Heat and Scrape Plastic Residue

What happens here

Direct the hot air from the hairdryer onto the melted plastic residue on the heating element. Move the hairdryer around to evenly heat and soften the plastic. Once the plastic becomes pliable, take your rigid plastic card and gently but firmly scrape the melted plastic off the heating element. Work slowly and carefully to avoid scratching the element itself. Collect all scraped plastic pieces to prevent them from falling into the dishwasher drain.

Goal: Remove the bulk of the melted plastic from the heating element's surface.