A microwave or an oven is nothing without a cook top. Unless you’re a cannibal, you can’t eat raw meat all the time—or any time, for that matter. One of the many wonders of the modern household is the cook top, and to deprive a home of it is like setting the house itself on fire. A home is not a home without a cook top. Clean your cook top on a regular basis and make sure it is working properly at all times.

Cleaning a cook top is no easy task. Like the old adage, there’s more than one way to clean a cook top, with each method better suited for a specific type. For example:

Ceramic cook tops are those with electrical heating implements under the glass cover. They look like they’re easy to clean, yes, but don’t be fooled by looks alone. Not following proper cleaning instructions can permanently damage or discolor the ceramic surface. Buy some baking soda or a non-abrasive cleanser to use for cleaning the cook top. Sprinkle a small amount over the surface and rub using a soft sponge or scouring pad. Abrasive products should be avoided at all costs.

Non-ceramic cook tops are cleaned in much the same way, except that you can substitute the baking soda for surface polish. Surface polishes work better if the surface is wood or stainless steel.

A broken cook top is hard to please, so prepare to call for professional assistance just in case. When the cook top doesn’t turn on, perform basic troubleshooting like checking the amount of gas (if it’s a gas cook top), or if the cook top is connected to a functional wall socket (if it’s an electrical cook top). If it still doesn’t work, then it’s time to call a licensed technician over.