How To Clean a Glass Stovetop

You already know that the key to keeping your glass stovetop — or anything, really — looking like new is to clean it on a regular basis. But if you’re here, chances are that you’re looking at a stovetop with scorch marks and burnt food that doesn’t want to come off. And that’s okay! It’s easier than you think to get it back to its original gleaming condition — zero elbow grease required.

Before we get into how you should clean your glass stovetop, there are a few things you definitely shouldn’t do.

1. Do not clean your glass stovetop with steel pads, scrubby sponges, or other abrasive cleaners, as they may permanently scratch the surface.
2. You also don’t want to clean the stovetop while it’s hot. It’s tempting to clean things before they harden, but cleaning agents can burn quickly and damage the glass.
3. Finally, don’t use glass cleaner! It’s too strong for your stovetop and, again, can damage the glass.

Alright, you’ve been warned. Now here’s the RIGHT way to get the job done.

• Microfiber cloths
• Dish towels
• White vinegar

1. Wipe down the stovetop with a dry microfiber cloth: Making sure the stovetop is completely cooled, wipe it down with a dry microfiber cloth to remove any stray crumbs.
2. Sprinkle the stovetop with baking soda: Sprinkle baking soda over the stovetop. Be generous, but don’t dump the whole box on there.
3. Spray the stovetop with vinegar: If you’re a regular clean-with-vinegar person, you probably have white vinegar in a spray bottle at the ready! If you do, go ahead and spray away. If not, just put your thumb over the top of the bottle and carefully shake some onto your stovetop. Either way, the combination should start foaming.
4. Cover the stovetop with a damp, soapy dish towel: Cover the stovetop with a damp, soapy dish towel and let it hang out there for about 15 minutes. You can set your timer if you want, but you can’t over-cook it, so don’t worry!
5. Wipe the stovetop with the dish towel: Use the dish towel to wipe everything up, getting the stovetop as clean as possible.
6. Spray the stovetop with vinegar and wipe with a microfiber cloth: For a final clean, spray the stovetop with more vinegar and use a microfiber cloth to wipe it down and buff to a sparkling shine.

• If there are dried gunky bits that don’t come off the first time around, repeat the process again.
• If the food residue is still stuck, use a razor scraper or bench scraper to carefully pry it off.