbing in a circular motion.

My cook top looks brand new after I clean it. I pop to knobs off and actually run those through the dishwasher overy few weeks.

Anne

Anne,
Why don't you pour water directly onto the burner and turn it on to loosen the gunk? Why would you need to use a wet sponge?

 

[Earstou]

Is there really a "forever burn" or is there some super cleaner that will take it off?

A few years ago, my daughter decided she wanted to make jello, so put some water on to boil. She went back to her room and fell asleep! The pan boiled dry and left metallic marks on my smoothtop. We tried everything at the time and could not get it off.
I did research it on the internet, and the info I found said the metal had bonded with the stovetop and could not be removed.
But I don't think we have ever tried the magic eraser, so I'll have to try that today!