Wipe up spills as soon as they occur to avoid cooking on soil. Acid spills can etch the enamel surface. Turn heat down to the lowest temperature that will continue the cooking process to reduce boil-over spills, save energy, and avoid discoloring the reflector bowls. When frying, use a cover if it is OK for cooking process; or a mesh grease-catcher cover for a frypan to reduce grease spatters. Use a ventilating fan to collect greasy soils instead of letting them deposit on surfaces in the house. Reflector bowls need to be kept shiny and clean, not for appearance, but for even and efficient cooking, since they are designed to reflect heat back into the bottom of the cooking pan. Brown stains from burned-on food, or blue or gold stains from overheating, make them less efficient. Do not line bowls with aluminum foil unless the manual says it's OK, as overheating may occur in some cases. Some gas burners may melt foil.
Oversize Pots and Reflector Bowls: Reflector bowls overheat and may discolor permanently when pans larger than the surface burner are used, blocking air flow and trapping heat under the pan. This often occurs when oversized kettles or canners are used for a long period of time, especially at high settings. Some brands with removable elements offer a large raised unit that allows air circulation underneath for canners and large kettles. Others offer special "Canning Kits" to use with canners. Without these, alternate burners for continuous batches, do not can all day, start the canner with hot water to reduce time the burner is on High, and never put the canner on two burners at same time as this builds up more heat on the enamel cooktop. Use only flat-bottom canners. Overheating under large utensils can build up to 1200 F, can craze and chip enamel, and may burn out elements. They also overheat more with pans not flat on the bottom, such as warped pans or ridged-bottom pans like water bath canners. Use of abrasive scouring powders or pads will also discolor the bowls over time and should be avoided.
Most conventional cooktops are made of porcelain enamel, which is very durable. Hot pans can be set on them. Cold items or liquids should not be put on it when it is hot, though newer coatings are thinner and less likely to crack from thermal shock. Spills should be wiped up at once, taking care to avoid burns from heated burners.
The sides and front may be porcelain enamel, but are more likely today to be synthetic enamel. They are more easily scratched, and may be damaged by household chemicals. Acids (such as milk, tomatoes, vinegar) can damage the surface. If you have a stubborn soil, lay a sudsy wet cloth or towel over the spot and leave it for a few minutes to loosen the soil (semi-soaking). Rub with a nylon net scrubber or soft plastic mesh pad. Do NOT use abrasive pads or scouring powders, as these can permanently scratch the porcelain finish.
Control knobs are washed in warm suds with a cloth or brush, rinsed, and dried. If they come off, they're easier to clean, but do not soak them. The area under drip pans may be washed with warm suds, rinsed, and dried. Use paste of baking soda and water on difficult spots. A soap-filled steel wool pad may be used occasionally if necessary, or use a plastic mesh pad.
Wash exterior surfaces after they have cooled with detergent and warm to hot water. A paste of water and baking soda can be used on difficult spots. Rinse and wipe dry. The same materials can be used on chrome trim, or stainless steel parts. Never use scouring powder or harsh abrasive pads. Plastic or nylon pads may be used for difficult spots. Creamy appliance wax can be used on painted surfaces for protection and ease of cleaning, but is not needed on porcelain enamel surfaces. Check your owner's manual to see if other cleaning materials are safe to use.
Cleaning Burners, Gas or Electric
Electric burners usually burn off food spilled on them. Heavy spills can be wiped off with a damp cloth when the burner is completely cold.
Gas burners and grates may be removed for cleaning. Soak grates in very hot water and detergent for about a half-hour if they are very dirty; then scrub with a brush, rinse and dry. A little ammonia may be added to the soaking solution if they are very greasy. Soak burners in hot, soapy water to soften grease and grime. Clean with a brush. Do not use scouring powder, which will clog the holes. The metal ring with holes in it may come off the burner for cleaning. If the holes in the burner are stopped up, clean with a fine wire, hair pin, paper clip or pipe stem cleaner. Don't use toothpicks as they could break off and clog the holes. Rinse burners in hot water and place them upside down in a warm oven (300 F) to dry for about 15 minutes.
Cleaning Reflector Bowls: Reflector bowls under burners may be taken out and washed in hot suds. Soak for several minutes to loosen heavy dirt; up to 20 minutes may be needed if grease is burned on the bowls. Wipe off trim rings with sudsy cloth. On stubborn spots on chrome bowls and rings, use a paste of baking soda and water with a plastic mesh pad. Rinse and dry. Never put chrome bowls in the dishwasher or in a self-cleaning oven. Porcelain reflector bowls can be washed in either sudsy water or in an automatic dishwasher. If your manual recommends it, porcelain bowls can occasionally be cleaned in a self-cleaning oven cycle, upside down on oven racks. Wiping spills off bowls after cooking prevents stain build-up which requires stronger measures.
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