How to Get a Stuck Pot off of a Glass Top Stove

As anyone who owns a glass top stove knows, these appliances are especially susceptible to stains and stuck-on debris, such as heavily charred food or grease. In extreme situations, a pot or pan that has boiled over may become stuck to the stove top if the spill is not tended to immediately. Once this has occurred, failure to properly and safely remove the pot or pan may damage the utensil, the stove or both. With proper care, however, these drastic measures can be avoided. Here's how to safely remove a stuck pan from your glass top stove.

Replacing a damaged glass stove top (and even the heating element underneath if things really go bad) or just the entire appliance is expensive and unnecessary. Properly taking care of your glass-topped stove and removing pots and pans that get stuck is the best way to care for your appliance and the best way to avoid costly repairs or replacements.

To begin removing a glass pot or metal pan from your stove, make sure your stove top is turned off and has completely cooled. Clearing and cleaning the appliance will be even more hands-on than simply cooking, so removing the risk of injury from burns is key. If you want to be especially careful, you could even unplug your appliance before continuing.

Then, gather the necessary materials. To safely remove the utensil, you will need an aerosol lubricant spray (available at hardware or home improvement stores), liquid cleaner specifically designed for glass stove tops (your appliance's manual may even specify a type), a paint scraper, glass top stove scraper, single razor blade (having a handle attached is optimal) and some clean, nonabrasive cloths.

Having gathered your materials, begin by spraying around the bottom of the pot or pan with the aerosol lubricant. Then, with the blade as flat to the surface of the stove top as possible, carefully work the paint scraper or razor back and forth under the stuck-on utensil. Repeat both parts of this step as you continue your way around and begin to loosen the debris.

Continue until all debris is gone. Then, use a cloth that has been wet with warm water to remove the crumbs of debris and begin to gently rub water on the edge of the pot. The warm water should also help to remove the pot, but don't begin to pull it off until you can feel that there is some give.

Use your straight-edged tool to gently pry the pot off the stove top. If you are met with resistance, proceed with caution. It is very easy to damage the glass on the stove top at this point. Continue using the aerosol lubricant, warm water and a sharp tool until the pot has been removed.

There are other methods to remove a stuck pot from the stove. If you would prefer to avoid using chemicals of any kind on your stove top, you can use very hot water on washcloths, according to Thrifty Fun. Press them on the stove top and around the edge of the pot. The steam should help to loosen things up.

From there, you can use a plastic knife or other kitchen tool (or a straight-edge as described earlier) to gently pry the pot off the stove top.