How to Clean Boil Over Marks on a Stove Top

In a fast-paced world, it can be very tempting to multitask while you prepare a meal. All too often, however, walking away from the stove in an effort to take care of other work may result in water boiling over the pot or pan that you are cooking with. Even worse, if the contents of your cookware are not just water, they may leave hard-to-remove marks on your stove top. Fortunately, there are ways to get your stove clean again.

Whether you are looking to engage in daily cleaning of a glass top stove or are trying to shine a spot where water boiled over on a glass top stove, there is a fix for you.

If you notice that water or another liquid has boiled over onto your stove top, try to wipe it up as quickly as possible. This is your best chance at getting the mess clean without difficulty. Of course, you will need to be careful not to touch any part of your stove while it is still hot. If you will be cleaning while the stove is still hot, be sure to wear an oven mitt or other hand protection.

To clean a mess on your stove top that you didn't get to right away, wet a dishrag or cloth with hot water. Place it over the mark on your stove and let it sit for several minutes. The moisture and steam will help to loosen the mark on the stove.

Next, create a paste using water and a small amount of baking soda, no more than several tablespoons, according to The Krazy Coupon Lady. After letting the paste mixture sit on the stain for several minutes, gently rub the paste with a cloth over the stove top once it has thoroughly cooled. The baking soda offers a mild abrasive that can help remove tough stains.

Once you've finished with the paste, scrub it off with a wet dishcloth. You can then use a rag moistened with white vinegar to further clean the stove top. It's a good idea to then wipe everything down with water once more to remove the vinegar.

There are commercially available glass top stove cleaners, including Barkeepers Friend. These are decent choices for cleaning in a pinch. Refer to the owner's manual for your stove to be sure a commercial cleaner is appropriate for use. Never use anything that is not recommended by the specific manufacturer of your stove, as doing so could void your warranty.

The best way to prevent pots and pans from boiling over and soiling your stove top is to ensure the cookware you use is large enough to accommodate the bubbles that accumulate in your recipe during the boiling process. In addition, paying close attention to food as you are cooking it can help prevent this sort of problem before it begins. You may also find that lowering the temperature you use on your stove can help you to still multitask but also avoid pots and pans boiling over.