Glass cooktops are becoming increasingly popular. What I love about mine is that it’s more aesthetically pleasing to look at, and I don’t have to lift up the coils to clean out any spilled food and crumbs from underneath. My one and only complaint with it, is that cleaning that smooth surface is not as easy as I would like it to be. I’ve done some digging around to find some great solutions to getting a clean and shiny cooktop.
I am all about being healthy, from the foods that I eat, to the products I use in my home on a daily basis. I currrently own a cleaner dedicated to cleaning glass cooktops, but I also wanted to see if there was something natural I could try from things that I already had in the house.
Standard cleaners
Currently I use the Weiman brand cleaner for my cooktop and it works well but with a lot of muscle power. You really have to put your back into it to get all the marks off, but it does work. Somehow I missed out on the cleaning accessories you can get like in this Weimer Cook Top Cleaner Kit. I’m sure having the scraper and scrub pad would come in handy. I find it easy to wipe down my cooktop after each use but after awhile I find there’s a ring mark from my pots and pans and it gets almost a greyish tone to some areas.
After doing a little research it seems to be most recommended to clean up any spills immediately and clean the cook top after each use. If you leave any spills they will just bake on even more the next time you turn on the cook top. Weiman also has some Quick Wipes, great for giving your cooktop a brilliant shine as well as other surfaces in your kitchen.
Cleaner alternatives
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear the words baking soda here, since baking soda seems to be a household product that can do almost anything.
One of the most popular ways to clean your cooktop that I read about was to soak a towel or rag with hot soapy water and lay it out over your cooktop that has been sprinkled generously with baking soda. Wait for 15 minutes then wipe the surface clean. I think because baking soda has a fine grain to it it helps scrub off any cooked on food as well. I did test it out and it worked well, but you do have to give it a few wipes after to get all the baking soda off or you’ll end up with some white streaks.
Another popular way was using lemon juice. I know I love cleaning my microwave with lemons, they get the job done and get rid or any lingering nasty smells. You can make a hot water/lemon solution but I find it easiest to just squeeze fresh lemons directly on the surface and give a good scrub with hot water.
While I love the look of my flat cooktop and not having to mess around with those pesky rings, cleaning it can be a chore. I think the most important lesson I have learnt is to wipe it down frequently to lessen the amount of hard core scrubbing needed.
Lemon image @ bestherbalhealth.com
