It takes about 20 minutes to clean a standard-size 30-inch cooktop. To clean a portable electric or induction cooktop, expect to spend about seven minutes.
1. Wipe the surface clean. Use a microfiber or paper towel to wipe down the cooktop surface, removing any crumbs, liquid, or spilled food.
2. Scrape off stains. Using the safety scraper tool fitted with a clean single-edge razor blade, scrape away any food stains and metal stains (which often look like scratches), holding the razor blade against the cooktop surface at a roughly 45-degree angle. (Anything greater may damage the surface.
Slowly and gently wiggle and push the blade into the stain, the same way you might remove a sticker from a window or a mirror. Then use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to wipe away what you’ve removed. Once you’ve finished this step, it’s okay if you still see stains on the cooktop.
3. Apply the ceramic-glass cooktop cleaning paste. Squeeze a quarter-size portion of paste onto each heating element. Use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to spread the paste in a very thin, almost transparent layer across the entire cooktop, adding more only as necessary. (Zink often just uses her fingers to spread the paste, as a towel tends to absorb a fair amount.)
4. Let the paste fully dry. This usually takes about five to 10 minutes. Cleaning-paste instructions typically say to wipe it off sooner, said Zink, but she has found that letting it dry completely really helps to remove cooked-on surface stains.
5. Wipe the surface clean. Use a dry microfiber cloth or paper towel to buff away the cleaning paste.
6. Scrape any remaining stains. Use the safety scraper tool again to scrape any remaining stains you see on the cooktop—most should come off at this point. Then use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to wipe away what you’ve removed.
7. Repeat if necessary. If any stains remain, said Zink, repeat the entire process, beginning with step 2.
