How to Clean an Induction Cooktop: Do Four Manufacturers Agree on Baking Soda?

Two brands publish a baking soda method for induction glass, a third bans abrasive cleaners without naming baking soda, and a fourth calls baking soda abrasive in its gas stove advice while banning abrasives on induction.

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Quick answer: Milton and Electrolux India each publish a baking soda method for induction glass. Crompton forbids abrasive cleaners and does not mention baking soda. Borosil gives baking soda only for a gas stove top, crediting “the abrasive nature of baking soda”, and for induction names “a specially designed induction cooktop cleaning liquid” and says to stay clear of abrasive cleaners. All four are manufacturers, so the tiebreak we normally use, a manufacturer beats a third party, has nothing to break. We print all four positions and leave the decision with your manual.

What the manufacturers say goes wrong on the glass

The four cleaning pages quoted here were read from each brand’s own site on 13 September 2026 and re-read on 29 September 2026. Each names different damage, and the damage is what each rule is built on.

• Crompton: abrasive cleaners or scrubbers “can scratch the surface”; metal tools or utensils “can scratch or damage the surface”; harsh chemicals “such as ammonia or bleach” can “damage the surface of the cooktop and cause discoloration”; and water or cleaning solution allowed to seep “into the edges or controls of the cooktop” can cause “electrical damage”.
• Borosil, in its induction section: abrasive cleaners, scrubby sponges or steel wool “may etch permanent scars on the glass’s pristine surface”.
• Milton: strong detergents and liquids “can reduce the efficiency of the surface glass or malfunction system components”. Its summary list adds “Use only non-metal tools”.
• Electrolux India: abrasive scrubbing pads, steel wool, chlorine bleach cleaners, flammable substances, caustic cleansers and powdery cleaning agents “can inflict permanent damage”.

The intervals differ too. Milton: “You should follow these cleaning steps once a week.” Electrolux India: “It’s advisable to clean your induction and radiant cooktop after every cooking session.” Glen, an India-headquartered brand whose troubleshooting page (read 13 September 2026) we read for the fan section below, says to “wipe the cooled glass after every use”. This page covers cleaning only; our guide to using an induction cooktop holds the presets and usage instructions.

The baking soda argument, and why this page does not settle it

Four brands, four positions. Each needs its own words, because two of them are easy to misread.

Milton lists “baking soda” and “diluted vinegar” among its cleaning materials, with a dwell time: sprinkle a little on the surface and “cover it with a wet cloth for about 10-15 minutes”, then “wipe the area in a circular motion”. Its prohibition is “Avoid strong detergents and liquids”, under the heading “Avoid Harsh Chemicals and Scrubbers”. It names no abrasive cleaner and no powder, so we do not read Milton’s page as contradicting itself.

Electrolux India recommends “mild yet potent solutions such as dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar”, and answers its own question, “Can I use baking soda on my glass cooktop?”, with “Yes, you can use a paste made from baking soda and water”. For the same induction and radiant cooktops, it says to stay away from “powdery cleaning agents” and “harsh or abrasive materials”. The page never calls baking soda powdery or abrasive. That the two statements collide is our reading, not something Electrolux says.

Crompton states a blanket rule: “Avoid using abrasive cleaners or scrubbers: These can scratch the surface.” Its page does not mention baking soda or vinegar anywhere.

Borosil is the one to read carefully. Its baking soda method, sprinkle it and rub with the cut side of a lemon “in gentle, circular motions”, is written for “your gas stove top”, under a gas stove heading, and it credits “the abrasive nature of baking soda”. Its induction section names a specially designed induction cleaning liquid and a dishtowel, and says to “stay clear of abrasive cleaners, scrubby sponges, or steel wool”. Borosil never says whether baking soda may go on induction glass. Reading its abrasive ban as covering baking soda is our inference from its two sections, not a Borosil instruction.

Laid side by side: Milton and Electrolux India permit baking soda on induction glass; Crompton forbids abrasive cleaners and never names it; Borosil gives it only for a gas stove. Only Electrolux India’s page, on our reading, permits baking soda and forbids powdery or abrasive agents for the same surface.

Our two source rule breaks ties by preferring a manufacturer over a third party. All four are manufacturers, so the rule has nothing to break. We are not resolving this for you, and the steps below do not quietly pick a side.

Our position, and it is ours rather than any brand’s: read the manual that came with your cooktop before putting anything abrasive on that glass, and where it disagrees with a brand page quoted here, the manual wins. We also do not suggest mixing cleaning agents. Where a brand publishes a combination, that is that brand’s combination, not a general licence.

What each manufacturer permits and forbids

“Not addressed” below means we read and searched the article body of that brand’s page, as re-read on 29 September 2026, and found no mention of the item. It describes that one page, not the brand’s manuals or other pages, and it is not a permission.

Crompton’s page does not mention baking soda or vinegar anywhere. Its blanket rule against abrasive cleaners is the only rule on it that could reach baking soda, and that reach is our reading.
In Borosil’s gas stove top section only; its induction section does not address it.
**Milton’s “Scrubbers” appears only in the heading “Avoid Harsh Chemicals and Scrubbers”; its page does not address abrasive pads or steel wool.

