How to get melted plastic off of the stove, oven, and more.

Key takeaways.

• Protect your hands. Depending on the surface of your stove, you may want to wait for the plastic to cool, or you may need to act quickly. But melted plastic is hot and could stick to your hand. If you’re removing it while it’s hot, protect your hands with heat-proof gloves.
• Keep plastic bags and cookware away from hot burners. If you get in the habit of resting cookware or plastic bags on them, you may forget when they're hot — which can melt the plastic. 
• One approach won’t work for every surface. You may need to use WD-40, nail polish remover, baking soda, ice, and/or a razor blade scraper.

Remove melted plastic from stove burners, grates, and drip pans.

So, you’re cooking, and suddenly you smell burning plastic. If you realize you’ve accidentally melted a plastic bag or piece of plastic cookware onto your gas stovetop burner, grate, or drip pans, what do you do?

1. First, turn off the burner in question. With a gas stovetop, you’ll want to wait until the plastic is cooled before removing it.
2. Use a plastic bench scraper or even (very carefully!) a razor blade to clean the melted plastic away. The melted plastic should come off in large chunks.
3. To finish, clean the gas stovetop (including grates and drip pans) with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth.

Related: How to clean your cast iron stove grates and burners.

Remove melted plastic from glass cooktops.

If you’ve melted plastic from a glass, bag, or Tupperware container onto your glass stovetop, don’t panic. On a glass stovetop, you’ll want to start working as quickly as you can. If the plastic cools, it could permanently damage your stovetop.

Follow these steps:

1. Turn off the stove and put on heat-proof gloves.
2. Use a razor blade or metal scraper to move the plastic to a cooler area of the cooktop. Wipe and scoop up the melted plastic with paper towels.
3. After removing the visible plastic residue, clean your glass stovetop thoroughly with a cream ceramic cleaner.
4. If there's still hardened plastic on the cooktop, apply a little bit of nail polish remover, WD-40, or a baking soda paste to the area. Let it sit for a few minutes before scraping it away.

Related: How to clean a glass stove top (without scratching it).

Remove melted plastic from ovens.

Did you make a mistake with a tray or pan inside your oven? If you have melted plastic inside your oven, do the following:

1. Turn off the oven immediately and wait until the interior heating elements have cooled down.
2. As you work, turn on your range or vent hood to help disperse toxic fumes.
3. Freeze the plastic by placing a bag of ice on it. This makes it as brittle as possible.
4. Use a razor blade scraper (or plastic scraper) to remove the melted plastic. For gas ovens, you may need to remove the bottom pan and perform this step outside the oven.

Related: How to clean your oven inside and out.

Remove melted plastic from the microwave.

You should be extremely careful when using plastic implements or containers in your microwave. Anything not explicitly labeled “microwave-safe” can melt, leaving you with unpleasant melted plastic to clean up.

Here's an easy way to get rid of melted plastic in your microwave:

1. Microwave a cup of water (in a microwave-safe container!) for several minutes until it’s boiled and the microwave is steamy.
2. Leave it closed to let the steam loosen the plastic.
3. Scrape it away carefully with your scraper.

Related: Easy ways to clean your microwave — inside and out.

Remove melted plastic from countertops.

Because kitchen countertops are made from a variety of different materials, you may need to vary your approach based on the type you have installed. However, for most materials, you should remove as much plastic as possible while it’s still warm. Follow these steps:

1. Use heat-proof gloves and a razor blade to start. Remove as much of the plastic as possible.
2. Place a bag of ice on the remaining melted plastic to get it as cold as possible.
3. Scrape or chip away the hardened plastic.
4. Finish up by cleaning your countertop with a gentle mixture of baking soda or a manufacturer-recommended cleaning product. That cleaner mixed with water should remove the last of the damage.

Note: For granite and marble countertops, avoid using acidic and abrasive cleaners. Be careful not to scratch these surfaces, as well as stainless steel, when scraping away the plastic.

Find cleaning and repair services on Thumbtack.

Fortunately, removing melted plastic from surfaces in your kitchen is an easy DIY project. However, if the plastic has melted onto a critical component of your microwave, stove, or oven, you may want to hire a repair professional. 

Download the Thumbtack app and start comparing top-rated appliance repair pros near you today. You can also find local house cleaning services on the app. Consider scheduling a one-time (or recurring) cleaning to ensure your home is sparkling clean.