The good part of making food at home is to be sure of the origin and quality of the food. The not-so-good part is having to clean everything up afterwards, including the cooktop.
For many people, this is the worst part. But do not need be like that! With a few simple tips and tricks you learn how to clean the cooktop and make your kitchen always beautiful.
We will see?
How to clean cooktop: specific types and care
Nowadays there are several different models of cooktop, varying from the design to the material of manufacture and the mode of activation, which can be gas or electric (the famous induction cooktops).
And for each of them there is a way to clean, both to make your life easier and to ensure the durability of your appliance.
So, follow below the right way on how to clean each type of cooktop.
How to clean gas cooktop
Gas cooktops are the most common today. These models generally have a glass table and individual grilles for each mouth.
Although the glass table facilitates cleaning, we must remember that the material easily scratches, so the tip is always to use a soft sponge to clean.
Start by making sure that the appliance has all gas outlets turned off. Then remove the grills and burners and soak them in a bowl with warm water and mild detergent.
In the meantime, apply a small amount of neutral detergent over a soft sponge and wipe over the entire glass table of the appliance. Remember to clean the buttons as well.
If you notice the presence of any dirt more difficult to remove, leave it for a few minutes to soak in warm water and detergent. Do not use knives or other sharp objects to try to remove dirt. Also avoid using steel wool.
After removing all stains, wipe with a slightly damp cloth until all the soap is removed. Repeat the procedure so that the excess soap does not whiten the table.
You can finish the cleaning with a cloth moistened with alcohol.
The grids and burners must be cleaned using a soft sponge. It is also not recommended to use sharp or rough objects.
Once cleaned, just snap the pieces back on the cooktop and you're done!
How to clean an electric or induction cooktop
Electric or induction cooktops are the easiest to clean, as they have no grills or burners.
However, care must be taken to avoid damaging the operation of the device.
And the first of these precautions is to avoid getting the cooktop table too wet. This is because the electrical parts can easily be damaged in the presence of water. Lightly wet the sponge and take the utmost care so that water does not leak into the interior of the appliance.
It is also super important to unplug the appliance from the outlet to avoid electrical shock.
One more tip: do not press or put too much force on the cooktop table when cleaning. The heater is usually placed under the table and can be damaged by cleaning pressure.
Never, under any circumstances, clean the electric or induction cooktop while it is hot. This can cause stains on the glass table surface. The thing is to wait a while until it is warm or cold.
It is also super important to avoid using metal parts to clean electric or induction cooktops. In addition to scratching the glass table, these materials damage the inductive function of the device, causing it to stop working properly.
In short: cleaning the electric or induction cooktop should be done with a soft cloth or sponge slightly moistened with soap and water.
How to clean cooktop with stainless steel table
Some cooktops have a stainless steel table and, in this case, the cleaning process must be careful not to stain or scratch the material.
Prefer neutral detergent or just alcohol for cleaning. Vinegar also works well in this case.
Avoid any type of sharp or rough material, such as knives and steel wool. Use only sponges and soft cloths.
The grids and burners must be cleaned separately with warm water and neutral detergent.
Daily cooktop cleaning
To facilitate the process of cleaning your cooktop, there is no way: you will need to clean it daily after each use.
For this daily cleaning it is not necessary to remove the grills or burners, unless the parts are very dirty.
Otherwise, a cloth moistened with alcohol or neutral detergent will usually do the job.
By performing daily cleaning, in addition to making the cooktop (and your kitchen) more beautiful, you also facilitate the heavy cleaning process that should be done at least once a week.
Heavy cooktop cleaning
Choose a day of the week to give the cooktop a general treatment. Remove all parts (grills and burners), leaving them to soak in warm, soapy water.
Then carefully clean the entire glass table and clean the buttons on the appliance.
It is also interesting to lift the cooktop table to clean the cracks between the appliance and the stone where it is supported. It is very common for food residues to end up in that place, so it makes sense that you include this step when it comes to heavy cleaning.
This weekly care helps to make your device always look new and ensure that it works properly for much longer.
Care when cleaning the cooktop
In addition to all the tips we have already passed, it is worth mentioning some extra precautions when cleaning the cooktop. Write it down:
- You can replace the neutral detergent with degreaser, but when in doubt, stay with the neutral detergent that is safer.
- Whenever any residue of the food being prepared falls on the cooktop, clean it. The sooner you do the cleaning the better, so you prevent the dirt from drying out and become more difficult to clean. Just wipe the excess with a cloth and then, with the appliance cold, finish cleaning.
- When doing a heavy cleaning of the cooktop it is important to check that no food residue is blocking the burners and gas outlet. This way, you guarantee the full functioning of all the mouths of your ccoktop.
- Acid and alkaline substances, such as tomato sauce, coffee and milk can cause stains that are difficult to remove, so once again the tip: when you notice the presence of these stains clean immediately. To make your life easier, always keep a cloth nearby.
- Bleaches, chlorine and products containing ammonia should not be used for cleaning the cooktop.
- Try to use pans with a straight bottom on the cooktop. This avoids scratches and scratches on the grids, in addition to reducing the risk of seeing the pan falling on the floor.
Did you see how easy it is to clean the cooktop and keep it brand new? Put these tips into practice today!
