Cleaning a Glass Cooktop Range

A glass cooktop range takes an old idea and modernizes it. Not only is it a sleeker, more aesthetically pleasing stovetop alternative, its flat surface makes cleaning far easier than with a traditional range. No more do you have to remove the grills and the burners and clean the indented area. There are no grills or burners to remove. With it all in one surface, cleaning is a breeze. There are a few things to remember, but in just a few steps your glass cooktop range will be as clean as it was new.

Step 1: Wipe Down the Range

After a particularly messy cooking session, your glass cooktop may be quite filthy. The first step to cleaning is getting the big mess. With a hefty sponge, wipe down the glass cooktop, cleaning up all loose pieces of debris and anything that is not hardened onto the surface.

Step 2: Get the Hard Stuff

Some suggest using a razor blade. Others might recommend a scrub pad. Whichever method you choose to remove the hardened crud from the glass range, you do not want to scratch the surface. Steel wool is not advisable. A razor blade, when used right, will remove anything that is caked onto the surface. Food residue bakes itself on when you are cooking, so you will need a strong touch–although not too strong. Again, take care not to scratch the glass surface.

Step 3: Use a Glass Cleaner

With a liquid cleaner found at grocery stores, appliance stores or elsewhere, apply a layer onto the range. Take either a clean sponge or a handful of paper towels and work the cleaner over the entire surface of the range. Only do this after all the loose and hardened food debris has been removed. Think of it like polish. You really don’t need a lot of liquid cleaner. One bottle should last you several months of range cleaning.

Step 4: Wipe down range again

Like step 1 you are wiping the range down, but this time it’s not to remove spaghetti sauce or split pea soup residue. After you use the glass cleaner, take a clean paper towel and give the glass range a once over, mopping up any excess cleaner and wiping away any streaks left behind.

Cleaning a glass cooktop range is a routine part of kitchen maintenance. They are easier to use and more efficient than older ranges with burners and grills, but like their more ancient counterpart, they require regular cleaning. It is a good idea to get in the habit of wiping down the range after every use. Boiling water bubbles over, ladles are set down on the surface, and just about a million other things can make their way onto a glass range. For these reasons, a simple wipe down with a sponge after you cook something will keep you from having to do the full cleaning more often than you would like.