It is common to cover electric stove tops and burners with tin foil to keep them clean while cooking. However, this should not be done on certain kinds of stove tops. When aluminum foil gets stuck to a glass cooktop, it can melt and be difficult to remove. Also, foil should not be used to line gas cooktops to cover the grates because this creates a potential fire hazard.
Melted Foil on a Glass Stove Top
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Even if aluminum foil is only on a glass cooktop's hot burner for a few seconds, it can melt right into the glass. This is not easily removed with traditional cleaning methods, but it can be accomplished with a bit of elbow grease. The first step is to allow the cooktop to cool completely, and the sooner you try to remove the foil after that, the better. Interestingly, abrasive cleaning pads and cleaners can scratch the glass surface, but razor blades work well if used carefully.
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Take a razor blade and gently scrape off as much as you can. Then, spray some oven cleaner onto the melted foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes or so. This may dissolve the foil, and you can wipe it off and clean the cooktop as usual.
If you regularly cook on a glass-topped electric stove, you are well aware that any blemish or stain can stand out a great deal on a reflective surface like glass. It's important to address the melted foil quickly before it continues to burn onto the cooktop with use.
Additional Removal Techniques
Another way to remove aluminum foil stuck to a glass cooktop is to mix some baking soda with water until it forms a thick paste. Apply this onto the foil and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Rub gently with a damp microfiber cloth to remove the debris. Finally, rinse with some clean water and dry with another clean microfiber cloth. You can also mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide, vinegar or multipurpose sprays.
You can also try laying the baking soda paste on the stove and laying a cloth damp with white vinegar over it for the duration of the 20 minutes. This may help the foil to further deteriorate. However, chances are good that you will still need to scrub the stain.
About Glass Cooktops
Glass cooktops are also called ceramic cooktops, and they are made from tempered ceramic glass. There are four main kinds: induction, which uses magnets to generate heat; halogen, which uses halogen bulbs; radiant, which works with heated metal coils; and semihalogen, which uses halogen bulbs and metal coils. The elements beneath these smooth, sleek cooktops are heated electrically, and the heat is then transferred to the individual burners or zones.
Glass cooktops have a modern aesthetic and can cook food faster than traditional gas and electric cooktops. The ones that use induction heat only work with certain kinds of cookware, so this should be a consideration when shopping for a cooktop. There are specific ways to clean these cooktops, with products designed specifically for them. It can take time and effort to remove stuck-on items, like aluminum foil.