How to Clean Your Ceramic Hob Without Damaging It (Step-by-step Guide)

A few days ago, a friend of mine called me and asked me how to clean his ceramic hob. He said he had tried commercial cleaners, but nothing had worked. So I gave him some advice. 

As I was walking him through the process, I halted. “What if I come over and we clean it together? I want to create a ceramic hob cleaning guide,” I said. “Let’s do it!” He was very enthusiastic about the idea.  

Ceramic hobs are great. They look amazing. They heat up quickly. And they’re easy to use. The only downside is they can be difficult to clean if you don’t maintain them regularly.

Or are they?

Today we’ll show you how to clean your ceramic hob without damaging it. And using mostly stuff you have lying around your kitchen cupboards, already. We’ll go through the whole process step by step. It will be really easy to follow along. 

However, the process is time-consuming, so if you want a professional to do it for you, you can book our oven and hob cleaning service.

If you are a DIY enthusiast, read along. We’ll go through the entire process step by step.

In this article:

• Why is it important to clean your ceramic hob?
• What products do you need to clean your ceramic hob?
• Products to avoid during ceramic hob cleaning
• How to clean your ceramic hob without damaging it
• Step 1: Sprinkle the ceramic hob with baking soda
• Step 2: Cover the hob and soda with a wet rag
• Step 3: Remove the rags and set them aside close-by
• Step 4: Pour some white vinegar on top
• Step 5: Wipe off some of the mess with the wet rags
• Step 6: Now wipe off the rest with the sponge using the soft side
• Step 7: Finish things off with the microfibre towel
• Maintenance tips
• Conclusion

Why is it important to clean your ceramic hob?

Not only does a dirty cooktop look bad, but it also affects the functionality of the ceramic hob. 

Gunks baked into the surface can reduce the efficiency of the hob. You’ll need to cook your food longer, wasting your time and piling on top of your electricity bill.

Caked-on food and oily splatter can be a fire hazard. They can catch fire while you cook, putting your and your family’s life and home in danger. Not to be dramatic, but it does happen. You should not take it lightly.

On top of that, spills, stains, and smears accumulate and promote scratching. Scratching can lead to pitting. And pitting opens the door to cracking. I don’t need to tell you what the next step is.

So keeping your ceramic hob clean is important for safety, efficiency, and longevity. But what products do you need to clean it?

What products do you need to clean your ceramic hob?

Since your glass hob is your cooking area (by definition), you want to use only safe, eco-friendly products.

In this guide, we’ll show you the best way to clean your ceramic hob using only natural ingredients.

Here’s what you need:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• A kitchen sponge
• A pair of gloves
• А microfibre cloth
• A couple of rags

As you can see, you have most (if not all) of the products in your kitchen already. And if you don’t, they’re cheap as chips, so it won’t be a problem to buy them. You can also use them to clean your microwave oven or even for your general spring cleaning.

Products to avoid during ceramic hob cleaning

What about all the other cleaning products you have lying around your house and have paid good money for? Why not use them?

It’s simple. As slick and stylish as ceramic hobs are, they’re really easy to damage if you’re not careful.

On top of that, you don’t want to use harsh chemicals where you prepare your food. So going the safer route is always a good idea.

Abrasive materials are also a huge no-no. Ceramic cooktops are really easy to scratch.

With this in mind, here are products to avoid when cleaning a ceramic hob:

• Abrasive cleaners
• Bleach cleaners
• Caustic cleaners
• Ammonia cleaners
• Flammable cleaners
• Steel wool

Note: If you’re using a commercial cleaner, always check out the ingredients. Do not mix different cleaners thinking it will get you a better result. Mixing bleach and ammonia is especially dangerous!

This is not a complete list of what to avoid, but it should give you a good idea.

How to clean your ceramic hob without damaging it

Let’s go through the process of cleaning your ceramic hob step by step. It’s ridiculously simple, yet surprisingly effective. Put on your gloves and let’s get started.

