However careful you are, cooking on a hob is messy. It releases an enormous amount of food particles into the air, and they will have to settle somewhere. The result is a steadily-building layer of grime. We will take a look at how, through regular cleaning, a cooker hob can be kept in immaculate condition. Electric hobs come in both ceramic and stainless-steel varieties, and each demands a slightly different technique.

Cleaning a Ceramic Hob

To begin with, you will need to remove any burned-on food that might be attached to your hob. You can buy non-abrasive ceramic hob scrapers for just this purpose. It’s important to employ the right action here. You want to be coming from a low, acute angle rather than stabbing downwards, as the latter approach may damage the hob.

Next, you will want to use a cleaning fluid which is especially designed for ceramic hobs, and you will want to ensure that your hob has cooled down properly before you begin. Spray the cleaner over the hob and then allow it to soak up all of the grime. You won’t need to wait too long, just enough so that you can easily rub it away with a microfiber cloth. Using this cleaning fluid will allow the grime to wipe away easily.

If stubborn areas persist, then you might consider using something slightly more abrasive. A piece of scrunched-up newspaper might suffice, be sure to test it on a small area and stop immediately if you notice any scratching.

You will want to clean your hob regularly and quickly, and you will want to promptly address any spillages before they have a chance to harden and burn when you next use your hob.

Cleaning a Stainless-Steel Hob

When it comes to stainless-steel, it is crucial that we use the right sort of cloth. A Brillo pad, or other wire-wool product, will irreversibly damage the surface of the steel. Use a soft, microfiber cloth instead.

Bicarbonate of soda is often used to clean stainless steel appliances. It is effective, inexpensive, and gentle. The only downside is that it will remove any lettering that has been printed onto the hob far more quickly than other specialist oven cleaners. However, the substance is best reserved for troublesome spots rather than the hob as a whole. Using a damp cloth, pick up a spot of bicarbonate of soda, and the offending stain should scrub away.

When it is properly polished, stainless steel looks great. A coating of baby oil should help you to achieve the required lustre. To obtain this look, take a little bit on some kitchen roll and rub it across the surface of the hob. This will remove any fingerprints, and ensure that any stains will be easily scrubbed up next time.

Acidic substances such as vinegar, fruit juice and pickles should be removed from the surface of stainless steel as soon as possible, as they have a corrosive effect and will leave permanent marks if not promptly attended to.

Removing Hot-plates

Many hobs allow you to remove the hot-plates in order to more easily wash them. Since the plates themselves will put up with more work than the surrounding surface, and can be totally submerged in a sink for easy washing. 

Other Stains

There are some stains which require a unique approach due to the difficulty of removing them.

Molten plastic can be extremely troublesome if allowed to cool. It may become almost impossible to remove, and leave a permanent mark when, using brute force, you do manage to detach it. Keep a glass scraper handy so that you can remove it while it is still warm.

Certain foodstuffs will need to be removed with greater urgency than others. An example would be caramel as it is incredibly difficult to remove once it’s cooled, since all of those sugars become sticky and tough when allowed to dry. If you are cooking with sugars, be sure to clean up any spillages before they have had a chance to cool.

Looking for a new hob? Browse our full range of ceramic, electric, gas and induction hobs here.