Samantha said, “Hi, I recently touched the cuff of my fleece sweater on the hot stove and it burned on a little. So, I used the scrub pad and cleaning cream that came with the stove to remove it. Now, most of the burned area is removed, but there is a dullness (not scratched) on the area that I cleaned. How can I restore the shine? Or is it permanent? My stove is a stainless steel Samsung. The cooking surface is a black, flat top. It is a small area that is marked. There doesn’t seem to be any scratches; just a faded, foggy looking patch.”
Although 
no scratches are visible, a dullness or foggy appearance on a stove top is often fine scratches left behind from scrubbing, even if it was done using the scrubber that came with the stove. Even the slightest bit of abrasive material can dull a glossy finish, and that abrasive material can be as single granule of dust, such as the kind that is left behind from the burnt material that needed the scrubbing. If this is the case, then no cleaning product will restore the glossy shine – but a polishing product will.
Pre-Clean
Start by pre-cleaning the stove. If you have not used the burned since the previous cleaning, you can skip this step. Make sure the burners are turned off and cool before cleaning, then clean the area as you normally would, making sure it is dry before proceeding to the spot polishing tips.
Spot Cleaning & Polishing
Here are three polishing products you can choose from that should work to remove the dullness and restore the shine. You should not be scrubbing with these products, but rather gently polishing; the product should do the work. Scrubbing might make it worse.
- Bar Keepers Friend
- Bar Keepers Friend is a powder so wet the stove top. Sprinkle it over the stove top, concentrating on the dull area. Wait a few minutes then wipe it off with a damp cloth followed by a drying and polishing with a soft, clean cloth. If the foggy area remains, repeat the process.
- Cameo
- Cameo is another polishing product. It is also a powder so you will need to wet the area, and then sprinkle some of the product onto it. With a wet cloth, gently rub the product into the area. (Rub, don’t scrub.) Rinse with clear water. Dry and polish with a clean cloth.
- CookTop Cleaning Crème
- Apply directly to the dull area. Gently work it in using a soft cloth. Rinse with clean cloth and water. Dry and polish with clean cloth.
I used the scrub pad that came with my GE Profile stainless steel black top stove and had the same problem with the foggy appearance after scrubbing with the pad. I was very disappointed that the manufacturer shipped a cleaning pad to use with the stove that caused micro scratches on the surface. The fogginess looked very noticeable under the 50 watt halogen bulbs of the range hood. I tried all the leading cleaners and nothing appeared to work for polishing out the scratches. About a month later, I came across a testimonial for a glass polishing compound called “cerium oxide” that people had reported using on foggy-looking glass stove tops with excellent results. I was somewhat skeptical, but decided to order the cerium oxide online. I used it with amazing results. A little bit of intense elbow grease with a thin clean cloth rubbing over the surface several times and I had the stove top looking brand new. I was very very impressed!!
Bought a new house and the stove is a “top of the line” Frigidaire Professional Series with this horrible glass stove top that has these tiny fine scratches all over it. I have tried EVERYTHING. Microfiber cloths, glass stovetop cleaner, metal polish, even a buffing wheel attached to the drill. NOTHING works to remove them. Not even the cerium oxide. Now, I have a cloudy spot someone mentioned above. I am ready to cry, but this is not really all that terrible a problem in the grand scheme of things, so I am trying to focus on that. I hardly ever cook on it…maybe a glasstop stove support group is next?
Bar Keepers Friend was a lifesaver; great tip!
Didn’t do squat for me.
Bar Keepers Friend did the trick — got the faded look off…I have used the creame and the scrubber to no avail…but Bar Keepers Friend did the trick.
Why do they even sell these black flat glass top ranges? My old range had a flat glass top, but it had white specks throughout the black so you hardly noticed the dull or scratched areas. I took it for granted until I got this new one that shows EVERY SPOT and drives me crazy!
I have the same problem with the fogginess on my burners. I have tried the Bar Keepers Friend and it is not working for me. I have added water to the stove top, sprinkled on the powder and left for a few minutes, wiping off with damp cloth and polishing with new clean cloth. No changes to cooktop…am I doing something wrong? Or any other suggestions? This stove is two months old and already looks like it’s headed for the garbage pile. Thanks.
I have the same problem. Have you found anything that removes that dull white issue?
I think these glass cooktops are making people like me and the above two commenters crazy. I too got small scratches during the first week of use. I found a lady on eBay and Etsy who makes a cloth pad for the cooktop so you don’t have to look at it. Best regards.
Give a solution to the problem of a dull cooktop burner. You keep posting cries for help with no solution.
Lynn,
We just updated the article to be more clear. Sorry for the confusion! Is there another topic you need a solution for as well? We’re happy to help and always working to improve these guides.
Where can I purchase cerium oxide retail? Thanks.
It is in rubbing compound. But Walmart sells other cleaning products with it in them. I googled it.
I’m trying cerium oxide – Bar Keeper’s Friend seemed to create a dull finish on my new Samsung cooktop … the opposite of what it’s supposed to do.
I have a black glass top stove with greese spots on the stove top. This has created little shiny white dots of colour that seem to be under the glass top. The glass top is smooth to the touch so the stains are under the glass. Is there a way to remove these spots? Your idea of the cloth pad maybe what I end up having to do!
Add me to the list. Mine is 5 months old and only the best cleaners for me.
I wouldn’t even cook on it ’til I found out how to clean it.
Then the two cloudy spots that never go away unless you look at it from a different angle. The LED hood vent really showcases the two spots.