Advice on Cleaning Stove Top Burners

Updated on April 30, 2008
S.K. asks from San Jose, CA
32 answers

Hi,

Does anyone have any advice on how to get the tough-to-remove stains off ceramic stove top burners? I have a really old gas stove that was here when we bought the house 8 years ago. It works fine, but the burners look awful and I have tried many things to try and get them to look better. Scrubbing and soaking gets the surface stuff off, but seems to do nothing for the stains.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Thank you.

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N.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on my stove top stains. Works really good for a lot of things. I didn't like the dual sponge eraser. Target has their own brand and works just the same,less expensive.

1 mom found this helpful

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M.W.

answers from Sacramento on

you can make a paste of water and dishwasher soap and rub it in and leave for a while.

1 mom found this helpful
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W.H.

answers from Sacramento on

You can try superfine or fine drywall screens you'll find them in the home improvement section at Walmart. You cut them to the size you need not a lot of pressure is needed. And they are really great for the toilet bowl rings you will have the best looking toilet bowl around. And its so easy.
W. H.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.W.

answers from San Francisco on

We have a white ceramic stovetop and whenever we cook there are these brown stains afterwards....Magic Erasers get alot off but not all. My sister suggested we used an stainless steel scrubbing pad..( Not a brillo pad ) These are silver looking we got ours at Target. It worked like a CHARM. they can scratch though so go gentle. Maybe use one of the pastes the other ladies suggested and then scrub.

1 mom found this helpful

C.C.

answers from Fresno on

I just asked my cleaning lady what she does. We do horrible things to our stovetop, and somehow she manages to get them spotless. She looked at me like I'm stupid and said, "I use Easy Off. That's why I'm always asking you to buy more." Oh. Guess I should have figured that out, because I never use my oven and indeed, we do seem to go through a lot of Easy Off...

1 mom found this helpful
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B.V.

answers from Fresno on

Well, the only advice I can give you as a Shaklee Distributor is to try "Basic H2" or the "Scour off Paste". I have an ad in "The MembersPerks". I will give you 10% off your order and Shaklee offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. So, what do you have to lose.

I have a friend that got a stain off the wall with the Basic H2, that nothing else would touch it.

All Shaklee products are toxic and chemical free.

God Bless, B.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi S.,

Have you tried soaking them in Pinesol overnight? It has helped me to get really dirty burners super clean.
Just put it in a bucket with hot water and pinesol. Leave it overnight and then you can wipe it down with a sponge to get the leftover residue off.

Molly

1 mom found this helpful
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M.G.

answers from Bakersfield on

Hi!

I have the same thing - but my stove top is in the center of our kitchen island and is the first thing you see when you walk into the entry way - yikes!

Here's the only thing that works for mine... takes 3 steps, but works every time! (I had used comet and a scouring sponge, but it was taking the paint off!) I sprinkle baking soda on it, and with straight (full power) white vinegar in a spray bottle, cover the stained areas with vinegar before I got to bed. In the morning when I wake up, I spray more vinegar and wipe it down. Usually, this works well enough.

If the stains are really bad, I use Easy-Off oven spray (foam) and coat it really well and let it soak for an hour before wiping it down (after the baking soda/vinegar treatment).

The vinegar/baking soda usually lightens the stains, but if they're dark, it may take several applications before they are invisible.

Hope that helps - let me know if you receive other suggestions that are faster and easier! At least this one is cheap!

M.

1 mom found this helpful

M.K.

answers from Boca Raton on

I’ve read lots of suggestions for you to try. But, no one has addressed the chemical issue. Most – if not all – of the products under your sink contain harmful chemicals. Not only can they make you itch, cause rashes, headaches and breathing problems, they can affect your brain.

Have you seen a video called The Toxic Brew? You can watch it here: www.theglobalsuccessteam.net/resources/wmv/toxic_Brew_dsl

On a recent CNN documentary, they talked about chemicals that are showing up in our bodies. Babies have as many as 200 chemicals in their bloodstream at birth.

There’s a non-toxic cleaner for every brand name product you use today. We’ve used them for over 3 years. Even though we didn’t have the serious problems, it made such a difference in our lives, we can never go back!

Non-toxic products are becoming more popular. But, be careful. Some of these products just barely meet the government’s standards, so they still contain harmful chemicals.

Bridget V has given you the best answer. See her business listing here: http://www.mamasource.com/business/1397928863933136897

1 mom found this helpful
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H.H.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi S.!

