Electric stovetops feel like magic to some people who have been used to gas methods of heating their food in the past. No flame and no gas can feel very unusual to start with, but one of the benefits is that it is much easier to clean this sort of stovetop, and you don’t have to worry about the residue that a flame can leave behind, either. In this guide, we’re looking into how to clean electric stovetops.
When you install kitchen cabinets, stovetops, and other surfaces in your own kitchen, you want them to be as convenient as possible. The idea of spending longer cleaning than you actually spend cooking is enough to put anyone off messier methods of cooking and food preparation. Luckily, there are some really simple methods that can make all the difference, and even some kitchen “hacks” to ensure that you don’t have to worry about endless scrubbing.
Cleaning Basics
Before we go into some very useful methods, it is important that we go back over some of the kitchen cleaning basics.
For starters, the reasons why it is so important to get cleaning right when it comes to any food preparation area. Any surface or area that comes into contact with your food is vitally important to keep very clean. This is about your health, and not just keeping it looking good. If raw food has spilled and got onto those surfaces, it can burn on, and cause bacterial growth over time. If this then gets on your hands or on other food that you then consume, you can get seriously ill.
It’s a good idea to follow the instructions that come with any cleaning product. Our guide can be really helpful when it comes to choosing the right methods of cleaning, but some specific cleaning products have their own instructions that must be followed based on the chemical ingredients they contain.
We recommend deep cleaning on a regular basis, but at the very least, a stovetop should get a wipe down with something antibacterial after each use.
Though it may seem obvious, it is also worth discussing the need for extreme caution, here. You must make sure that the stovetop is off, and is not running hot at any point. Even after use, some electric stovetops can stay dangerously hot for a while. Some will have a sensor that will tell you that it is too hot to clean, so you need to wait until you can be confident that it has cooled down before you attempt any cleaning.
Cleaning the Dirty Glass Electric Stovetop
Glass stoves that get hot enough to cook any food! 30 years ago it might have felt like something from a science fiction film, but now so many of us have these glass surfaces that can allow us to cook and enjoy food. So, how do you clean a dirty glass electric stovetop? You’ll probably know from use that there are many ways in which they can get dirty, with oil and residue being left on, or dirt getting baked and burned on over time.
Warm Soapy Water
The classic method! You can use warm soapy water to clean off the stove. Make sure that it is cool before you get started, and using hot soapy water you can scrub down the surface. This is great as it will dislodge the majority of grime, and anything that isn’t totally cooked on should then come off.
When you’ve finished with the water, and confident you’ve managed to clean off all of the debris and unwanted grease, you can use a towel to wipe it down once more, drying in the process. Make sure the towel is soft and not abrasive. Something like a microfiber towel is a good option.
Use a specific glass cooktop cleaner to then scrub over the top. This will give you a nicer finish, protect the surface, and take off any leftover grease. You can buy a specific glass cleaner for this.
Finally, go over with another cloth or even a paper towel and use an action like waxing or polishing. This is an attempt to get the stove to shine once more!
Using a Scraper
If you want to, you can also use a scraper to get even better results if there are burned-on stains. Old pieces of food that have become burned to the glass can be really difficult to get off with just water, so it is much easier to use a scraper. Some people will also use a razor for this, but make sure you are very confident doing so before you get started, otherwise you might end up scratching the surface.
If you use a scraper, like an ice scraper, you should do so after the hot soapy water, which might have dislodged some of the food.
How to Clean Electric Stove Drip Pans
If you don’t have a fully glass surface, there is a chance that you still have a drip pan underneath an electrical ring that warms up in order to heat your food. These drip pans can be a bit of a pain to clean.
Soak and Scrub
Put your drip pans in a sink which has very hot water within, and soak in the water for around 10-15 minutes, before adding some distilled white vinegar. Let the drip pans soak for another 20-30 minutes.
After they’ve soaked, add some baking soda, which can be used to try and rub on the crust that might have developed, and loosen up the stains.
Now, rinse them again under a hot faucet, and keep applying baking soda, you should find that the stains start to flake away. Finally, you can dry with a towel or even a paper towel.
Leave Them In Ammonia
This is something of a “hack” method that does a superb job on stove drip pans that have taken some punishment and have some cooked-in stains and charred surfaces.
You can place the pans in plastic bags, such as Ziploc bags. Just make sure it has a good quality seal. Next, you can put some ammonia in the bottom of the bag. Because you’re using the fumes rather than soaking the pans, you don’t have to fill them all the way.
Leave the pans (and rings if you want) inside the bag for at least 12 hours. If you can leave them for longer then it is a good idea to do so.
After this, you can rub and rinse them down to remove any remaining crust and stains. It’s a good idea to do this type of cleaning periodically to give a more thorough end result.
Natural Stove Cleaners
There are some simple and natural recipes for stove cleaners that you can use. You don’t have to use products with a lot of nasty chemicals in them to get good results, and some of the naturally-made stove cleaners are just as effective, and far better for putting on your surfaces.
Stove cleaner recipe for baked-on stains:
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup liquid dish soap
These are items you might already have around the home. You can use them to effectively bring out some of the stains that have become a hassle on your stovetops. If you want to add even more of an antibacterial cleaning property to the mixture, use some distilled vinegar in the mix. It won’t smell as nice, but this can tackle the bacteria that might be sitting on the surfaces.
Daily Cleaning Tips
Following a few daily cleaning tips can also help you to make sure you don’t end up with dirty stovetops that you simply can’t scrub clean.
- Be careful when adding food to pans. It’s easy to spill some grease over the side, but this can be stubborn and hard to lift off.
- Try to avoid splattering by putting a lid on your pans where you can.
- Wipe down the stovetop after each use, but only when it is cool enough to do so. An antibacterial wipe or some soap and water will give a good enough option for this.
- Don’t let your stovetop fall into disrepair or neglect. It’s easy to forget or keep putting off this type of cleaning. It’s nobody’s idea of fun. However, it’s a good idea to remind yourself to clean every single day ( if it has been used) as this will lead to a far cleaner stovetop for the long term.
Everyone has their own methods when it comes to cleaning stovetops. The important thing is that you know what works for your own home, and that you are able to remove any potentially harmful bacteria from the stove. If not, you run the risk of making yourself ill rather than just having to worry about the kitchen not looking clean. Daily cleaning seems like a chore, but it doesn’t take long to keep the stove shining.
Very informational guide. I normally used to hire a professional cleaning company to clean electrical devices, as they take extra care and i feel comfortable when professionals do their work.