Those glass or ceramic top stoves can be pretty and sleek looking.

And bears to clean.

Marketed as “easy to clean”, it’s obvious that whoever chose this marketing ploy didn’t ever have to clean one him or herself. That’s okay. We can help.

Rule Number One

Don’t let that food stick. If at all possible, wipe up any spills immediately. Smooth top cooking surfaces are tough enough to clean without letting the food sit there to burn on and complicate matters. Some foods can actually cause damage to the top like pitting and cracking. Sometimes, you simply can’t wait until the surface cools down. Any foods that have a sugar base can not only cause a stubborn residue but can also cause the cooktop to break. Unfortunately, shattered cooktops are rarely covered under the manufacturer’s warranty so it’s best to deal with any spills pronto.

The Right Cleaner

While there are numerous products on the market for cleaning your smooth cooktop, the right cleaner can be as close as your pantry. Lemon juice, white vinegar, or baking soda can work just as well as those high-priced cleaning products and maintain a fresh and natural kitchen clean up. Baking soda can be sprinkled directly onto a cooled cooktop surface and then wiped off with a wet cloth. Lemon juice or vinegar can be added to some warm water and sprayed on the surface, then wiped off with a clean cloth. Rinse and repeat. If you go for the commercial cleaners, they are all about the same when it comes to proper use. Spread a thin layer of the cleaner on the surface, allow it to sit for a couple minutes until it looks chalky, then use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the residue off. Repeat as necessary. Most of these cleaners are creamy in consistency and won’t harm your cooktop surface. NEVER use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads!

To Scrape or Not To Scrape?

Your smooth cooktop was an expensive appliance. And you would hate to damage it. There are some proponents of using a straight razor to scrape any tough, cooked on food from the surface. But this should only be done carefully. Any slip of that razor can not only be dangerous to human hands but also to a surface that is easily scratched. Manufacturers recommend commercial scrapers for scraping hard food from a cooktop surface. Granted, these aren’t quite as sharp as the trusty razor, but they are safer for both humans and cooktop surfaces.

Easy Peasy

Smooth top cooking surfaces can be a bit labor intensive to keep clean, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really pretty easy. The key is to keep up with cleaning it immediately and properly. Then it can gleam like the day you bought it!

Too Late?

Perhaps it’s simply too late for your cooktop. It’s stained and pitted. Or worse, broken. It’s time to call for professional appliance repair in San Diego county. San Diego Appliance Repair Service is here to help with professional and experienced appliance repairs to get your smooth cooktop looking new once again. Contact us:

(619) 719-5005

[email protected]