I had the same problem, too. Along with getting my burners clean, I also wanted to figure out a more eco-friendly method that was also cost effective. I did some research and found that many people suggested using baking soda and vinegar to clean the stovetop. Its gentle and safe for your household and the environment. I moisten the surface with water, sprinkle baking soda on generously and then pour on distilled white vinegar. It will bubble up like the volcano science projects we did as children and once the foaming action is gone, I'll scrub it clean with a green scour pad. If the burnt on grime is really bad, you may need to repeat this a couple of times, but in the end, it will take off every speck of burnt on grease from your stove. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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N.S.

answers from San Francisco on

From Martha Stewart's Spring Cleaning 101: http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/p...
Glass cooktops: These must be protected from scratching. Clean with a pad safe for nonstick coatings, and
dedicate it to only this use. Wipe up sugary spills while they are still warm. For burned-on food, use a razor blade
fitted into a plastic handle: Hold it at an angle of about thirty degrees, and carefully scrape with the full width of
the blade, not just a corner. Follow up with a dab of commercial cooktop cleaner on a dry paper towel, then wipe
off the cleaner with another dry towel. If pans with copper or aluminum bottoms discolor your cooktop (and they
might), switch to pans made of another material and use a cooktop cleaner recommended by the manufacturer;
with daily application of the cleaner, stains should gradually disappear.

1 mom found this helpful
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E.R.

answers from Stockton on

there's a product called "bartender's friend" or "barkeeper's secret" or something like that. it comes in a container that's a cylinder and is a powdery substance, it actually is reminiscent of how comet is packaged. but, it doesn't have the odor and it is incredible how much it gets off, even water stains on shower doors, etc. i swear by it and hope you enjoy it! oh, btw, it's super inexpensive and you can get it virtually anywhere you can by cleaning agents. good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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I.M.

answers from San Francisco on

S.: Try Weiman's cook top cleaner, either from Sears or Safeway -- there are multiple ceramic stove cleaners. I have a ceramic stove top and this will do the trick. However, if the stain is pretty much embedded, I am afraid you will have to live with it -- it just will not come off. Good luck.

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L.A.

answers from San Francisco on

You can buy ceramic cleaner for corning ware. It's the same stuff and works great on the stove top. My cleaning ladies also use Windex. As for working, look up www.arise.com. I work through there and it's great, make my own schedule, plenty of time for kids and family.

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K.A.

answers from San Francisco on

S., Check at Sears in the appliance dept. They have two products that I have used that have helped. One comes in a container like Ajax/Comet and the other is a bottle. K.

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A.O.

answers from Sacramento on

Buy some Ceramabrite. Before you clean with it, take a razor blade and scrape off the burn stains. Then use the ceramabrite and buff it really hard with a paper towel or cloth towel until the stains are off completely.

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D.R.

answers from San Francisco on

I have a hand-held steam cleaner that works really well on the stove. Maybe you could rent something like that.

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D.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi there S.,
I too have a very old gas stove and when my father's wife came to visit, she took the liberty (my twins were a month old and she was trying to help out) of cleaning the ceramic stove top burners (mine are black) with Easy Off oven cleaner (I never thought of that!) and they had never shined so bright! I hate using caustic chemicals but I got the type that does not smell and it works like a charm. Good luck to you and have a wonderful day!
-D. :)

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M.W.

answers from Fresno on

Hi S.,

I have not used ceramic stoves so I do not know if the burners come off or not. Or if they will clean like metal burners. If they do, here are some suggestions:

Call around to some machine shops to see who uses strong acids, like sulfuric or phosphoric, to clean their metals. Acids are very dangerous for home use, so it is best to find a metal worker who will soak them for you. The professionals can use the stronger solutions and the soak should be done in a day or less.

I know this is going to sound strange, but classic Coka-Cola has phosphoric acid in it and will do surprisingly good job of getting rid of encrusted grease, rust, etc. on metal. (In fact, if you put a piece of beef steak in classic coke and leave it for 3-4 days it will DISSOLVE the meat! Guess who doesn't drink any of this stuff anymore...) But encrusted metal will have to soak about 3-4 days in it.

If you have one of those large laundry soap buckets with a lid, like the kind that come from CostCo, put one of your burner tops in the bucket and cover it with the coke. Put the lid on securely and let it sit (preferably in the garage or in a protected place where kids, pets or ants won't get to it) for about 3-4 days. If you do one at a time you won't have your stove out of commission while you clean the burners.

For regular cleaning of grease/oil based soils, what works for me is "Goop." It is a hand cleaner that is used by mechanics. You can usually find it in places like Kragen, Napa, Harbor Freight, sometimes the hardware stores like Lowes; less frequently it is available in grocery stores in the detergent isles.

It is a white, creamy product much like face cream. The trick is to rub in on whatever you want to clean and let it sit for 10-30 minutes. NO WATER! For your stove top, take a gob out with your hand, spread it all over the surface. If there are hard, encrusted substances sticking to the surfaces, after it has set for awhile rub the surface with a DRY nylon scrub cloth. DO NOT get any water or wetness on the stuff while you are cleaning with it. For some reason the wetness stops its cleaning ability.

