Not 100% sure how to clean your oven? Follow this guide for tips on cleaning with store bought and homemade cleaning solutions.
The oven is undoubtedly one of the most neglected areas of most kitchens. I would say it is only second to the fridge in most homes. One of the reasons the oven gets so neglected is because it really is a messy job and nobody wants to do it. No matter what kind of oven you have, here are my tips on how to clean your oven so you feel confident to tackle this very dirty job.
How to Clean Your Oven
First, prepare the area with newspapers – This will be important for both application and wiping off of cleaner for keeping the rest of your areas clean. Oven cleaning is a messy endeavor!
Second, decide if you want to go with a chemical cleaner or the Eco-friendly route – Both can be equally effective. It just depends mostly on your preference. I have personally found homemade cleaners to be much cheaper than the store bought cleaners, but they sometimes require a bit more ‘elbow grease’.
Before you start, check with your manufacturer for suggestions – Always follow the instructions of your oven’s manufacturer before cleaning or applying any cleaner, including homemade types. Some ovens will lose their warranty if you don’t follow the cleaning instructions set out by the manufacturer. Also, be aware that some ovens have a ‘self-cleaning’ setting and these should not be used with cleaners, commercial or homemade. This self-cleaning cycle is mostly just a way to let the oven ‘burn off’ things in the oven at higher temps.
Remove the racks and clean them – The racks are often one of the messiest parts of the oven. I like to take them out, fill up my bathtub with water and pour in some vinegar and baking soda and allow them to sit overnight. This makes them much easier to clean the next day.
Apply commercial chemical cleaner and follow instructions on the bottle or use a baking soda paste – Commercial cleaner instructions should be followed to the ‘T’ and these cleaners should never be used with heat. Make sure your oven is cold. An easy DIY cleaning method is to use a water bottle to mist the areas of your oven (avoiding the heating elements) and pouring a generous amount of baking soda. I then like to mist it with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water and allow it to sit overnight until it’s totally dry.
Allow cleaner to sit and do the work – Commercial cleaners often only need a couple of hours to do the work while the baking soda method may need to soak overnight, so make sure you use the method that you have time for.
Make sure you wipe the area clean well and replace the racks. In the morning, if using the baking soda method, make sure you wipe the oven well with a dry cloth. Then go through with a damp one and get off any baking soda residue as it will tend to let off smoke if left on there when you go to use your oven again. If using the commercial cleaner, follow the instructions on the can.
Wipe off the exterior – I finish off my cleaning by giving the oven exterior and handles/sides a good wipe-down.
More Kitchen Cleaning Tips:
Tips for Cleaning Your Kitchen Range Hood Vents
5 Steps to a Sparkling Clean Kitchen
Nancy says
Ah, ovens…they get so dirty….
I have a brand new, self-cleaning oven….but I will not use the self cleaning feature. Why? Because the high temps for long periods (3-4 hours) destroys some features of ovens…I have a combo oven and last time it killed the microwave above. Seriously. The guy at the store where I bought this oven says even the most expensive oven is this way. His recommendation…never use the self clean feature!
so, one must clean it on their own.
I use lemon and baking soda….It works quite well….being extra careful of course of the vents and fans of the oven…..
Most new oven makers never want you to use the oven cleaner sprays….as they can also wreck the oven…..
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
Scarred Scarlett says
Hi Alea,
When I was cleaning my new-to-me apartment oven a few years ago (after the previous tenant and property management company hadn’t) I was left with not only a big scare of an explosion, but also permanent scarring from 2nd degree burns on my arms. Could have been worse. Eyes, face, more.
I mention this because I guess I was supposed to turn off beforehand the fuse to the oven. Of course, that would have made the job even more difficult because the oven lightbulb wouldn’t have been on.
The reason that I definitely prefer to use a baking soda soda method is that, when one uses the oven after cleaning, the fumes are not toxic if a little baking soda wasn’t sufficiently washed or, after drying the baking soda, wiped off.
Some chemical cleaners can be corrosive and may not need to sit as long, but they emit fumes while they are sitting. Though many noses cannot necessarily smell them, and they are invisible, the fumes are still harmful. But also, the inside of an oven is not a space where thorough rinsing is easy to do. When chemical cleaners are not sufficiently washed off, when a people use the oven after cleaning, the fumes are toxic, emitted into the household’s air and people, and like third-hand cigarette smoke remain in clothing, linens, fabrics, upholstery, drapery, carpets, wood, wall surfaces, et cetera and are harmful to people from there. And like second-hand smoke, the chemical fumes cause harm to people (not only short term but permanently) and interact negatively with skin to form harmful chemical compounds.
Personal choice. I prefer baking soda methods. With the oven fuse turned off!
Just accidentally came across your website. I like it! Will bookmark it for returning! Thank you!
Kitty says
The first thing I do before I clean the oven is that I always remove the door. Is much easier to clean. ?