Easy Ways to Clean a Ceramic Stove Top: Fight Grease, Burns Marks & More

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Plus, tips for keeping your stovetop shiny & scratch-free

Co-authored by Ashley Matuska and Devin McSween

Last Updated: September 27, 2024 Fact Checked

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Basic Cleaning for Ceramic Stove Tops

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More Safe Cleaners

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Removing Burns & Stains

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More Ways to Remove Burns & Stains

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Protecting Your Stove Top

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Expert Q&A

Nobody likes a dirty ceramic stovetop. Fortunately, cleaning your ceramic stovetop is a cinch with some common household products. Sprinkle some baking soda over it, then soak a large dish rag in warm, soapy water. Wring it out, and lay it over the baking soda. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe the stovetop with the damp rag. We spoke with professional cleaner Ashley Matuska to find out the best ways to clean and remove burnt, stubborn stains on your ceramic stovetop—keep reading to learn more!

The Best Ways to Clean a Ceramic Stove Top

For a regular, daily clean, sprinkle baking soda on your stovetop. Cover it with a damp, soapy rag and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, wipe down the surface. To get rid of burn marks and stains, scrape your wet stovetop with a razor scraper. Then, scrub it with a baking soda paste.

Section 1 of 5:

Basic Cleaning for Ceramic Stove Tops

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Wipe up food and debris with a damp cloth. Wet a microfiber cloth or soft sponge with water and wring out the excess moisture. Then, use it to wipe up any bits of food on the surface of your stovetop.^{[1]
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- Wait for the stovetop to cool down before wiping it off if you just used it.
- Optional tip: Wet your cloth or sponge in warm water mixed with dish soap. This gives you some extra cleaning power.
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Sprinkle some baking soda over the cooktop. There’s no need to measure the exact amount of baking soda you use. Just open the lid to your baking soda container and apply enough to lightly coat the area of the stovetop you wish to clean. If your stovetop is really grimy, apply a heavier layer of baking soda.^{[2]
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- Baking soda is an excellent cleaner because it is mildly abrasive, dissolves dirt and grease, and removes odors.^{[3]
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- Old parmesan cheese containers are ideal for sprinkling baking soda. Similar containers with holes punched through the lids are equally useful. If you have such a container, fill it with baking soda. Then, sprinkle the baking soda from this container over the stovetop.
- Optional tip: To make the baking soda even more effective, spray white vinegar on top of the baking soda. Just spray a light coat, or enough to get the baking soda bubbling.
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Place a large dishrag in hot water mixed with dish soap. The rag should be large enough to cover the entire area that you applied baking soda to.^{[4]
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Place the rag over the baking soda and leave it for 15 minutes. Remove the rag from the soapy water. Then, wring it out so it is damp, not saturated with water. Lay the rag over the baking soda on the stovetop and wait 15 minutes.^{[5]
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- Laying the damp rag over the baking soda helps soften and loosen the stuck-on debris, making it easier to remove.
- If you’re cleaning the entire stovetop, use a large rag that covers the entire surface or several smaller rags.
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Wipe the stovetop with the rag and baking soda. Once you’ve let the dishrag sit on the stove for 15 minutes, use it to wipe the stovetop. Simply move the rag in wide circles to clean the area where you applied the baking soda. Once you’ve scrubbed the ceramic stovetop thoroughly, use a damp, soft sponge or another damp dishcloth to clean the remaining baking soda residue from the stovetop.^{[6]
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- Wipe the stovetop with a dry cloth when you’re done, or allow it to air-dry.
- You might want to wear gloves during the wiping stage.

Section 2 of 5:

More Safe Cleaners for Ceramic Stove Tops

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Wipe your stovetop with dish soap. Dish soap is a natural degreaser that also helps clean away daily debris and grime. Simply pour a few squirts of liquid dish soap onto the stovetop or use a dish soap spray. Dampen a microfiber cloth or soft sponge with water and scrub the stovetop to get it nice and sudsy.^{[7]
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- Wipe away the soapy residue with a fresh damp cloth or sponge.
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Spray your stovetop with white vinegar. White vinegar is another natural degreaser that breaks down stains. Just spray your entire stovetop with a light coat of vinegar. Then, use a cloth or sponge to wipe the stovetop while working in circular motions.^{[8]
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- Use a damp cloth to wipe down the stovetop and remove any vinegar residue.
- Don’t worry—the vinegar smell disappears quickly once the vinegar dries.
Use a ceramic or glass stovetop cleaner. Many companies make specific products for cleaning stovetops; Matuska says “a glass stove top cleaner is always great” for wiping down your ceramic cooktop. Simply follow the instructions on the bottle to clean your stovetop. This usually involves pouring a bit of the product on the stovetop and wiping it onto the surface with a cloth or sponge.^{[9]
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Wipe your stove with an all-purpose cleaner. Matuska says all-purpose cleaners are another great commercial alternative for cleaning your ceramic stovetop. Just spray the cleaner onto the surface and wipe up grime and debris with a cloth or sponge.

