Jen - It is obviously grease.

It might be plastic.

Two of my plastic serving spoons fell into the bottom of the dishwasher on christmas day and landed against the element. It wasn't till we smelled the terrible smell that we knew what had happened.

They're probably highly toxic fumes they gave off.

I removed the burner and soaked it in hot soapy water and then scrubbed with a Brillo pad. If it had been grease, wouldn't it have come off?

How would plastic get on the element?

Todd, now turn the burner on HIGH. Keep reading and posting here, and I will let you know when to turn it off.

Have you never had a bread bag, plastic bowl, plastic spoon, knife handle, pot handle (I could go on) burning away on your element?

I've had them all.

Now you've cleaned it, it should be ok. It may smoke a bit when you turn the element on but it should just burn away.

I thought you mentioned a few days ago that you had failed to remove some plastic covers prior to turning on the heat. That is one method that comes to mind. I admit I have never seen plastic covers for a stove because it just seems like such a terribly bad idea. But plastic wrap can fall on a burner by accident. Some people accidentally leave things on the stove and turn on the wrong burner. WW does this a lot. I have a rule against ANYTHING being "left" on the stove. Rules are made to be broken I guess.

Brillo would not be my first choice for scrubbing. I would have gone with something much softer. If you look at the surface of a burner element, it is not smooth. Things hide down in the grooves and brillo would not help much.

Todd,

For personal reasons, I think I need to stop posting here. If you need me, I'm on email.

Pio, I can leave now if that's what you mean.

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Are you saying I put plastic on the burner? I am no Rachel Ray but I do know better than to put plastic on a burner.

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You crack me up BigK.

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I know what you mean.

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piojitos,

What is your email address?

No Stph you have no idea what he means. This has become so surreal and bizarre that I'm not even sure it's happening.

I asked Todd, by email, to tell Pio that I found him interesting and funny and asked whether Pio found me interesting and funny. I don't know how Todd worded that but it obviously came out as "I fancy Pio." It was a silly thing to ask, I just thought it would be misconstrued if I put it on here.

Nothing could be further from what I feel. I have always hoped that Pio and Gemela would find happiness. I have spoken to them both and I just hoped they would both reach the happiness Rob and I have.

Stph, this all started when I was attempting to give you my opinion. Something about the way I said that got everyone's panties in a wad.

I AM NOT A WW. I am a happily married woman in love with my husband. I haven't given the OM a second thought since APRIL OF THIS YEAR. You could all do well to reach the stage I'm at. Sheesh, this is just absolutely bizarre.

KiwiJ-

I know EVERYTHING.

I know exactly what everyone on TKO is talking about. There are no secrets.

And BTW, this did NOT start when you gave me your opinion. It was way before that.

Well, Stph, you know more than me.

and Kiwi,

please, please, please listen to BigK.

TKO needs to be our safe haven.

Keep it that way.