Monday, October 21, 2013

Messy Monday: How To Clean a Glass Cooktop

When our old electric stove quit working, we bought one with a glass cooktop from a friend who was moving. I was excited thinking about how easy it would be to keep clean. Yea, not so much. I didn't know it needed a special cleaner on it for the first couple of weeks, so the burner I use the most has a perma-ring. Although it could have something to do with the amount of boil overs I make too (the latest was a beer & brown sugar mix - that was not fun). But I really do hate the store bought cleaners. Especially since my kids always love to see what I'm doing anytime I'm near the stove. They see nothing is cooking so they get closer for a better look, which means that someone usually ends up with yucky dirty cleaner mess on them.

The dark line across the back is just the shadow from my microwave.

You can see the difference! And my perma-ring looks much better. Maybe if I could quit making a mess from the boil overs (which are the worst), I might be able to finally ditch the perma-ring. Maybe. 

•baking soda
•2 dish towels
•dish soap
•vinegar
•elbow grease

- Start by generously sprinkling the baking soda all over your cooktop.
- Take the dish towels, one at a time, & run them under hot water with a bit of dish soap. Lay them out on the cooktop, covering the entire surface.
- Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove dish towels & carefully pour a bit of vinegar on top of the baking soda, mostly concentrating on the areas that need it most. 
- When the fizz starts to slow down, use that elbow grease & your towels & start scrubbing in a circular motion. (I'm not sure why, that's just what I've always heard.) If the stain is stubborn, use a sponge with a non-abrasive scrubber on one side. 
- Thoroughly rinse out one of the dish towels & use it to wipe up your baking soda mess. 
- Let your cooktop dry & notice the difference. 
- Optional: Proceed to where you keep your store bought cooktop cleaner, grab it & throw it in the trash.

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