I use dry cloths to wipe it off. Then when the surface appears clean, I wipe it with a wet sponge and dry it with dry cloth. I am trying to cut down on the amount of things that I toss in the garbage. So when my husband's undershirts wear thin and get holes, I cut them up for cleaning cloths. I use them for this stove cleaning operation. I rinse out the heavy grease with hot water and then put them into the laundry with the other soiled items.

In fact I have discovered that this Goop is great for cleaning the collars on the white dress shirts. Just rug a bit along the neckline. Let it sit while you are sorting the rest of the wash. It's great for grease,oily or make-up stains on other clothing as well.

If the ceramic top is all in one piece and cannot be soaked. Here is something I have used on my old Corning Ware which is ceramic. Buy some oxygen bleach powder, wet the ceramic surface, sprinkle the powder all over it. Spray it with plain warm water, just enough to make a thick paste. Smooth it over the surface and let it sit for several hours. This bleach takes the stains out of my Corning Ware. Maybe it will work for you, too.

Happy Cleaning Days
Merylyn (aka M.)

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S.C.

answers from San Francisco on

All I have to say is the magic erraser. It is awsom. We use it on our stove top and it cleans like a charm. You do have to put some elbow grease in it but it is awsom.

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M.L.

answers from San Francisco on

This is what has worked for me. I wipe off as much as I can from the stovetop and dry with a pape towel. Then I get baking soda and pour it on the built up gunk and take a paper towel and rub it off. For the really tough stains after the baking soad, I use a teflon spatula and gently coax the rest off.

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J.C.

answers from Bakersfield on

Hi S., The one thing I found that works really well is Easy off oven cleaner(fume free). Remove the cover and plate. I put mine on the counter with a piece of newspaper under. spray every nook and cranny. The longer you let them sit the better. I usually let mine sit about 12-24 hours. You can spray once again during that time. Then when you are ready rinse off and scrub any remainder stains(you should not have to scrub to much)I do this once a month and it works great.

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A.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Hello! I have one of those old stoves as well, and the only way It could make it easier for me is to buy the liners. The stove top alluminum liners are still available in some stores, and you just replaced them each time.

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R.C.

answers from Stockton on

Hi S.,
I don't know where you live but if you have a Dollor Tree or 99 cent store where you live, they carry a really great product calld AWSOME. It gets out really tough stains, on anything. Just put it directly on the burners, make sure to saturate them really good, let soak for about 10min, then srub them with a scouring pad and rinse. I wont say they will look new, but you will be happy with the results.
Personal tip: I use it when I get stains on my clothes, in the wash in place of bleach, it's great for color clothes, because it fade or leave white spots like bleach.
P.S It works really great on blood stains!!!!!
Good luck

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J.F.

answers from Fresno on

Help I need the same advice.

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A.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Softscrub. It has bleach in it. If you just let it sit a little and then work it with a sponge it'll work and not scratch!

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A.F.

answers from Sacramento on

Lemon juice, and baking powder. leave on for 10 minutes.

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M.D.

answers from San Francisco on

2 words Magic Eraser!!!
I use it at least once a day and it works for everything.
If it doest get it off, it's NOT coming off!
;)

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T.W.

answers from San Francisco on

Magic Eraser, or Baking soda with a little water and your finger or scrubber, or Awesome Orange from the Dollar Tree(any cleaner with orange oil however the Dollar Tree one is cheep and works just as good if not better then the pricier ones.). Good Luck.

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A.G.

answers from Sacramento on

Try spraying it with easy off before you go to bed at night and then it should come clean the next morning. If the stains are really bad it may take a couple of times.

I haven't tried this one, but I have heard that you can place them in a garbage bag with 1/4 cup ammonia and leave in there for awhile. When you go to open the bag make sure you open it away from your face.

I can say my cleaning lady and I use the 1st one of these two.

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L.P.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi S.,
Try Smart & Final's Cleaner/Degreaser. Comes in a concentrated 1 gallon bottle. Can be used to clean just about anything!!!....Professional resturants use it to clean there stoves & grill's. I use it on everything from the oven to BBQ grates, or water it down in a spray bottle can be used as a 409 type cleaner.
I have used it to clean my oven for years,and the smell does not overwhelm me. I have had issues in the past with the smell of oven cleaners making me sick..
Good Luck, hope this tip helped you....Lisa

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T.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I use a product from Sears that is designed for ceramic stove tops. You can find it in the appliance area. It's always in a different spot, just ask one of the sales people in that department. They also have a stainless steel cleaner, I'm happy with both. Good luck!

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