What’s your favorite cleaner for that nasty, cooked-on sludge? I have a stainless steel JennAire cooktop that has been ignored too long. If you recommend a harsh product to get through the cooked on stuff, do you also have a recommendation for a good grease-cutting every day cleaner?
Good grease-cutting everyday cleaner – Mr. Clean, the blue stuff. It cuts grease and you don’t have to rinse – it leaves a nice shine. I love it.
I wouldn’t recommend it for stainless steel, but I use a bathroom foam cleaner (forgot the name and I don’t have any on hand now so can’t look) on the back part of my stove. It’s the only thing that gets the grease spatters off the plastic. I hesitated before using something so strong, but it didn’t hurt the finish.
I use baking soda and hot water, and one of those nylon scrub pads.
I really like the CLR line of cleaning products.
Barkeeper’s Friend is great for stainless. It comes in a can, like Ajax, but it’s gold colored (the packaging, not the powder). Works on most metals and it’s awesome on ceramic, too.
The everyday cleaner in the Horseshoe household is Mrs. Meyer’s. We long ago used up the stuff in the spray bottle but keep refilling it with a couple Tbs worth of the all-purpose cleaner from the Mrs. M linetopped off with water. Works great on everything. Sturdy spray bottle, too. (The basil scent is our favorite, though it smells nothing like basil to me. But it smells good without being very strong.)
<Marge Simpson> “Mmm, that really covers the cat crap!” </Marge Simpson>
I forgot to mention that I’m a lazy bitch. I totally don’t want to have to scrub fercryinoutloud.
heh, I even have some of that in the cupboard. 
I love good smelling cleaners. Are these available anywhere other than online? I’d like to try out the different fragrances.
My wife has found the Red Max (available only at Lowes), works the best for cleaning our electric grill.
I just use cheap store brand glass cleaner. It’s basically just ammonia water, and really cuts the grease. I have quartz countertops, so I can use it on them. Keep in mind if you have granite or marble it could take your sealant off or etch the stone.
Baking soda is way too abrasive, and so are the nylong scouring pads.
Barkeeper’s friend is pretty god, as it sort of sticks to the baked on grease and then cleans it off. It’s great on the glass front of my toaster oven.
I use Cameo stainless steel cleaner. It comes in a white plastic can and you can usually get it at any grocery store or Walmart. It works great.
Hi Ruby! I’ve found the Mrs. Meyer’s line at Central Market and at World Market/Cost Plus. It works great for lazy folks like us, too. 
For something like greasy splatters on the stovetop, I’ve found that it works especially well to spray the stuff on, and then let it sit for a bit while your lazy ass sits back down on the couch!
Lots of Lemon scented ammonia, a DROP or two of dish liquid and hot water…
tsfr