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Today, I'm sharing an easy method for how to clean a stovetop. If you have a glass or ceramic stovetop, then this is totally for you. For the past 13 years, I've had this style of cooktop and have learned a couple of easy tricks along the way to keep it looking pristine. Check out my tutorial for How to Clean a Stovetop below.

You may already have all of the ingredients you'll need for this simple cleaner in your cupboard or refrigerator.  This stovetop cleaning process is super easy and only requires gentle scrubbing (that's a win-win for me). I usually sit down to eat with the family while the stovetop cools. Once dinner is done, the stove is cooled and ready for cleaning. My steps for How to Clean a Stovetop are listed out below.

How to Clean a Stovetop

First of all, let's chat about how much cooking we've done in this time of social distancing. Back in April, I was chatting with my bestie on the phone and we laughed when we realized we had cooked dinner 45 nights in a row for our families. FORTY-FIVE. And of course, that number has now tripled (ha! We just thought 45 was a lot). While we do a little bit of take-out here and there to support some of our favorite restaurants, we're still eating most of our meals at home. Which means the kitchen, especially our stove, are always busy and working overtime. That also means they get a bit ickier a lot quicker than they used to.

In order to not need a massive cleaning session every week with the stove, I try to use this simple method for how to clean a stovetop most nights after dinner, if I have utilized the cooktop. And this method came about after we installed new countertops. My old method (which used white vinegar) wouldn't work with the new stone we used, but this one is perfect.

Cooking at Home is Messy

One thing I make a ton of, is a homemade spaghetti meat sauce. I often make a double or triple batch to freeze some for another time (which is awesome for when you've cooked for well over 45 days in a row). This is not only one of my favorite things to make, my teenage boys love it, too. I incorporate fresh herbs from our garden and let the entire pot simmer for over an hour so all of the flavors really marry. But, if you cook a lot of tomato sauce, you know it likes to pop and splatter if not tended to constantly. And that makes for a mighty mess. I use a heavy dutch oven (as pictured above) for most meals, and I tend to also make a mess with its lid, as I have a tendency to set it on the cooktop while I'm cooking. I add olive oil to its chipped spots on its exterior, too, often every time I use it, to keep them treated properly. But, again, that also adds to the mess. I shared a photo later in this post about the state of the cooktop after a big sauce-making session. It's almost criminal, y'all.

As I mentioned above, the stovetop looks particularly rough after spaghetti sauce simmered on it for well over an hour. I took this as the perfect opportunity to show you how I clean this thing.

Cleaning a Glass Stovetop

While this method won't work on all types of stove tops, it's great for ceramic and glass-top stoves.

Supplies:

• Sponges with "scrubby dots"
• I really like these Scotch-Brite Advanced Scrub Dots ones (available here on Amazon) because they're non-scratch, but still very tough on messes. They're like the perfect slightly abrasive sponge (I use them on my cookware, too).
• one lemon
• Any type of degreasing dishwashing liquid.
• I like both Palmolive® Ultra Oxy or Original Dawn
• water
• optional: baking soda

Instructions:

• Only clean once all burners are off and your stovetop has completely cooled.

• Remove as much of the larger particles of food as you can and wipe away all crumbs.
• Start by squeezing your lemon all over the mess, especially areas with heavy grease and grime. I am pretty liberal with this part of the clean up. And often, I'll even use older lemons that may have been forgotten in the crisper for too long (it's great to prevent wasting them).
• Then, allow this to sit and soak well for about ten minutes to loosen the cooked on areas. If your mess is really bad or you have a build up from multiple cooking sessions, you can leave it on even longer. In all honesty, I've "lemoned" the stove, then gotten distracted and left it like that for well over an hour.
• Don't rinse the lemon.
• Optional, if your mess is pretty far gone, you can also sprinkle a tiny bit of baking soda in with the lemon, too.

• Wet one of your sponges under the faucet (hot water is best for this). Then squeeze it to get out most of the water.
• Pour a dime-sized amount of dish soap onto the sponge. Be sure to apply the soap to the side with the scrub dots.

• Gently scrub the mess up, incorporating the lemon as you scrub (and baking soda, if you used that)...it takes very little time at all and minimal scrubbing. The dots on the sponge pads have the perfect amount of "rough" to really work this mess out, while not scratching the surface.
• If using the baking soda, it will form a baking soda paste out of the mixture. I try to make sure the paste gets spread to all of the really messy spots.
• Wet your sponge again and rinse the cooktop, making sure to remove all of the soap. I use the other side of the sponge for wiping and rinsing. Sometimes, it takes multiple rinses to remove all of the soapy water. 
• If you do this after most of your messier meals, there won't be a build-up and stains over time on your cooktop.
• If you like a really shiny glass cooktop, you can also go over the entire surface with a dry microfiber cloth or dry paper towels when your done and buff it really nicely. I do this if I know I won't be using the stove the next day.
• I use this exact same method to clean the drip pans I keep in the bottom of my ovens, too. And they can get pretty icky with bacon grease and such (yes, I bake my bacon...it's the best way!).

All clean and ready for another 45 days of cooking dinners (give or take). What do you think? Isn't this an easy method for keeping your glass stove top looking great all the time?

Let me know if the comments if you use homemade cleaners of this nature. Or do you prefer a store-bought brand that does an amazing job? I'd love to know!

More DIY Household Ideas

• Make a cute sponge holder for your sponges with my kitchen sponge holder tutorial.
• And be sure to check out my homemade residue remover tutorial, as well. It removes sticky labels easily.
• I also have a recipe for a great Homemade Tub and Tile Cleaner that can't be beat. I've now been using it for over 15 years and it's never failed me.
• If you're also in organizing mode, be sure to check out my Free Printable Pantry Labels to get everything in order in your pantry.
• My friend, Jessica, over at Mom4Real has a great recipe for oven cleaner that's completely natural. Check it out here.
• Clean Mama has a really earth-friendly tutorial for Cleaning a Washing Machine Naturally. I'm hoping to try this out this weekend.
• My French Lavender Linen Spray is a lovely spray for your sheets, draperies, and other household fabrics.
• And I use this Lavender and Vinegar Multipurpose Spray in my bathrooms all the time. It's a great recipe from Jennifer over at The Daily Connoisseur. You can make big batches and store in a spray bottle or two to use over time.
• These Homemade Cleaning Wipes from Nature's Nurture take non-chemical approach to a handy cleaning wipe. They're super budget-friendly, too. 
• And Shannon, over at Homemade Lovely, has a great recipe for Homemade Toilet Cleaning Tablets. They're really genius!