While glass stovetops have made cooking easier than ever, they do tend to get as dirty as any other type of stovetop. And not only are they a victim of oil and grime but also scratches since they are made from glass. Many of us sometimes also aggravate the situation using abrasive cleaners and sponges. However, there is an easier way to clean them without harming the stovetop!
The baking soda treatment
- Making soap-water solution
Create a foamy, soap solution using a few drops of dish soap and hot water. This is what you will be soaking your microfiber cloth into (for the next step). A chemical reaction will take place between the soap and oil which will help in the breakdown of the grease. Thus, the cleaning process will become much simpler. The hot water, on the other hand, will simply be a catalyst.
You can also substitute the soap-water solution with a vinegar-water solution. All you have to do is combine the two in equal parts and utilize it instead.
- Soaking the towel
As we mentioned earlier, we will be soaking a microfiber cloth/towel in the soap/vinegar and water solution. Microfiber cloths are extremely nonabrasive which means there are no risks of scratches to the stove. Hence, we will be using them.
In order to cover a whole stove, a single towel may not be enough. So, unless yours is huge in size, soak two of them. Also, make sure they get enough time to soak up the soapy liquid so that they can work properly.
- Baking soda
This is where baking soda comes into play. While your microfiber cloths soak, heavily sprinkle some baking soda over the glass stovetop. You can concentrate solely on the areas of concern (stuck-on food, grease etc.). On the other hand, you can cover the whole stovetop so you can clean the entire thing.
- Taking the towel out
Take your soaking wet towel out of the soapy liquid and give a squeeze to drain the extra liquid. This towel will be placed over the baking soda sprinkled stovetop.
Our only purpose is to dampen the soda which will activate it. So, be careful that the towel is not overly wet which will only create a watery mess.
- Setting the towel on the stovetop
Place the wet towel/towels over the stovetop, covering all areas layered with the soda. The soda needs to set itself upon the areas of concern and the towels will stop them from drying up.
Let them rest like that for 15-30 minutes which should be enough time to get the job done. The stuck-on food or grime will loosen up during this period, which will make it easier to remove them later.
- Scrubbing
When the waiting period is over, take hold of the same towel and start scrubbing. Use circular motions which will help to get rid of most of the debris and grime. Any remnants should also come off with the soda working as a mild scrub.
- Clean-up
You may want to follow this step just to clean up any remaining water or baking soda. Or, it may happen that some stubborn food or dirt is still stuck to the stovetop. A final rub with a dry, clean microfiber cloth will simply get rid of both these without much effort.
- Using razor blade
This step is only for those who were unsuccessful in getting rid of the very stubborn food particles. Using a razor blade (with a handle) you will be able to loosen up any more debris. However, do not just go ahead and start poking and prodding. Place the blade against the debris and lightly push the blade frontward. The blade should slip underneath the debris with the right amount of pressure. After a few more tries, the food should come right off. Rub the area clean with a towel later on.
