How to clean ceramic hob?

Scratches, shiny spots and discolouration? A ceramic hob is not spared from this. How can damage be removed?

Glass ceramic cooktops – also known colloquially as Ceran – are popular because of their positive properties when cooking and their elegant, shiny appearance. However, if shimmering stains, scratches or other dirt appear, this easily causes displeasure. What helps against that?

Shimmering stains on the ceramic hob: where do they come from?

If shimmering spots or areas can be seen on the black glass ceramic, this is usually due to metal abrasion from the bottoms of the pots and pans. So the damage is on the surface and not under the glass. Because they are so fine, you won’t feel them when you run your palm or finger across them.

How do I get shimmering stains off the ceramic hob?

If the shimmering spots are surface defects, you will not be able to remove them completely, but you can reduce them somewhat. Special cleaners or glass ceramic polishes are commercially available for this purpose. And: the older the stains are, the harder it is to remove them.

However, try first to clean the hob with the following home remedies recommended by many manufacturers:

Glass cleaner is suitable for removing light dirt and making the ceramic hob shine – without any streaks.

Vinegar or lemon juice can remove light to medium soiling from the glass ceramic. These home remedies help especially with limescale. Pour the liquids onto a soft, lint-free cloth and rub into the stain. After about ten minutes you can wipe the ceramic hob with a clean, soft and slightly damp cloth.

For heavy soiling, you can use baking powder or soda. The household remedy not only removes burnt-in residue from baking trays, pots and the grill. It also cleans Ceran without leaving any residue. To use, mix a packet of baking soda with three tablespoons of warm water. The mass is then applied to the dirt.

Caution: Before you clean the ceramic hob, it should be completely cool.

Ceramic hob: prevent shimmering stains – is that possible?

In order for your ceramic hob to continue to shine and not get scratched, you should take proper care of it and handle it with care.

Lift pots and pans instead of moving them on the ceramic hob. This also applies to plates or other objects lying on the glass ceramic – which you should avoid anyway, as you will find out here.

Before cooking, wipe the ceramic hob with a soft, lint-free cloth. If necessary, this can also be slightly damp. Microfiber cloths are only suitable to a limited extent.

Clean your ceramic hob with the recommended cleaning agents. Especially when it comes to the shimmering spots, according to Stiftung Warentest. Scouring milk and aggressive cleaning agents are taboo. You should only use washing-up liquid if the dirt is not salt water.

Clean the bottom of your pots and pans carefully before placing them on the ceramic glass. All you have to do is wipe everything down with a soft, lint-free cloth. This removes dust, dirt and salt and sugar crystals that would otherwise damage the ceramic hob when cooking.

When cooking and frying, you should use the lowest possible temperatures. The heat can burn dirt into the glass ceramic faster and more easily. If high cooking temperatures are required, they should only be used for a short time.

Only use pots that are also suitable for the glass ceramic or ceramic hob. It is better to avoid copper and aluminum pots, as they are made from a weak alloy and the bottom can be slightly uneven.

Tip: In order to protect the material, you should only clean pots and pans by hand and not put them in the dishwasher. The dishwashing tabs are much more aggressive than the washing-up liquid.

If the shimmering spots and scratches are very pronounced, this can have a negative effect on their function. The heat is then no longer passed on as well, which means that significantly more energy and therefore electricity is required for cooking.