How to clean a stove top: glass, gas and electric coil

To clean a stove top, let it cool fully, lift off the grates, burner caps or coils, and wipe the surface with warm water and a little dish soap. Cover burnt-on spots with baking soda and a hot, soapy towel for 15 to 30 minutes, then wipe again. Soak the removable parts in the sink, dry everything, and put it back together.

The exact method depends on the type of stove, so start with yours below.

What do you need?

• Dish soap that cuts grease
• Baking soda
• Microfiber cloths and a non-scratch sponge
• A mildly abrasive scrub pad, for grates and drip pans only
• A razor scraper made for glass cooktops, if your manual allows one
• An old toothbrush
• A straightened paper clip or a needle, for gas burner ports

Leave steel wool and powdered cleansers out of it. They scratch glass and enamel, and scratches hold grime the next time you cook.

How do you clean a glass or ceramic stove top?

A smooth top shows every smear.

1. Wait until it's cold. A warm surface bakes your cleaner on and leaves streaks.
2. Wipe off the loose stuff with a damp cloth.
3. Sprinkle baking soda over any stuck or brown spots.
4. Soak a towel in hot water with a few drops of dish soap, wring it lightly, and lay it over the baking soda for 15 to 30 minutes.
5. Wipe in small circles with the towel or a non-scratch sponge.
6. Scrape what's left. If your manual allows a razor scraper, hold it nearly flat against the glass and push gently. Keep the glass wet while you scrape.
7. Rinse and buff. Wipe with a clean damp cloth, then buff dry with a dry microfiber cloth so you don't leave a haze.

How do you clean a gas stove top?

Cleaning around the grates moves the crumbs from one spot to another. Take everything off first.

1. Turn off every burner and let the grates and caps cool.
2. Lift off the grates and burner caps and set them in the sink.
3. Wipe the cooktop with a damp cloth to pick up crumbs.
4. Wash the surface with a non-scratch sponge and warm, soapy water. Spray cleaner onto the cloth, not toward the burner bases or the igniters.
5. Rinse with a clean damp sponge and dry it.

How do you clean gas stove grates?

Fill the sink with hot water and a good squeeze of dish soap, and soak the grates for 15 minutes or longer if they're heavy with grease. Scrub with the mildly abrasive pad, paying attention to the feet and the corners where grease collects. Rinse and dry them completely before they go back on. Put them in the dishwasher only if your manual says they can go there.

How do you clean the burner caps and heads?

Soak the caps in the same soapy water and scrub them the same way. If a burner lights unevenly or has a weak, yellow flame, check the small ports on the burner head. Clear each one with a straightened paper clip or a needle. Skip toothpicks, because the tips snap off and block the port.

Everything has to be fully dry before you relight. Seat each cap back in its exact position, or the flame won't spread evenly.

How do you clean an electric coil stove top?

1. Make sure the stove is off and the coils are cold.
2. Unplug the coils if your model lets you. Lift each one slightly and pull it straight out of its socket.
3. Wipe the coils with a damp, soapy cloth. Don't put them in water, and keep the plug end dry.
4. Burnt food on a coil usually burns off. Plug it back in first, dry, then turn the coil on high for a few minutes with the window open, then let it cool and wipe away the ash.
5. Clean the drip pans. Soak them in hot soapy water, then scrub. For brown rings, coat them with a baking soda paste for 15 minutes before you scrub.
6. Wipe the cooktop under the pans, dry everything and plug the coils back in firmly.

If the drip pans are badly stained and won't come clean, replacements are sold for many models. Check the size against your old ones before you buy.

What about the knobs, control panel and hood?

Knobs: many pull straight off. Wash them in warm soapy water, dry them and push them back on. If yours don't come off, wipe around them with a soapy cloth and an old toothbrush.

Control panel: spray onto a cloth, not onto the panel, so liquid doesn't get behind the buttons.

Hood exterior and underside: a hot, soapy cloth cuts the sticky film. The metal filters underneath often pop out. Check your manual, then soak them in the sink with hot water and dish soap.

How long does it take?

A wipe after cooking takes a minute or two. A full clean with the grates or drip pans soaking takes 20 to 45 minutes, much of it waiting while things soak.

How do you keep a stove top clean?

• Wipe spills once the surface cools, before the next round of cooking bakes them on.
• Use a splatter screen on anything you fry.
• Soak the grates or drip pans every week or two if you cook every day.
• Keep the cloth you use on the stove separate from the one you use on the counters, so you're not spreading grease around the kitchen.

Can you book someone to clean the stove top?

Yes. On Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, the stovetop, the range exterior and the hood exterior are wiped on every visit. On Deep Cleaning, PureRenewal, they're degreased.

On Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning, CleanStart, they're included every time.

For the oven underneath, read how to clean an oven, and for the next stop over, how to clean a kitchen sink.

FAQ

How do you get burnt food off a glass stove top? Sprinkle baking soda on the cold surface, lay a towel soaked in hot soapy water over it for 15 to 30 minutes, then wipe. For anything still stuck, a razor scraper held flat against the glass lifts it, if your manual allows one.

Can you put gas stove grates in the dishwasher? Only if your manual says so. Many grates are made to be soaked in hot soapy water and scrubbed by hand, and some coatings dull or rust in a dishwasher.

How do you clean clogged gas burner holes? Let the burner head cool, then clear each port with a straightened paper clip or a needle. Don't use a toothpick, because the tip can snap off inside, and let every part dry fully before you light the burner again.

How often should you clean your stove top? Wipe it once it cools after any cooking that splatters, and do the grates, caps or drip pans every week or two depending on how much you cook. Spills that get cooked over again turn into the hard black spots that take real scrubbing.

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