If there’s one thing I am obsessive about when it comes to cleaning, it’s making sure my stovetop is spotless. I’ve tried all sorts of cleaning products, and through much trial and error, I’ve found the perfect routine to keep my stovetop shining.
Your stove is one of the most important appliances in your kitchen. If you’re like most, it’s what you use to cook at least some of the food you eat each day. That also means your stovetop is probably subject to some pretty gnarly messes. Between splatters, burned-on food and other spills, it’s important to keep your stovetop clean so your stove can be as nice as possible for as long as possible.
However, the demands of gas cooktops are very different from those of an induction or glass cooktop, so your cleaning regimen will vary depending on what kind of stovetop you have.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about cleaning your gas, induction or glass cooktop. For more, here’s how to clean your enameled cookware and the best smart ovens of 2024.
How to clean a gas cooktop
First, make sure that all of the gas knobs are turned off and that the grates and burners are cool to the touch. Then you’ll want to remove the grates that cover the burners. Depending on your stove, these could be dishwasher safe, but I recommend playing it safe and handwashing the grates in your sink with warm water and a gentle dish soap.
If your gas stovetop has caps over the burners, remove the caps and wash them in warm water with gentle dish soap like you did with the grates. Now that your stove is exposed, you’re ready to start cleaning that too.
Gently remove any stuck-on food from the ignition of the burners using a sponge, then scrub your stovetop with warm, soapy water or your cleaner of choice. While scrubbing, take care to be very gentle with the burners.
After that, clean the burner knobs with the same soapy water or cleaner and then wipe down the digital control panel. If you can see any soapy residue, go over it again with a clean, damp sponge.
Be sure to let all of the caps and grates dry fully before reassembling and using your stovetop.
How to clean an induction or glass cooktop
Cleaning an induction or glass cooktop is a bit simpler than cleaning a gas stovetop. The process for cleaning these boils down to using gentle cleaners and gentle tools to remove stuck-on food.
The most important thing you can do to keep your induction or glass cooktop clean is to wipe up messes ASAP. If something splatters while you’re cooking, or if the pot you are cooking with boils over, take a second to wipe up the spill right away — just make sure to turn the burner off first. Be careful not to burn yourself, and if you cannot safely reach a spill, let it wait until after you are done cooking.
After you’re finished cooking and your burners have cooled down, use your stovetop cleaner of choice to wipe off any spills and splatters. Don’t use any abrasive cleaners or tools when wiping down your glass or induction stovetop, as doing so could create gouges. Once you’re done wiping down the stovetop, dry it with a paper towel or dish towel to prevent streaking.
If you want to go an extra step, you could use a bit of stove polish, which is specifically formulated to be gentle enough not to gouge your stovetop (I use this one). Just be sure that you don’t press too hard when you use the polish.
If there’s no food stuck to your stovetop and no stains left over, your cleaning project is over. If you do see something, it’s pretty easy to take care of. You can use a scraper to remove stubborn, stuck-on food; just be careful not to gouge your glass stovetop with it.
Hard-water stains can also appear on your induction or glass cooktop. These can be taken care of with a bit of distilled white vinegar on a cleaning cloth or paper towel. Dab and rub at the stain until it comes up.
For more, here’s how to really clean your Keurig and 14 cleaning products that will get you excited about cleaning.
