How To Get Burn Marks Off Glass Stove Top

Robyn asked: We spilled an entire small sauce pan on our glass ceramic stovetop and now it's burnt onto the top. How and what is the best way to get this off? Help please!

Nothing glass-stove is more frustrating than having a spillover on a glass top stovetop. It seems to instantly burn and permanently adheres to the surface. The good news is that it will come off, and the bad news is it's going to take some time and lots of elbow grease. Different cleaning methods work differently for different foods, so experiment and mix them up and/or together to find a fix that works best for your particular situation.

You Will Need:

Plastic spoon
Small dish
Baking soda
Lemon juice (optional)
Soft cloth or plastic scrubber (no abrasive scrubbers)
Olive oil
Single edge razor blade
Water
Mild soap
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Steps to Remove the Burnt Substance:

Start by allowing the burner to cool completely before attempting to remove anything. Trying to clean a hot burner is dangerous and invites further burns and problems.
When the burner has cooled, you are ready to begin.
If the stain is thick, start by scraping away the burnt substance with a spoon or dull knife.
For tougher stains, a razor may be useful to scrape the larger portions away first.
To do this, coat the stain with olive oil to help loosen and lubricate it. Let it soak in for a couple minutes.
Carefully push the razor blade against the stain, keeping it as flat as possible, to scrape it off. Take caution not to scratch the surface. (If you find the residue is still too difficult to scrape off, continue on to the next step without removing the oil.)
Once the majority of the burnt food is gone and the surface no longer has any edges to catch with the razor blade, you are ready to move onto the next phase. Start by mixing a paste of baking soda and water in a small dish. It should be the consistency of toothpaste.
Spread the paste over the burnt area and allow it to set for at least 10 minutes. Do not allow it to sit so long that it dries out. An optional step is to pour lemon juice over the baking soda. It will cause a fizzing and may help to release tougher areas. Seltzer can be used instead of lemon juice with similar results.
After either mixture (plain or with lemon juice) has had a chance to sit, gently scrub the area with a soft cloth or plastic scrubber. Do not use any abrasive scrubbers as it will damage the glass surface.
Repeat as necessary until the food is gone.
If a stain still remains after the burnt food is removed, clean the stain with either baking soda and water or a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
When all burnt food and stains are removed, clean the surface as usual with mild soap and warm water.

Additional Tips and Ideas

Avoid using the burner again until all of the burnt on food is removed. The heat from a second use will cook it on even more and make it much more difficult to remove.
Bar Keeper's friend is a commercial cleaner available at nearly every department store and has been useful in removing cooked on food without scratching the glass surface.
Bounce dryer sheets can also help to lift burnt on food. Moisten a sheet and lay it across the top. Allow it to set for several minutes and then scrub away the burn. Repeat as necessary.
If removing burnt food is a common problem, there is a tool you can buy to make the job easier. The Skrapr is made for removing stuck-on messes and is safe for use on glass stove tops. It is currently available at Bed, Bath and Beyond and some hardware stores, as well as online.
Burnt sugar is notoriously difficult to remove. One site user wrote in (Thanks!) to share their success method of pouring club soda over the area, followed by pouring boiling vinegar over the area and scraping off the residue. Be very careful as the boiling liquid will fizz when it comes in contact with the club soda and it would be best to wait until the area is not too hot to touch before scraping in case your hand slips.