Can You Use Glass Cleaner To Clean Your Stovetop?

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When you're deep cleaning your kitchen, you know better than to take shortcuts. You understand the point of cleaning everything out of the fridge, scrubbing the grout, and getting your hands dirty. Cleaning your glass cooktop, however, can get a little bit tricky. While it can be tempting to use the same cleaners you employ for can't-tell-they're-there windows, it's not a smart move. Your glass cooktop needs special treatment, and using Windex or similar products won't quite cut it.

Using Windex and other harsh household glass cleaners is as serious a cleaning mistake for glass cooktops as using a coarse sponge. The delicate glass of your cooktop isn't the same as the glass used to make windows. A blend of ceramic and glass, it's uniquely designed to hold up against serious heat, and it can be damaged by the ammonia in standard glass cleaners more easily than other types of glass, leading to permanent damage, like marks that won't go away. To clean a glass stovetop without leaving a single scratch, it's important to use gentler cleaners as well as non-abrasive tools to remove stuck-on food.

Now that you know why you shouldn't use a standard glass cleaner on your cooktop, let's take a look at the cleaning products that are actually a good fit for your delicate (and expensive) cooking surface. Instead of just going with whatever cleaning products you happen to have on hand, it's best to purchase a cleaner made just for glass cooktops. For light cleaning (like wiping down your cooktop after making dinner each day), you can just use vinegar, either sprayed directly onto the cooktop and wiped down, or sprayed onto a paper towel or soft cloth.  For more serious cleaning, you'll want to turn to your cooktop-specific cleaner (Weiman Glass Cooktop Cleaner & Polish is a good one). Apply a little bit of cleaner to a paper towel or cloth, wipe down your stove, and then buff away any streaks with a clean cloth.

Don't ever use steel wool or scratchy sponges if you want to keep your glass-top appliances in perfect condition. Instead, you'll want to use either a microfiber cloth or a gentle sponge designed specifically for cleaning glass cooktops. Even when you're struggling to get burnt-on food off of your cooktop, patience is key. Go with the least abrasive option you can, and allow either vinegar or your cooktop-specific cleaner the time it needs to go to work lifting up stains. While it can be tempting to just hit your cooktop with Windex, cleaning it with the correct products can help it look great for years to come.