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Glass electric cooktop between a white countertop and blue cabinetry

How to clean a glass electric stovetop in 5 easy steps

Wondering how to clean your glass electric stovetop or cooktop? It’s important to use the right cleaners and tools to get all the benefits of cleaning, like keeping the surface stain-free and even helping to distribute heat properly across the stovetop. Follow these steps to learn how to clean an electric stovetop, like these electric cooktops from Whirlpool, and refer to your stovetop’s use and care guide for more details.

Got a gas range or cooktop? Follow our guide to cleaning gas stove grates and burners for great results.

A cooking pot of pasta sauce on a glass stovetop

How to clean a glass electric stovetop instructions

Using a cooktop cleaner on a regular biweekly or monthly schedule can help take care of hard-to-remove soils and help protect your cooktop from damage. You can clean your cooktop in a few easy steps, including clearing off stuck-on foods, cleaning off the glass surface, wiping down stainless steel components and cleaning stovetop knobs.

Gather the supplies and tools listed below, then walk through the five steps below that teach you how to clean a glass stovetop.

Supplies

Cooktop cleaner
A spray bottle of white vinegar (optional)
Baking soda (optional)

Tools

An affresh^® Cooktop Cleaning Kit*, or
Cooktop scraper
Non-abrasive cleaning pad
A soft, dry cloth

Time needed

You can expect to take about 15-30 minutes to clean your cooktop before allowing it to dry.

Glass electric stovetop element coils heating up

Step 1: Allow glass electric stovetop to cool

Allow your stovetop to cool until it’s only slightly warm. If there are some light marks or spills on the stovetop, you can spray it with white vinegar to soak as it cools.

Person scraping burnt-on spills off of stovetop burner

Step 2: Scrape off food residue

While the cooktop is still warm, use a cooktop scraper at a 45 degree angle to remove any food residue. It’s recommended to wear an oven mitt while scraping the cooktop, and don’t substitute the cooktop scraper for tools like steel wool that would scratch the cooktop.

Person dripping white stovetop cleaner on electric cooktop burner

Step 3: Clean glass surface with cooktop cleaner

Add non-abrasive cooktop cleaner directly to the cooktop, and be sure to always follow the label instructions on your cleaning products. Avoiding any stainless steel, rub with a non-abrasive cleaning pad and let the cleaner dry to a white haze. Next, buff with a soft, dry cloth until the white film is no longer visible.

If using affresh^® Cooktop Cleaner, apply several dime-sized drops to affected areas and rub the cleaner with a cleaning pad as you apply pressure to stubborn stains.

Person wiping oven’s stainless steel perimeter with green rag and cleaner

Step 4: Clean stainless steel surfaces

We recommend affresh^® Stainless Steel Brightener to clean stainless steel appliances, rubbed in the direction of the grain to help avoid damage. If you don’t have any on hand, you can dip a non-abrasive sponge into liquid dish soap diluted in water and scrub the stainless. If you use this method, rinse with clean water and dry with a soft, clean cloth. Do not use soap-filled scouring pads, abrasive cleaners, cooktop cleaner, steel wool pads, gritty washcloths or abrasive paper towels. When done, you can clean the sponge in the microwave.

Shop affresh^® Stainless Steel Cleaners

Close-up of stainless steel electric stovetop knob

Step 5: Wash glass electric stovetop knobs

Pull each cooktop knob directly away from the control panel to remove, then wash them in your sink with water and dish soap. To help avoid damage, do not soak the knobs or remove the seals underneath. Dry and replace.

Cleaning tip:

If you don’t have a special cooktop cleaning kit on hand, you can try scraping with a plastic scraper, spraying your cooktop with white vinegar and scrubbing with a non-abrasive cleaning pad.

Person using white towel to clean glass electric stovetop

How do you care for a glass stovetop after each use?

Cleaning up your cooktop every time you use it can help keep it looking great and operating as intended. Keep messes under control by wiping down the stovetop daily with warm water and a small amount of dish soap. Adding this simple and gentle process to your daily kitchen cleaning routine can help make kitchen maintenance easy.

Care tip:

Did you know that starting with a clean, dry pan is important to help keep your cooktop stain-free? Residue and water left on pots and pans can leave deposits when heated. If you already see deposits, clean your stove using a cooktop cleaner. The marks may not totally disappear, but can become less noticeable over time.

Person using blue towel to apply cleaner to glass electric stovetop burner

How do you clean burnt-on spills from a glass electric stovetop?

Intimidated by how to clean a flat top stove after a spill? Knowing how to get burn marks off of an electric stovetop is a skill that may come in handy often. A cooktop scraper is key to an easy cleanup. Tackle the spill by mixing a half-cup of baking soda and three to four tablespoons of water until it forms a paste, then apply the paste to the spill and scrape with a cooktop scraper. You can substitute cooktop cleaner in place of the paste.

Note that it’s important to clean sugary spills (like jelly, candy or syrup) right away. If sugary spills are allowed to cool, they can stick to the cooktop, causing permanent marks.

Care tip:

Looking for a low-maintenance electric cooktop? Induction cooktops heat up and cool down quickly, letting you clean up an induction cooktop very fast. Learn more about how induction cooking works to see if it’s right for you.

Can you clean a glass stovetop with baking soda?

Baking soda is a powerful cleaning agent that can help dissolve messes like grease, dirt and other stuck-on grime. Get rid of the toughest stains and spills by combining a half-cup of baking soda with three to four tablespoons of water. Apply the baking soda paste to your stovetop and let it sit for twenty minutes, then use a non-abrasive cleaning pad to wipe away the paste.

Shop Whirlpool^® Electric Stovetops

Electric stovetops from Whirlpool come equipped with an easy-to-clean glass surface and the right features for cooking your family’s favorites. Select Whirlpool^® Electric Stovetops can adapt to the way you cook with features like FlexHeat^™ Dual and Triple Radiant Elements that offer two or three elements in one.