Staff Writer
April 20, 2020

How to clean an electric stove top

Raise your hand if you enjoy cleaning your stove? No… to be honest, I am not a big fan of cleaning my stove top either, but I have learned consistency makes it easier.

When I consistently clean my stove top, it is so much easier, takes less time and is overall less of a headache.

In the following paragraphs, you will find approachable ways to keep your stove top clean and maintain it as well as some tricks for making clean-up so much easier!

I have included ways to clean your stove top with things you have around the house as well as some great store-bought cleaners.

Learn More About Electric Cooktops:

Induction Cooktop Advantages and Disadvantages That Could Change Your Mind

Types of Electric Stove Tops

First things first, you need to identify the type of electric stove top you have. Then, you can jump into cleaning it.

I’ve described the three major types of electric stove tops and then given step-by-step instructions to cleaning them.

Coil

These are the tried and true, sturdy and dependable stove tops, but they are also the most work to clean since they have the most parts.

Make sure the oven is off and coils are cool.
Remove your coils. Every stove is different, so make sure you check out your owner’s manual on how to remove the coils from your stove.
Clean the coils! You can clean the coils using soap and water or even a magic eraser for tough spots but avoid getting the electrical connector wet. Set these aside to dry.
Now that the coils are out of the way, you can clean the drip pans.
Remove the drip pans from the stove. It is so much easier to clean the drip pans in the sink versus leaving them in the stove. This also allows you to clean underneath the drip pans and get any crumbs that may have fallen below.
Use soap and warm water to scrub them clean. I’ve included a section on tips for harder-to-remove stains and buildup below so no fear if you have some spots that are not wanting to budge.
Make sure everything is dry, replace your drip pans, put your coils back on your stove and you’re good to go.

Ceramic

If you have a ceramic-glass stove top, it means it is completely flat. This is one of the easier types of stove tops to clean because there are no crevices or pieces to move. You may have already guessed this but these stove tops are a combination of glass and ceramic, so when someone says they have a ceramic stove top or glass stove top just know it’s actually the same thing.

Remove everything from your stove top and make sure it has cooled.
Wipe it down with soap and water.
If you still have debris left, you can use a cleaner made specifically for stove tops. The Weiman Cooktop Cleaner Kit even comes with a scraper and a pad to help you remove burnt-on food.

When you’re done scrubbing, whether with just soap and water or with the cleaner, dry your stove top with a dish towel or paper towel.

Induction

These are similar to ceramic in that they are also flat-topped. They function differently, but you clean them the same. Induction cooktops heat more efficiently and the actual cooktops remain cooler during the cooking process.

Scrub, scrub, repeat, and done.

Keeping Your Stove Top Clean

One of the easiest ways to clean your electric stove top, is by avoiding big spills and messes. Obviously, this is always the goal and cooking is just a messy business, but there are a few options out there that can help keep your stove top cleaner and minimize the work afterwards.

Cooktop mats – DISCLAIMER: Cooktop mats are only for induction stove tops. Having that out of the way, these liners are a major time saver. They are easy to clean and should save your stove top from extra mess.
Drip pan liners – Drip pan liners are such a time saver for those of you with coil stove tops. Using an aluminum foil liner on your drip pan will make cleaning up so much easier, and they last for multiple uses. Just replace them when they start to get stained or have any food build-up. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can even try making your own.
Silicone counter gap cover – We’ve all spilled something on our stove top that also ran down the gap between our cooking surface and counter top. This silicone gap cover will prevent that nasty mess from easily finding its way to the down the sides of your stove and to the floor.

At Home Solutions

There are some great cleaners available for your stove top, but there are also several things you can find around the house to clean your stove top.

Vinegar – Vinegar is a great cleaner and something most people have around the house. I like to mix a solution of half water, half vinegar and a couple drops of dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray your stove top to help break up residue, and scrub it off. Don’t worry, the smell will go away quickly.
Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide or Vinegar – For really tough stains, you can sprinkle baking soda on your stove top. Then, add a little hydrogen peroxide or vinegar, and the bubbly reaction you see will help to cut away the grease and grime. After allowing it to set for a couple minutes, wipe it away with a clean rag and water.
Water – Yes, you read that correctly. If you have nothing else on hand, try boiling some water and then pouring it on the gunky spot. Allow the water to cool, and you should be able to wipe away the spot.

Store Bought Solutions

There are several store bought cleaners you can resort to when trying to get your stove top back to its pristine glory. While I would suggest starting with soap and water, these are great resources when your arms are tired of scrubbing and you just need something with that extra power. These are also great to have on hand to do a deep clean every few weeks.

409 – While I wouldn’t suggest using this everyday, 409 is great for giving things a deep clean knowing you are getting rid of germs as well. It destroys food borne bugs and everything else, so definitely utilize this cleaning solution every so often.
Magic eraser – I’m convinced there is nothing a Magic eraser can’t fix. You can even use them on your stove top to get rid of difficult stains.
Mr Muscle – Mr Muscle is formulated to get rid of the grease that gets built up on your stove. You can use it on the stove top as well as everywhere else. While it’s typically meant for more industrial stoves, it’s an easy fix for home appliances as well. The handy thing about Mr Muscle is you can use it on a hot or cold stove.

Getting rid of…

There are a few culprits that prove to be difficult to get rid of time and time again. I wanted to give you some ideas on how to get rid of these repeat offenders.

Burnt Sugar – Have you ever made caramel and then wondered what to do with the pan or been making a sweet dessert on the stove top and all of a sudden there is sugar everywhere? If you have, then you know that sugar sticks on and doesn’t let go. Luckily, the easiest way to get burnt sugar off is by using the boiling water method referenced above.
Burnt Plastic – I may be the only one, but I have definitely gotten my plastic containers a little too close to the stove top. This one is a little more difficult to deal with compared to sugar. Allow the stove to cool, then peel off as much of the plastic as possible. Then, use a scraper to get more off. If there is still plastic left on the stove top, take some baking soda and vinegar and let it do the work for you!
Grease – Most of the time little grease spills on the stove top can be taken care of with the soap and water method, but for those BIG grease stains try using the baking soda method. I’m telling you guys, this one is a winner and pretty fool proof.