Heat Marks on Kitchen Aid Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop

maks_2000

11 years ago

When we remodeled our kitchen (completed 3 years ago) I found a great deal on a Kitchen Aid 36" SS Cooktop (KGCS166GSS) & could not resist buying it. I later read that KA recommended NOT canning on it since long, high temperature cook times would cause the SS to discolor. There seemed to be no way to remove the discoloration. Since I do not can I felt I was safe & stuck with my decision. Unfortunately after using the cooktop for several months I found that since I did use the higt BTU boiling burner a lot my SS was becoming discolored. When I read the manual KA was recommending "moving pots from burner to burner" when cooking for longer periods. Once I began moving the pots around the cooktop was beginning to look crummy & my normal cleaning was not taking care of it.

I have discovered Penny Brite! -- apparently a copper cookware cleaner. A newspaper reader in Atlanta asked where we might purchase it since Wolff had recommended it to clean her SS gas cooktop. I bought & feel like I have experienced a miracle. The paste recommends rubbing in circles, but with SS I rubbed with the grain. My cooktop looks like new! In Atlanta it can be found at the Cooks Warehouse locations around town (4) for $4.99. I thought I might purchase on-line, but discovered the cost tends to be $6.50+ with an equal amount of shipping. I wanted to share since there had been some discussions at the time I purchased. I was unable to find those threads. I will also cross-post on the Cleaning thread.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

sail_away
11 years ago
Thanks for posting this. I will be getting my SS cooktop installed in a couple weeks, and I've been worried about cleaning it. I would like to add that I found the "Wolf Cleaning Reference Sheet" online, and it states to use Penny Brite ONLY to remove burn marks or heat stains.

I wonder why they recommend Penny Brite, rather than another product by the same company that's designed specifically for SS---it must do better on the heat stains.

Now I'll have to see if I can find it anywhere around here

Now I'll add a question to this thread: Is there anything special about the SS on the Wolf range that would mean their cleaning recommendations wouldn't extend to other SS cooktops? I know there are many different kinds of SS used, but I presume it would be okay to try out the products they recommend for cleaning SS on my cooktop (not a Wolf)..

Here is a link that might be useful: Wolf Cleaning Reference Sheet
maks_2000
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks so much sail-away for taking the time to check the Wolf recommendation for staining & cleaning. I proceeded cautiously with the Penny Brite to make sure I wasn't headed down the wrong path & then kept my fingers crossed as I continued. LOL

I'm also interested if other stainless gas ranges or cooktops have similar issues over time. The cooking store where I purchased the Penny Brite seemed to think the 3 years of usage was a short period of time to experience the discoloration on a cooktop. Of course, it seems for this model there is a known issue.

My memory from the applicance manual the cleaning recommendations are fairly innocuous & mostly useless -- vinegar to clean water spots, wipe with a soapy cloth. I mostly use the soapy cloth/sponge & a Windex or Pledge multi-surface wipe, then at times finish with a SS wipe. You shouldn't have a problem for a while. I'm so relieved to find the Penney Brite. I hope all will be well with using it. It looked so bad I was willing to take the risk. It has been about a month since I cleaned the cooktop & the stains haven't returned. Hopefully I'll only need to use it once or twice a year . . .
Related Professionals
Hillsboro Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Roselle Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Yorba Linda Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Fort Myers Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Fremont Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Glen Allen Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Jefferson Hills Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Luling Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Newberg Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Thonotosassa Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Tuckahoe Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Saugus Cabinets & Cabinetry · Warr Acres Cabinets & Cabinetry · Harmony Plumbers · Miller Place Plumbers
sail_away
11 years ago
Good to hear your experiences and what you've found useful. I'm most afraid of scratching the SS when trying to clean burned on food stains. Actually, this is my first time with SS appliances so I am afraid of everything---heat stains, water marks, finger prints, etc.