Step 1: Sprinkle the ceramic hob with baking soda

Sprinkle the entire hob with baking soda. Don’t be stingy – cover the whole thing. And don’t worry about the mess – it will get worse before it gets better.

Step 2: Cover the hob and soda with a wet rag

Dip the rag (or rags) in warm water, squeeze them lightly, and spread them across the hob on top of the soda. Make sure the rags are wet, not simply damp. Let them sit like this for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Remove the rags and set them aside close-by

The water will have dissolved some of the soda. But there will be plenty left. Still, the soda and water have acted on the greasy splatter for the past half an hour. Now it’s going to be a lot easier to remove.

Step 4: Pour some white vinegar on top

Now that the soda has done its part, pour some white vinegar on top of it. Since soda is a base and vinegar is an acid, they will cancel each other out, creating glorified saltwater in the process. But the important bit is the fizz which will serve to further loosen the grime. Also, vinegar will help with those hard water stains.

Step 5: Wipe off some of the mess with the wet rags

Wait for the fizzing to stop. Then take the rags you set aside during step 3 start wiping the ceramic hob with them. This will help you remove some of the mess.

Step 6: Now wipe off the rest with the sponge using the soft side

Start wiping away the rest of the soda with a wet sponge. Use the soft side to avoid scratching. Dip the sponge in warm water and squeeze it every once in a while so you can keep bringing clean water into the mix. Rinse and repeat until most of the mess is gone. 

Step 7: Finish things off with the microfibre towel

You should have removed most of the mess by step 6. All you have to do is finish things off with the microfibre towel to avoid scratching the surface.

If you’ve followed along and done everything accordingly, your ceramic hob should be looking pretty good right about now. Most of the splatter, grease, grime, and stains should be gone.

Note: Don’t expect miracles. There are some burnt gunks that are so baked into the surface, they’re impossible to remove without a scraper. And those can seriously scratch the surface of your hob if used incorrectly. Try them at your own discretion.

Maintenance tips

Regular maintenance can help you avoid having to deep clean your ceramic cooktop. However, you need to clean it after each cooking session. Don’t worry, though – it will be really easy. The cleaner the hob is, the easier it is to clean.

• First, wait for the cooktop to cool off. Never clean your hob right after you’ve finished cooking or you might suffer a nasty burn. I know this sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t pay attention and end up hurting themselves.

• Wipe out excessive boilovers or spatter with a damp microfibre cloth to avoid scratches. If the spatter is oily, you can make a paste using baking soda and water. Use a clean sponge (soft side only) to clean up the greasy spatter, then wipe it off with a damp cloth. Finally, use a microfibre cloth to dry it out.

• In case you’re not a fan of using baking soda, you can substitute it with warm soapy water. Since the stains will be fresh, soapy water should be able to handle them just fine.

• If there are water stains and the damp microfibre cloth doesn’t seem to be doing the trick, add a dash of white vinegar. The vinegar will cut through the water stains like a hot knife through butter and they will come right off.

Note: Some guides on the Internet recommend spraying a glass cleaner on the surface of your cooktop. Do not do this! Many glass cleaners contain ammonia and other harsh chemicals that have no place anywhere near your food.

Don’t forget to allow the hob some time to cool down before you clean it. Do this after every cooking session and you’ll rarely need to deep clean your ceramic cooktop again.  

Conclusion

Ceramic hobs can be difficult to clean if you don’t maintain them properly. However, there are natural and non-invasive ways you can safely deep clean your ceramic cooktop without damaging it.

And if you feel like this is too much of a hassle, you can always call us and we’ll give you a hand. Our oven cleaning service does include ceramic hobs.

But whether you call us or clean it yourself, a clean cooktop is its own reward.

P.S. If this article helped you and you have friends who might also find it useful, don’t hesitate to share it with them.

Author: Atanas Dzhingarov

Hi, I’m Atanas - brand consultant and writer. I’m helping Samyx Cleaning create the best cleaning company blog on the Internet. Join us on our journey and learn how to live a cleaner, healthier, happier life in the process.