How to clean an induction cooktop, step by step

The steps the pages describe line up where they overlap.

1. Switch off, unplug, let it cool. Crompton: “Allow the cooktop to cool completely before cleaning.” Milton says to “unplug the appliance from the switchboard to protect yourself from getting an electric shock”, and explains the wait: the machine’s “magnetic coil and circuit board are brought down to room temperature”.
2. Take loose debris off with a soft cloth. Crompton names “a soft cloth or sponge, using light pressure”; Milton and Electrolux India both name microfibre.
3. Choose the agent from the table, not from this sentence. This is the contested step. Mild dish soap or detergent with water is permitted by Milton and Electrolux India; the Crompton and Borosil pages do not address it. Crompton’s permitted agents are “a non-abrasive cleaning solution specifically designed for glass cooktops” and “a ceramic or induction-based glass cleaner”. Borosil’s induction section names a specially designed induction cleaning liquid.
4. Lift stuck residue with a scraper, never metal. Crompton permits “a specialised scraper designed for glass cooktops”. Milton permits a plastic one and says why: “This tool’s hardness is less than glass, which makes it less risky to remove stubborn dirt. But make sure you press it gently.” Electrolux India says to hold the scraper “flat against the surface”. Crompton forbids metal tools and utensils; Milton says “Use only non-metal tools”.
5. Rinse, dry, and keep water off the edges. Crompton: rinse with clean water, dry with a clean towel, and do not let water or cleaning solution reach the edges or controls.

Can you clean an induction cooktop with Colin?

Three things are true here, and the third is the one that stops us.

First, none of the four pages we read from Crompton, Milton, Borosil and Electrolux India names Colin or any branded Indian glass cleaner.

Second, the nearest published rule is Crompton’s, and it covers a class of chemical rather than a product: harsh chemicals “such as ammonia or bleach” can “damage the surface of the cooktop and cause discoloration”. Crompton’s permitted alternative is “a ceramic or induction-based glass cleaner”.

Third, we could not read Colin’s own ingredient list. On 13 September 2026 colin.co.in did not load and Reckitt’s products page showed a page-not-found error.

So this page will not tell you Colin contains ammonia, and it will not tell you it does not. This page has no source for either statement. Where a question names a product this page has no source for, our rule is to report what we could not find rather than reason from ingredients we never saw. What is left to you: read the back of the bottle in your own kitchen against Crompton’s rule, and check your cooktop’s manual, the document written about your specific glass.

The cooling fan and the vents, which a glass-only routine misses

The glass is the part you look at. The part Glen names as failing sits under it.

Milton: “take a brush and properly clean all vents to ensure better airflow. Cleaning up air exhaust and intake vents keeps your cooktop at an ideal temperature and reduces the risk of overheating.” Milton also ties it to the bill: “When the surface and air vents are clean, the electric cooker does not require extra load to deliver the same performance as when it was new.”

Glen lists “Blocked ventilation: dust or stored items choke the vents underneath”, with the fix “clear the vents underneath and leave a gap around the unit for airflow”, and separately “Overheating: prolonged high-power cooking trips the thermal sensor”.

That blocked vents lead to overheating is published independently by two India-headquartered manufacturers, Milton and Glen.

One diagnostic is Glen’s alone, and we flag it as Glen’s alone rather than as a consensus: “A soft hum is normal, especially with thin or lightweight vessels. Loud rattling or grinding is not, and points to a loose part or a failing cooling fan.” Glen describes a failing cooling fan as “a grinding noise that grows louder over time”, and its instruction is not a cleaning instruction: “Stop using it if you hear grinding or rattling, and book a technician before a failing fan takes the board with it.” We reproduce that rather than soften it.

How long does an induction cooktop last

We publish no number, and this is what was checked before deciding not to. The five India-market induction pages read for this guide on 13 September 2026, from Crompton, Milton, Borosil, Electrolux India and Glen, carry no service life figure between them. An earlier pass on 5 August 2026 checked four separate sources for induction service life, and each returned nothing published. Two independent passes, nine sources, no published figure. If you are still choosing between technologies, our induction vs infrared cooktop comparison covers how each one heats.

What we could not verify

• Colin’s ingredient list. colin.co.in did not load and Reckitt’s products page showed a page-not-found error, both on 13 September 2026. Nothing on this page says what Colin contains, in either direction.
• Induction cleaning guidance from six further Indian brands, all attempted 13 September 2026. Prestige’s blog index loaded and holds no induction cleaning or cooktop care post; Bajaj’s blog page list loaded and holds no induction cleaning post; Butterfly’s own site search for “induction cooktop cleaning” returned zero results; Pigeon and Usha returned no response; Havells’ page list and its index of page lists both showed a page-not-found error. That is a record of what we checked, not a ranking of the brands.
• Whether Borosil would permit baking soda on induction glass. Its page does not say either way.
• Whether baking soda harms induction glass over time. None of the passages we read from the four brands’ pages gives evidence, a comparison or a hardness figure behind its position. Milton’s line that a plastic scraper’s “hardness is less than glass” is the only hardness reasoning in what we read, and it is about a scraper.
• Whether any two agents may be used together, beyond a combination a brand publishes itself.
• A service life figure, as above.