apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I would try denatured alcohol. But be very careful and make sure the stove is cold, unplugged would be even better. If you can't get it off, and your stove is electric, you should be able to replace the heating element. Check with an appliance dealer.

Can you remove the element so you can work on it while it's not plugged in? One of our homes had the kind you could just pull out of the sockets to get under the cooktop to clean up boil-over messes. Maybe a blue Scotch Brite pad -- the kind that doesn't leave scratches -- would remove it with gentle scrubbing. Or maybe the very handy Barkeeper's Friend cleanser?

I hate to sound too eco-unfriendly here, but how much does a new element cost? Cleaning ENAMEL off a heating element? Sounds very dangerous in more than one way. If you don't burn down the house, wouldn't it, at the very least, possibly put the rank putrescence of burned enamle in your air, and make your food soak it up?

And can you tell that I don't have an elecric stove, nor do I really cook enough to really know, but am just throwing that out there as a possibly irrational fear mixed in with a certain amount of laziness, along with a certain amount of the idea of "refreshing" that September wants to be about by buying something new that's just about had it?

We just heard about howtocleananything.com - which is helpful - and they have instructions for taking your electrical element out of your stove for cleaning...

Thank you for the suggestions. I have unplugged the element. I tried a steel wool pad, but have not tried denatured alcohol. I'll try that. I may have to replace the heating element. I live in a small town and will have to wait until I go into a city where there is a dealer. I still haven't given up hope of removing the enamel, though. Stubborn, I guess. :)

Try the appliance manufacturer's website before you end up at a store where you aren't sure which fits where. I know what it's like to live in a small town.

if you're willing to buy a new element, I'd try Mr. Clean Magic Eraser's first. They're freakin' awesome. Just don't every use them on a glossy finish - they'll scuff it.

My mother burnt the arse out of my white enamel kettle several years ago while visiting me. I have never been able to get the enamel off the element.

I don't use that element very often - it really only gets heated up because it's the one over the heat vent in the oven. But it's been fine, no fumes (that I can detect). I think I'm just going to replace the element when I leave the apartment.

And I refuse to own any more enamel cookware.

The enamel wont come off unfortunatly.
plus if you heat it up too much it will release really potent fumes (ie, gag quality that you prolly aint experianced before) and they aren't too good for you.

Replace the element and don't do it again :-P

The element is ruined. Buy a new one. Trust me.
I cleaned several using liquid paint stripper, but the time and money spent cleaning is better spent just replacing it.

If I may throw out one more suggestion...based on experience:

whistling teakettles & kitchen timers

if they only save you one ruined pot or stove (or kitchen fire) a year, they are still worth using every single time.

Whistling teakettles don't help, if you forget to put the whistle down, or wander off to a part of the house where you can't hear it. I lost the Chantal kettles mentioned on another thread because my mom forgot to put the whistle cap down.

Replace the element and buy an electric kettle that shuts itself off after the water boils. You can get one by Melitta for around $30; there are others on the market with various features and styles for more or less money.

Can you clean electric stove elements in the dishwasher?

Thanks for the advice I'll have to watch my kettle
:)

You guys are making way too much of this, Im a maintenance repair tech for a string of apartment complexes. Just pull the element out,(preferably while its cold for your fingers sake) and take an old knife, or a box cutter, or an exacto blade and cut/scrape the enamel off. The element cover is made of carbon steel so you wont likely damage it, and a couple of scratches arn't usually a big deal to most people.