Section 3 of 5:

Removing Burn Marks & Stains from Ceramic Stove Tops

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Scrape off burnt debris with a razor while the stovetop is warm. Let your stovetop cool down until it is warm enough to touch. Then, Matuska recommends wetting your stovetop and the blade of your razor scraper. She says to “keep [the scraper] bent” and angled “nice and low” at about 30° to 45°. Just go over the burned areas and stains nice and slow “so you're not gonna risk getting in there…and scratching [the stovetop] or hurting yourself.”
- If you’re worried about scratching your stovetop, don’t be—Matuska says “As long as the blade…[is] wet, and the surface that you're trying to clean is wet, you don’t have to worry about it scratching.”
- Use a light touch to help prevent scratches from forming—there’s no need to forcefully push the razor into the stovetop.
- Make sure the razor is new and clean before using it on your stovetop, as a dull blade can cause scratches.
- Plastic scrapers and spatulas work as a great alternative to a metal scraper.
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Cover the stovetop with a baking soda paste and let it sit for 30 minutes. Mix 4 tablespoons (68 g) of baking soda with 1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of water to form a paste. Then, smear the paste on the burned area with your finger or a soft sponge. Cover the area with a warm, damp rag and leave it to sit for 30 minutes.^{[10]
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- Letting the baking soda paste sit gives it time to loosen any stubborn bits of burned food and stains.
- The baking soda paste also helps buff out small scratches on your stovetop.
- For extra cleaning power, use vinegar or hydrogen peroxide in place of water to mix up the baking soda paste.
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Scrub the burned areas with a damp cloth or sponge. Take the damp rag off the stovetop. Then, use a damp sponge or microfiber cloth to scrub the surface with the baking soda paste. If the stains are super stubborn, scrape them with the razor scraper.^{[11]
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- The best cloth to wipe the area with is a microfiber cloth. These cloths are specially designed with more fibers than a normal cloth, meaning they can absorb more of whatever you’re trying to wipe up than regular cloths.
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Rinse off the stovetop with a damp cloth. Get out a clean cloth or sponge and dampen it with water. Then, use it to wipe up the baking soda paste and debris you removed. You may need to re-dampen the cloth several times to wipe off all of the residue.^{[12]
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- If the stovetop is very wet, use a dry cloth to dry it.
- If any burned bits or stains remain, re-apply the baking soda paste and the damp cloth.

Section 4 of 5:

More Ways to Remove Burns & Stains from Ceramic Stove Tops

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Use a specially formulated stovetop cleaning product. There are a number of products designed specifically to clean ceramic stovetops. For instance, Cerama Bryte is one such specialized ceramic cooktop cleaner. Each cleaning product is slightly different, so consult the manufacturer's instructions for more detailed information regarding how to use it.
- Generally, you spray or sprinkle your stovetop with the stovetop cleaner. Then, you wipe the surface with a damp rag or sponge.
- These products are useful for cutting through grease stains and burned-on material.
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Apply Bar Keepers Friend on the stovetop. Bar Keepers Friend is a mildly abrasive, all-purpose cleaner that’s tough enough to remove stubborn stains on your cooktop. Whether you’re using a powder or gel formula, sprinkle a bit on the stovetop and rub it in with a damp microfiber cloth or sponge. Let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub it into the surface.^{[13]
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- Wipe off your stovetop with a clean, damp towel or sponge after cleaning it off.
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Use a magic eraser. A magic eraser is a special sort of sponge—its microporous structure allows it to clean surfaces that are hard to clean via normal methods. So, if your ceramic stovetop has resisted the razor scraper, baking soda paste, and other alternatives, try using a magic eraser.^{[14]
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- Wet the magic eraser and wring out the excess moisture. Then, gently scrub any burned areas or stubborn stains on your cooktop.
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Scrape away the remaining debris with a razor scraper. If your stovetop still isn’t clean after wiping it down with the method of your choice, use your razor scraper to scrape off the leftover debris. Matuska says to simply wet your stovetop with a bit of water and run the blade along the burned material at a 30° to 45° angle.
- Do not move the blade in a direction that runs parallel to the blade or you might scratch the surface of the cooktop. Always move the blade in a direction that is perpendicular to it.

Section 5 of 5:

Maintaining a Clean Ceramic Stove Top

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Clean up food and spills as soon as possible. If you let bits of food and spills sit on your ceramic stovetop, they can harden and be more difficult to clean up. Leaving debris for too long also runs the risk of burning whatever was spilled the next time you use the stovetop. So, clean your stovetop as soon as you can.^{[15]
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- If you spill something while you’re using the stovetop, wait until it has cooled before wiping it up. Otherwise, you might burn yourself.
Abrasive sponges and scouring pads, like steel wool, can be too tough on ceramic stovetops and leave behind scratches. Instead, use soft sponges, microfiber cloths, and paper towels to clean off your cooktop.^{[16]
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Avoid harsh, chemical cleaners. Harsh, chemical cleaners like bleach and ammonia are also too tough for ceramic stovetops. Cleaning with them or using a product formulated with them can stain or even scratch the surface.^{[17]
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- For instance, chemical cleaners like oven cleaners, Comet, and Ajax might damage your ceramic stovetop.

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How do you get burnt-on debris off a ceramic stovetop?

Ashley Matuska
Professional Cleaner
Ashley Matuska is a Professional Cleaner at the Founder and Owner of Dashing Maids in Denver, Colorado. Ashley has over seven years of experience in the cleaning industry. She and her team specialize in offering sustainable deep cleaning and maintenance cleaning services. She received a BS in Biology and Sociology from Indiana University.

Ashley Matuska

Professional Cleaner

Expert Answer

A razor blade, like one from a razor that you would use for shaving, will work well as a scraper. Just make sure the blade is wet and that you move slowly!

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