Cleaning Your Glass-Ceramic Cooktop Before using your cooktop for the first time, apply a cooktop cleaning product specially formulated for glass-ceramic cooktops. Apply with a non-abrasive pad, paper towel or clean cloth. This helps make future cleaning easier. Various soil levels require different cleaning methods: Light to Moderate Soil: Apply cooktop cleaner with a non-abrasive pad, paper towel or clean cloth. Hand dishwashing detergent and water or a baking soda paste can also be used if cooktop is rinsed thoroughly and completely dried. Heavy Soil, Metal Markings, Brown/Gray Stains from Hard Water: Gently scrub with cooktop cleaner using a clean cloth or paper towel. Reapply cleaner. Cover with damp paper towels to keep cleaner moist. Let stand for 30-45 minutes. Scrub to remove remaining stain. Do not use abrasive powders or pads since they may scratch the surface. Burned On, Crusty Soils: Hold a razor blade scraper at 30 degree angle and very carefully scrape off soil. Clean remaining soil with cooktop cleaner. If plastic, sugar or foods with a high sugar content melt onto a hot cooktop, remove immediately. (If not removed, permanent damage may occur.) Scrape from hot surface using a razor blade scraper held carefully with a potholder or use a wooden handled stainless steel spatula. Clean residue with cooktop cleaner when surface has cooled. DO NOT use the following cleaning agents: Abrasives (metal scouring pads, cleansing powders, scouring cleaners or pads) will scratch the cooktop. Chemicals (oven cleaners, chlorine bleaches or ammonia) may damage the finish of the cooktop. Glass cleaners which contain ammonia may discolor the cooktop. Soiled cloths or sponges leave a film on the cooktop. Grit and soil in these items may also scratch the surface. Protecting Ceramic Glass Cooking Surfaces: Do not use glass, ceramic, earthenware, heatproof glass, or glazed pans; trivets or metal stands; or foil containers (crank-style popcorn poppers) -- these can mark or etch the surface. Do not use the glass-ceramic cooktop as a work surface, as a cutting board, or for cooking food directly on the cooktop without a pan. To prevent damage to the cooktop, do not slide metal or glass items across the cooktop. Depending on the type of aluminum, moving cookware with aluminum bottoms across the cooktop may result in metal marks on the cooktop. Metal markings must be removed immediately after the cooktop is cool. If they are not removed, these marks may become permanent. Further efforts to remove them could cause chipping of the cooktop. Although the metal marks or the chipping may be visually undesirable, the performance of the cooktop will not be affected.