Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I was cooking and a bag of cheese fell on to my stove-top. Now I have a lovely, rather large, spot of melted plastic on the flat top. What can I do to get it off? The manufacturer won't give me any suggestions because of liability. So, I would be so grateful for any from you guys! Thanks!

Tori

Answers:

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Next time you melt plastic on your appliances ie. stove, toaster, counter top, oven etc., use nail polish remover with acetone. Acetone melts plastic. (11/15/2006)

By Laurie

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I tried some of the things I read here - razor blade, oil, pre-wash spray - we didn't have any of the cleaning cream - it was a brand new stove and the first thing we did was melt plastic on it! What I did was let it cool, and I picked at it a bit with my fingernails and the razor blade but that was sort of scary like I'd hurt it somehow.

What worked: I heated it up and took large wads of paper towels so I didn't burn myself. I rubbed inward as not to spread it out, and after about 5 wads I got it mostly off. There was still a thin film so I put glass cleaner (Windex like) on a clean dish towel and rubbed it with that and it came off.

Since the stove is new I found cleaning cream in the drawer - today - after the fact. I will give it a good once over. But today all is well.

Personally, I think warming it up a little (I turned it on and off to just warm it) and wiping with the paper towels and then cleaning with window cleaner and cream is the easiest way and least likely to damage the cook top.

Thanks for being here as I needed this information last night. (11/22/2006)

By Amber Allanson

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Plastic bag from tortillas (corner inch got stuck) was erroneously placed on the hot burner. Next day, I VERY gently lifted excess off with X-acto (R) knife and a plastic scraper. Then tried 4 seconds of heat, and again the same tools. Cooled it down immediately. Tried Cerama-Bryte (R) for stove-tops, but that did a minimal amount. And the stove-top was smudgy after the heat and cleaner, so I used distilled white vinegar. Between it and a fingernail, I got off the rest. Inside five-six minutes total. (02/02/2007)

By Andrea K

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I combined several points of advice and had success within minutes with Bar Keeper's Friend Powder. A tortilla bag melted completely to my cook-top (turned on the wrong burner). I immediately logged on and searched the internet. By the time I compiled information, my cook-top was still warm.

Here's what I did:

While cook-top was still warm, I used a new razor blade and carefully scraped plastic residue. It still left the majority of the melted plastic, so I reheated the burner for another 15 seconds and started to scrape again. I couldn't get all of the plastic off. Then I added a little water to prevent scratching. No different results. So again, while still warm, I used Bar-Keeper's Friend (powder form) and a wet rag and it came off very easily and quickly. (03/17/2007)

By Joy

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Thanks for the nail polish suggestion. Worked awesome! (07/01/2007)

By A Mitchell

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Ok, I can't thank you ALL enough. For me it was a hot dog bun wrapper (also). While warm, I used the razor blade and spray bottle of water to get off the large top layer but was left with a colored film. Then, when cool, I used the acetone with NO success. Then, the WD40- and voila! That took off 99% of it and then I used my cream cleaner two full times. Thanks ALL! It seems that every plastic reacts a little different. (11/08/2007)

By Janelle

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I put a plastic container on a hot burner today and luckily I had a razor blade. I let the burner cool then scraped off the plastic (keeping the blade as flat to the burner as I could). The cook-top looks as good as new! (11/09/2007)

By Erica

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Thank you, I was afraid to try some of the methods. I had a plastic bowl melt on my cook-top. It had cooled by the time I got home. I used WD-40 and a pampered chef scraper, took it right off. Then used my creme cleaner, looks like new. (02/01/2008)

By Carol Lee

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Thank you so much for all your tips! They have saved my bum AGAIN! My boyfriend melted a plastic lid to the top of our roommate's toaster oven. I thought we were going to have to fork out money to buy them another one. Nail polish remover and WD-40 worked like a charm. Thanks again y'all! (03/03/2008)

By Annie

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Let it cool and then use a razor blade. Hold it as flat as possible and take your time. Thanks for the help--took the plastic right off! (03/29/2008)

By Lynda

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I just cleaned mine with the edge of a sharp knife and laundry spot remover spray. Thanks for the idea. I couldn't find the WD40. I clean the cook top as directed with the cleaner and scratch-less pad every evening when I clean up the kitchen. It takes only a minute but that way I never start with a spill on there. It stays really nice. (Of course that was before I melted the bag on it.) I love the cook top. Just don't let any spill stay and don't cook until you wipe it off if you do have a spill. (04/22/2008)

By Kathie

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Mine was a plastic grocery bag that blew onto the hot burner. I didn't have any razor blades, but I got it off once it was cool by keeping it moist with nail polish remover (it will evaporate quickly, so put some on a paper towel and wipe it when it dries) and a sharp knife at a flat angle. (05/09/2008)

By Erin

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Great advice! My boyfriend dropped the bag of tortillas out of the microwave onto the hot burner and it instantly transferred the color from the bag onto the top. A little Windex (because I don't have anything else that was mentioned since we just moved in) worked wonders! (06/12/2008)

By erikay

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

My wife sat a hot pot on Saran Wrap and the cook top surface was hot...it melted and smelled! Thanks for the tips. I used WD-40 and a new razor blade scraper. Instant removal. Remember that WD-40 is GREAT for removing labels from any hard surface. NASA should probably be getting royalties for WD-40. THEY invented it. WD stands for Water Displacement and 40 was the 40th formula tried. (09/23/2008)

By Raleigh Resident

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

After my wife put a melted plastic coffee container on our flat stove I read this thread trying to find an answer how to clean the mess. Came back to the kitchen, determined to give WD40 a go, and first started to remove coffee with a wet sponge cloth. Suddenly, while rubbing the melted plastic mass, it's just detached itself from the surface leaving no visible traces below! Cream polish after that, put the surface in the mint condition.

