I used Cerama Bryte to see if it would dissolve the years of buildup. It did not but it did clean just about everything else and the instructions taught me how to solve the problem. I carefully used a straight edge utility razor scrapper to pick at the debris. I didn't do it all at once, I just worked a half-hour or so at a time and finally completed the task in about 24 hours in four or five sessions. Another application of Cerama Bryte brought the cooktop back to an almost new look.