Before we talk about how to clean your induction cooktop the right way, you first need to understand that the quality of the cooking surface will also determine how clean your cooktop will be to a great extend.
Most of the cooking surface of present-day induction cooktop is made of ceramic glass. Yet, the quality of the ceramic glass is not of the same.
Good quality induction cooktops won’t easily burn the ceramic glass over a spill. In other words, the spill won’t burn on so it’s easy to clean. Substandard ceramic glass continues to burn spills easily and over time it builds spots where the heating elements run beneath the cooktop’s surface. This is the reason why cleaning your cooktop right after use is very important irrespective of the quality of the cooktop.
Despite most top rated gas cooktops offering sealed burners you still need to clean them, whereas the heating coils are hidden beneath the cooking surface for induction and electric cooktops which need no cleaning.
Also, the ceramic glass and smoothtop of induction and electric cooktops are easier to clean compare to gas cooktops which mostly comes with stainless steel body. The touch control of induction cooktops cleans effortlessly while we struggle with control knobs.
Never use harsh chemical cleaning products, abrasive sponge or brush to avoid scratches. When you leave small scratches it tends to get bigger in due course of time.
What You Need
To get your cleaning started you need the following items ready:
- Mild cleaning products such as Cerama Bryte
- Clean microfiber cloths or paper towels
- Cleaning gloves
Recommended Steps To Clean Your Induction Cooktop
- Switch off your cooktop. Always ensure this as the first step for maximum safety. Some have this habit of wiping spills without switching off the cooktop which is not advisable even when there is no exposed wiring.
- Wait for the glass plate to cool down. Induction cooking uses electromagnetism mechanism that only heats the pan but it eventually passes some heats to the cooking surface. The glass plate or the cooking surface remains hot right after cooking, let it cool down for 2 – 3 minutes. However, if you’re getting rid of grease you need to spray the cleaning solution while the glass-top is warm. More about that in a while.
- Making the cleaning solution. You need to be careful while choosing cleaning agents. Rough cleansing agents can reduce the durability of the glass plate and becoming more prone to scratches.
We recommend using Cerama Bryte kit that includes scraper, cleaning pads, grease remover along with the cleaning solution. This cleaning solution is highly rated on Amazon and it does removes deep stains easily. It’s not just efficient but great value for money; a few drops will go a long way.
[amazon fields=”B0076ANLYY” value=”thumb” image= “1” image_size= “large” image_align = “center” image_alt = “Cerama Bryte Kit”]Depending on the cleaning solution given instructions, you may need to mix it with water proportionately and fill it in a sprayer.
- Taking care of grease. Before cleaning the entire glass-top, if there is any burned or baked grease you’ll need to take care of it with scrapper. It won’t come off easily using cleaning pads. Spray the cleaning solution over the greased spots while the glass plate is still warm, it helps to soften the grease better. After a minute or so, carefully scrap off the grease off. Don’t try to totally remove the grease with scrapper, leave that for the next cleaning phase.
- Spraying the cleaning solution. Start spraying the cleaning solution evenly across the cooktop, and using a cleaning pad gently scrub the cooktop’s surface in a circular motion. In this step you should remove all the dirt and grease.
- Wiping off the cleaning solution. This is the final step. Make use of microfiber cloths or paper towels to wipe dry the cleaning solutions. Be ready to be amaze if you’re using the right cleaning products.
Keep in mind that cleaning your cooktop after every use not only enhance its durability but it makes future cleaning less demanding.
It’s equally important to clean your cooktop before use, especially after a long break from using the cooktop. Depending on the condition, you may simple wipe it off with damp or dry cloths, or even use a cleaning solution.
More often than not, the glass plate quality of portable induction cooktops are not as good as those high-end induction cooktops. You need to take extra care. If you’re going away from home for a while you should cover your cooktop to protect from dust and dirt.
Lastly, do not try making your own cleaning solution without understand the properties of the ingredients you’ll be using. It’s safer to buy products recommended by manufacturers.