Note - the surface had completely cooled when I did the cleaning. (11/18/2008)

By Cedomil

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

You guys are geniuses. Like an idiot, I tried to cook soup on my mom's stove with a PLASTIC POT. (I swear it looked like metal -- really, who has a plastic soup pot?) We let it cool down, googled "plastic burned glass stove-top," and found this site. The WD40 worked like a gosh darned charm. Thanks very much. (12/20/2008)

By Susan

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Okay, I googled this and couldn't believe there were more idiots like me; sort of refreshing I suppose. I put my lunch cooler on the stove top to move it out of the way and accidentally turned on the stove. 45 minutes later, I smelled something horrid in our kitchen and realized what had happened. When I lifted it off the stove, a big plume of black smoke went throughout the kitchen and the bottom of the thing lay stuck to the hot stove top. I will try the suggestions noted here (WD40) and see what happens. Thanks! (01/07/2009)

By Sonya in NH

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I also melted plastic bags on my still hot cook-top. Per the suggestions, I waited until the cook-top was completely cool, peeled off any excess plastic, and used WD40 and a butter knife and was able to scrape it all off. It's as good as new now! (01/13/2009)

By Laura

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I purchased a kit from Lowe's that had a small razor and a scrubber (for about $10) and used that. My stove looks like new! (01/13/2009)

By Lori

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Thanks for the tip! My GF accidentally set the tea kettle on top of a plastic and wire fastener from the top of a bag of coffee beans. She didn't see it, as it was dark. I smelled something, but didn't realize what had happened until this morning. The WD40 took it off both the stove-top as well as the bottom of the tea kettle in a jiffy! Thanks again! (01/20/2009)

By Matthew Gardiner

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Thanks so much! My mother put a plastic lid on the still-hot burner last night. My 1st floor smelled like a Mold-A-Rama machine for at least an hour! We managed to get most of it off with a spatula and the recommended cleaner-and-scrubby. But there's still a bit left - I will try the WD-40 and see what happens! (01/28/2009)

By Winona

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

Thanks to everybody for your suggestions! I tried WD-40 and a razor blade. My melted plastic had been on the cook-top for a couple of years. We just didn't use that burner anymore.

My melted plastic must have been the worst case. It took me about 3 hours of hard scraping to remove all of the melted plastic! Unlike others who suggested using the razor at a flat angle, I found it was best to use it at around 80-85 degrees. Then, the blade would sometimes catch onto the smooth, melted plastic. My cook-top now looks almost new. Also, I found it helpful to scrape with the razor when it was almost dry of the WD-40. It made the "catching" of an edge easier.

I just went back to Sears to get a refund on a new cook-top that I just bought yesterday. My hard work saved me $673! (03/15/2009)

By Shannon

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

An even more aggressive approach, should any of the suggested measures fail, would be a solvent-type speedy paint remover or methyl ethyl ketone. Do not get any of it on paint or plastic (duh) and ventilate the area well because the vapors are poisonous and flammable. Do not turn the stove on until all the fumes are gone. (That would also go for things like nail polish remover.) If you can take the stove or cook-top outside it would be safest. (03/19/2009)

By Dan

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I guess there are a thousand renditions of this story! Mine was a Reynold's oven bag which became one with a hot burner. I scraped and scraped with a sharp razor, but could only get the biggest spots smaller. My manual described it as a "permanent damage" situation, so I came to this site. WD-40 for 10 minutes, sharp razor blade at 45 degree angle got most of it. Then acetone and razor to get the stuff I couldn't find an "edge" to. Miraculous! Thanks. I thought I saw a new glass top in my future! (04/13/2009)

By Deb

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I used a putty knife and "Goof Off." All cleaned off in a minute or two. (07/30/2009)

By Tom Warren

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I just took a plastic container out of the microwave and set it on the still hot stove top, melted the bottom right off it. Here's what I did to get a lot of it up. I used a bunch of paper towels (to keep from burning my hand, I suppose you could wrap an oven mitt in paper towels) and soaked up the melted plastic into the paper towel. I got quite a bit of it. I tried reheating the element to melt what plastic was left and got a little more with the paper towels. I'll try the WD-40 and razor blades on the very very thin film of plastic that the paper towel didn't absorb. (10/22/2009)

By Jeff

Plastic Melted on a Smooth Cooktop Range

I just did the WD40/razor blade thing. Dang! You guys are good! Worked like a charm. I would have never thought of WD40. (11/16/2009)

By Christy