How to Clean a Burnt Ceramic Stove Top (With or Without Cleaners)

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Professionally-approved guidance on cleaning your stove
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Ceramic-glass stove tops make cleaning a lot easier since they have a flat surface, but food can still burn and get stuck on them. If you don’t have any ceramic cleaners, you can easily lift minor stains with a paste of baking soda and water. For more persistent stains or large pieces of residue burnt onto the cooktop, try using a scraper and ceramic cleaner to remove them. To help, we consulted professional cleaners Ashley Matuska and Raymond Chiu to get the best tips on how to make your stove look sparkling clean and brand new!

How to Clean Glass, Porcelain, or Ceramic Cook Tops

Professional cleaner Ashley Matuska says your best bet for cleaning a cooktop is to scrape off stuck-on gunk with a razor blade scraper at a 45° angle. Pair that with a cooktop cleaner that’s designed for glass or ceramic—like Weiman or Affresh—and finish with a microfiber cloth.

Section 1 of 4:

Cleaning Stains with Baking Soda

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  1. Wait until the stove cools off completely, so you don’t burn yourself. Start in the back corner of the stovetop and wipe residue toward the front. Cup your other hand under the edge of the stove to catch the pieces that come loose. Work your way across the stove in back-to-front strokes until you reach the other side. [1]

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Ashley Matuska is a professional cleaner and owner of a maid service with nearly a decade of experience offering deep cleaning services.

    Raymond Chiu is the owner of a residential and commercial cleaning service that operates in multiple cities.

  2. Pour the baking soda directly out of the box onto the stovetop. Use enough to completely cover the burnt area and any other stains you want to remove. Spread the baking soda flat by hand, so it forms an even layer over the surface.
    • Matuska says, “Ceramic/glass stove tops can be surprisingly delicate, so it’s super easy to accidentally do more harm than good.” [2]
    • Don’t use other abrasive powder cleaners because they could scratch or damage the ceramic. Matuska advises, “Things like scouring pads or even gritty cleaners like the original formula of Bar Keepers Friend can leave micro-scratches that dull the surface over time. If someone insists on using BKF, I always recommend the soft cleanser version and applying it with a non-scratch sponge.” [3]
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  3. Fill a bowl with 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of liquid dish soap and 1 US quart (0.95 L) of warm water. Mix the solution together until it forms suds. Put a microfiber towel that’s large enough to cover the burnt area in the bowl and let it soak until it’s completely saturated. [4]
    • You may need to use multiple towels if you need to cover the entire stovetop.
  4. Pull the towel out of the soapy solution and wring it out loosely to remove some of the water. Unfold the towel and place it flat over the baking soda. Allow the towel to soak the baking soda for at least 15 minutes to help break down the residue. [5]
    • Baking soda breaks down dirt and oil when it reacts with water, so it works great as a natural cleaner.
    • Leave the towel on the stovetop for up to 30 minutes for more difficult stains or residue.
  5. Remove the microfiber towel from your stove, doing your best to leave as much of the baking soda on the surface as you can. Start in the middle of the burnt area with a cloth scrubbing pad, working in circular motions out toward the edges. Apply slight pressure as you scrub to help lift the stains more easily.
    • Use a microfiber cloth or paper towel if you don’t have a scrubbing pad.
    • Avoid using steel wool, since you could leave scratches and damage the ceramic.
  6. Start in the back corner and wipe toward the front of the stove with a single straight motion. Continue working across the surface of the stove, replacing the paper towel whenever it gets too wet or soiled. Clean off any leftover streaks with a dry paper towel. [6]
    • What if the stain is still there? Repeat this entire process with one minor change—mix vinegar with the baking soda to make a thick paste. Leave that on the stain instead of the baking soda alone, and clean it off the same way.
    • Spray glass cleaner on the stove and wipe it off with a paper towel if it still has a cloudy appearance.
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Section 2 of 4:

Removing Burnt Food with a Scraper

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  1. Turn off the stove as soon as you notice something burning, and set any cookware aside on a heat-safe surface. Allow the stove to cool slightly, until it’s warm enough to comfortably work on without feeling too hot. Avoid letting it cool down completely—this allows the stains set in more, which makes them more difficult to remove. [7]
    • If the heat is too warm for you to handle, put on an oven mitt before you start working.
  2. Put the blade of the scraper against the stove so it’s flush with the ceramic. Keep the handle at a 45-degree angle so you don’t scratch the cooktop, advises Matuska. [8] Place the edge of the blade against the stain or burned residue. [9]
    • Warning: Do not use a plastic scraper for this—even if the stovetop is 100% cold. The friction and heat from the plastic scraper can cause it to melt to the ceramic, which will just make the problem worse.
  3. Apply slight pressure to the scraper, and move it over the residue in short forward strokes. Go over the burnt sections multiple times until you can’t lift up any more residue. [10]
    • Always move the scraper’s blade away from your body so you’re less likely to injure yourself.
    • If the blade on the scraper gets dirty, clean it with a paper towel.
    • Warning: Be careful not to apply too much pressure, since you could break or damage the ceramic stovetop.
  4. Clean from the back of the stove toward the front, so the residue is easier to control. Cup your hand underneath the edge of your stove and catch the pieces as they fall down. Replace the paper towel as it gets dirty so you don’t spread the burn marks around. [11]
    • Try wetting the paper towel and wringing it out before wiping the stove to help lift up more of the fine powder residue.
  5. Put a coin-sized amount of the cooktop cleaner directly onto the stove. Use the corner of the scrubbing pad to spread the cleaner in a circular motion over the entire area you just scraped. Continue working the cleaner into the surface until it’s clear. [12]
  6. Leave the cleaner on the surface and avoid using your stove until you’re finished cleaning. Allow the cleaner to sit for about 10–15 minutes, or until it forms a cloudy appearance. [14]
    • The drying time may vary depending on the cleaner you use.
  7. According to Matuska, “Finish with a microfiber cloth and you're golden.” [15] Work across the entire surface in circular motions to help polish the stovetop. Apply light pressure as you work over the burnt areas to lift up any residual stains or discoloration. Wipe off all of the cleaner until the stove has a sparkling, clean appearance. [16]
    • What if there is still food burnt to the stove? Repeat this process but spritz the food with soapy water first. Dish soap should break up any dried oils that are pinning the food residue to the surface.
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Section 3 of 4:

