What to Do When Plastic Melts on a Glass Cooktop

Act while the cooktop is still hot, not after it cools. GE says melted plastic should be removed while it's hot, because melted plastics can cause pitting of the surface, and that kind of damage isn't covered by the warranty (GE Appliances). That means turning off the burner and scraping right away, carefully.

Do this first

1. Turn off all surface units and move hot pans off the cooktop.
2. Put on an oven mitt. You'll be working right next to a hot surface.
3. Use a new, sharp, single-edge razor blade scraper. GE's method is to push the melted plastic to a cool area of the cooktop with the scraper, then wipe it up with paper towels.
4. Hold the scraper at a low angle and use short, firm pushes. Don't dig in with a corner of the blade.
5. Open a window or turn on the hood fan to clear the fumes.

In the next few hours

• Let the cooktop cool once the bulk is off. GE says to leave any remaining residue until the surface has cooled, then clean it.
• Clean the residue with a cooktop cleaner made for glass-ceramic surfaces and a non-scratch pad, following your manual.
• Don't use the burners until all residue is gone. GE says not to use the surface units again until then. Leftover plastic can bake on further and smoke the next time you cook.
• Inspect the glass in good light. Look for small craters (pitting), rough spots you can feel with a fingertip, or cracks.
• Check the burner itself. If the burner was on when the plastic melted, make sure it now heats and shuts off normally.

Before the technician arrives

If the glass is pitted, cracked or a burner isn't working afterward, note:

• The model and serial number. On ranges, the label is on the frame behind the oven door or drawer. On built-in cooktops, it's often on the underside of the unit or on a card in the cabinet below.
• What melted (bag, utensil, container) and how long it sat before you scraped it.
• Where the damage is and its size. GE says pitting or indentation means the glass needs to be replaced.
• Photos of the surface in good light.

What not to do:

• Don't wait until the cooktop is cold and then chip at hardened plastic.
• Don't use a dull or rusty blade, steel wool or abrasive powders.
• Don't use the burner over a pitted or cracked area. Cracked glass can let spills reach the parts below.
• Don't try to "burn off" the plastic by running the burner on high.

How to keep it from happening again

• Keep plastic off the cooktop entirely, including bags, utensils, cutting boards and food packaging, even when it's off. Residual heat lasts after the burners shut off.
• Watch the hot-surface indicator and treat the cooktop as hot while it's lit.
• Keep a razor scraper in a nearby drawer so you can act quickly if a spill happens.
• Use the same quick response for sugary spills. GE groups sugary spills with melted plastic as substances to remove while hot.

If a spill turned into a fire, follow what to do after a grease fire on the stove. For glass replacement and burner repair, see our cooktop service page.

Sources

• GE Appliances: Glass cooktop cleaning instructions

Keep in mind: Plastic scraped off while the glass is warm usually leaves no trace; plastic left to cool can leave permanent pits.

Call ProFix Dallas at (469) 886-1122 if the glass is pitted or a burner isn't working afterward.