The Scratch-Free Method To Clean Your Glass Stovetop

Gone are the days of elbow greasing old-fashioned stovetops with steel wool and harsh chemicals. Your glass stovetop requires a gentler approach, one that will leave the surface shiny and scratch-free. There's nothing worse than accidentally scratching that beautiful stovetop with the wrong products — and once it's scratched, there's rarely a way back. The easiest method to clean any glass stovetop in a safe way is to use non-abrasive sponges along with cleaners specifically made for the task at hand.

Steel wool and brushes don't belong on your glass cooktop, no matter how covered in burnt debris it is. You should be using a soft sponge or a Swedish dishcloth for the wet part of the cleaning, and a microfiber cloth for the dry part. The cloths work well with different cleaning solutions while staying gentle on the glass surface. Should you need to do a bit more scrubbing, professional cleaners recommend using a Scour Daddy pad, which is slightly stronger but still non-scratch.

The non-abrasive feature is important in your choice of cleaners as well as sponges. Most cleaning pastes (that admittedly work great on other surfaces) are abrasive and will scratch your glass, especially if you pair them with rough scrubbing. The best cleaner is always one specifically made for a glass stovetop — just don't mistake it with a regular glass cleaner that you'd use on windows. These products are not the same thing, and the glass cleaner can actually damage your stovetop.

The easiest way to keep your glass stovetop clean and scratch-free is by giving it a quick wipe after each use, once it cools down — cleaning while the stovetop is hot is a major cleaning mistake. The longer you allow bits of food to stay on the surface, the more burnt they will get, and therefore harder to clean. After you finish cooking, remove all food crumbs from the stovetop, then spray the surface with the cleaner and wipe it with a microfiber cloth — an easy daily routine that goes a long way.

But sometimes our stove just needs a deeper clean. In that case, when you spray the cleaning solution on the surface, let it sit for a few minutes to properly degrease the burnt food. Then you can use a razor scraper to get rid of the grime. The scraper always needs to be wet, sharp, and used at an angle! Be gentle and don't douse the surface in too much liquid, as that can create stains. When you're done, always wipe the stove until it's completely dry.

If you're in need of product recommendations, the Weiman Cooktop Cleaner Kit is marked as Amazon's Choice. You can also make a DIY cleaning solution. White vinegar is well-known as an all-purpose hack for a cleaner kitchen — simply mix it with water in a spray bottle (equal parts of each), and you've got yourself a homemade glass cleaner that doesn't leave streaks.