Tackling Tougher Stains with Commercial Cleaners

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  1. Purchase a commercial cleaner designed specifically for ceramic/glass cooktops. Matuska recommends Weiman or Affresh . [17] She goes on to say that there are even some phenomenal organic and natural options on the market if you don’t want anything corrosive! [18]
    • Depending on where you live, commercial cleaners may be called hob cleaners. These are the same thing.
    • When is this appropriate? If you can’t remove the stain with a scraper or natural solutions (like baking soda and vinegar, or dish soap), you probably need the strength of a commercial cleaner.
    • Matuska says to avoid oven cleaners like Easy Off: “[Easy Off is] a big no for ceramic tops. It’s meant for oven interiors and can damage the surface or leave a residue that’s tough to fully remove.” [19]
    • Matuska also recommends avoiding Magic Erasers: “People assume they’re gentle because they feel soft, but they’re actually micro-abrasive. They can leave a hazy finish if used aggressively or too often. I tell folks to use them sparingly and only on cooked-on spots, never for regular maintenance.” [20]
  2. Put on some rubber gloves to protect your hands and spritz the stain you want to clean. You don’t need to soak the stain, but spray enough to cover the entire area you want to clean. [21]
    • Read the label on your cleaner. Some of these products are designed to sit on the stain for a few minutes, while others work right away.
  3. Matuska says to dip a metal scraper in some water and start scraping the stain at a 45-degree angle. [22] Keep scraping away any residue. Once things stop coming up, use a microfiber cloth or a paper towel to scrub any bits that still remain. [23]
    • Reapply the commercial cleaner as needed to keep the area wet.
    • Why does the scraper have to be wet? Matuska says that if you’re scraping anything wet but the instrument you’re scraping with isn’t wet, it increases the risk that you scratch your cooktop. [24]
  4. If you think there still might be a little bit of residue to lift up, use soapy water. If you’re all about cosmetics at this point, just use glass cleaner. Spray a little bit of the chosen solution on the area and wipe it away with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. [25]
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Section 4 of 4:

Tips from Professional Cleaners

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  1. Ceramic stovetops are awesome for a lot of reasons, but they can’t come back from certain types of damage. Matuska explains that for “scratches and discoloration, there's really no coming back from that.” [26] She recommends trying to scrape away whatever residue might be left but says that you probably need to move on if it won’t come up. [27]
    • You can replace your cooktop ! Just contact your stove’s manufacturer and ask for details regarding a potential replacement.
  2. Matuska says, “As long as the blade is wet…and the surface that you're trying to clean is wet, you don't have to worry about it scratching. With the razor blade or scraper, just keep it bent and angled nice and low, and you want to do it nice and slow, so you're not gonna risk getting in there and scratching it or hurting yourself." [28]
  3. For whatever reason, milk tends to stick to glass and ceramic cooktops when it burns. Chiu recommends a scraper and baking soda: “Use a plastic scraper to gently remove any large chunks of milk from the glass cooktop. Use a mixture of baking soda and water to make a paste. Let the paste sit for a few minutes to loosen the burnt milk. Scrub the area gently with a soft cloth or sponge until the burnt milk is removed." [29]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you clean a ceramic sink with natural cleaners?
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    Natural cleaners are actually better at cleaning ceramic than chemical-based cleaners. The easiest way to clean a ceramic sink is to mix some baking soda with water to make a thick paste. Then, scoop the paste around the dirtiest areas in your sink. Use a scrubbing pad or the abrasive side of your sponge to scrub the paste into the ceramic. Wipe the paste away when you're done.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/HjVxtKgy8gI?t=106
      2. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ https://www.centsablemomma.com/how-to-clean-a-ceramic-stove-top/
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/HjVxtKgy8gI?t=147
      6. ↑ https://www.mom4real.com/how-to-clean-your-ceramic-stovetop/
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZhJSIXnZBbo?t=47
      8. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/rn8QhEOi8WU?t=152
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/rn8QhEOi8WU?t=210
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZhJSIXnZBbo?t=67
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZhJSIXnZBbo?t=86
      4. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZhJSIXnZBbo?t=97
      6. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/rn8QhEOi8WU?t=186
      8. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      9. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      10. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      11. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      12. ↑ https://www.whirlpool.ca/content/dam/global/documents/201605/owners-manual-W10841336-RevB.pdf
      13. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      14. ↑ https://www.whirlpool.ca/content/dam/global/documents/201605/owners-manual-W10841336-RevB.pdf
      15. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      16. ↑ https://www.whirlpool.ca/content/dam/global/documents/201605/owners-manual-W10841336-RevB.pdf
      17. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      18. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      19. ↑ Ashley Matuska. Professional Cleaner. Expert Interview
      20. ↑ Raymond Chiu. House Cleaning Professional. Expert Interview
      21. ↑ https://youtu.be/rn8QhEOi8WU?t=314
      22. ↑ https://youtu.be/rn8QhEOi8WU?t=357

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