How to clean a glass electric stovetop the right way

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 distribute heat properly. Learn how to care for your stovetop in these three common situations.

Cleaning after use
Deep cleaning
Burnt-on spills

A cooking pot of pasta sauce on a glass stovetop

Wiping your glass cooktop after use

Cleaning up your cooktop every time you use it can help keep it looking great and operating as intended. Adding this simple and gentle process to your daily kitchen cleaning routine can help make kitchen maintenance easy.

Time needed: about 2–5 minutes

What you’ll need:

A damp cloth, paper towels or sponge
A spray bottle of white vinegar (optional)

Step 1: Allow to cool
Allow your cooktop to cool completely. If there are some light marks or spills on the cooktop, you may spray it with white vinegar.

Step 2: Wipe stovetop
Use a damp paper towel, cloth or sponge to wipe the stovetop clean. Dry thoroughly with a soft, clean cloth to avoid streaking and staining.

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.

A hand wiping spilled tomato sauce off a glass cooktop with a sponge

How to deep clean a glass cooktop

In addition to daily cleanings, using a cooktop cleaner on a regular biweekly or monthly schedule can help take care of hard-to-remove soils and protect your cooktop from damage.

Time needed: about 15–30 minutes excluding dry time

What you’ll need: An affresh^® Cooktop Cleaning Kit

Cooktop scraper
Cooktop cleaner
Non-abrasive cleaning pad
Soft, dry cloth

Step 1: Allow to cool and scrape
While the cooktop is still warm, use a cooktop scraper at a 45 degree angle to remove any food residue. It is recommended to wear an oven mitt while scraping the cooktop.

Step 2: Clean glass surface with cooktop cleaner
Shake the non-abrasive cooktop cleaner and apply in dime-sized amounts directly to the cooktop. 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.

Step 3: Clean stainless steel surfaces
We recommend affresh^® Stainless Steel Brightener, rubbed in the direction of the grain to 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.

Step 4: Wash 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 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.

A clean stovetop with a dishcloth on the counter next to it

Cleaning up burnt-on spills from a glass top stove

Intimidated by how to clean a flat top stove after a spill? A cooktop scraper is key to a pain-free cleanup. 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.

Time needed: about 15–30 minutes excluding dry time

What you’ll need: An affresh^® Cooktop Cleaning Kit

Cooktop scraper
Cooktop cleaner
Non-abrasive cleaning pad
Soft, dry cloth

Step 1: Let cool down
Allow the cooktop to cool down slightly. You’ll need to clean while the cooktop is still warm, but not hot.

Step 2: Scrape spill
While wearing oven mitts, hold your cooktop scraper at an angle and remove the burnt-on food. To help avoid scratches, make sure not to use the corner of the scraper.

Step 3: Use cooktop cleaner
Shake the non-abrasive cooktop cleaner and apply in dime-sized amounts directly to the cooktop. 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.

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