Tips on How to Clean Your Oven

Cleaning your oven regularly keeps your oven hygienic and is an important safety measure. A buildup of leftover food and grease is a fire hazard. How often you need to clean your oven depends on how often you use it. Experts recommend cleaning your oven once a month if you use it regularly. Here are some of the best tips on how to clean your oven!

Self-Cleaning Features

Many ovens have a self-cleaning feature that heats your oven to a very high temperature to incinerate any food, grease and bacteria inside. They generally work well when needed, but you shouldn’t rely on this function for regular cleaning. The temperature can be hazardous and is unnecessary for cleaning smaller amounts of residue. 

Some appliances come with a steam cleaning cycle, but tests have shown them to be less effective at deep cleaning than traditional self-clean features. 

Hand-Cleaning

When cleaning the inside of your oven by hand, you have a few different options: 

• Store-Bought Oven Cleaner – This can be an easy solution for cutting down grease and grime. 
• Baking Soda, Vinegar and Water – This method will take a bit more time but is free from harsh chemicals and won’t cost you anything if you already have baking soda and vinegar in your pantry.
• Water and Lemon – This method quickly freshens your oven if it isn’t very dirty. 

Store-Bought Cleaner

Purchasing a chemical-based cleaner can be an excellent way to clean an oven quickly and effectively. 

When using chemicals, you’ll want to wear gloves so you don’t irritate your skin. You’ll also want to wear eye protection as the cleaners can be acidic. As with any oven cleaning method, you’ll want to avoid the heating element in electric ovens and the bottom vent panel in gas ovens. 

Some cleaners are harsher than others, so it’s essential to clean the label to find one that you’re comfortable using in your household. You’ll also want to ensure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Baking Soda, Vinegar and Water

This method is excellent if you want a safe, deep cleaning solution, but it will take more time to clean than a store-bought cleaner. 

To use this method, you’ll need to make a paste with equal water and baking soda. Remove your oven racks and apply the paste to the inside of your oven, avoiding the heating element and bottom vents. 

You’ll want to leave the paste on for around 12 hours for a deep clean and at least one hour for a lighter clean. 

To clean off the paste, spray vinegar and wipe it off with a paper towel or clean it off with a vinegar-soaked sponge. 

Lemon and Water 

This method is a natural and effective way to give your oven a light cleaning. 

To use this method, fill a medium-sized oven-safe bowl with water and add two lemons, each cut in half. Set your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and place the bowl on a rack before closing the oven for one hour. 

After the hour has passed, turn your oven off and set it to a point where it is still warm but not too warm to the touch. Then, wipe the residue away with a damp cloth. 

Cleaning Oven Racks

You’ll want to clean your oven racks separately to avoid damaging them. The easiest way to clean caked-on food and grime from your oven racks is to soak them in a tub filled with water and dish soap and use a rag or dryer sheet to scrub the residue away. 

Cleaning Oven Windows

Even after a self-clean cycle, glass oven windows can still be greasy or grimy. However, there are easy ways to make your glass safe and shiny. 

To clean the outside of the window, you can use a natural glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth to gently scrub away the grime. 

Cleaning the window inside has a few more steps but doesn’t require any special equipment. To clean it, make a half cup of baking soda and water paste to spread on the window’s inside. Remove the paste with a microfiber cloth around 15 to 20 minutes after applying. 

Regular Cleaning for a Safer Kitchen 

It’s essential to regularly clean your oven in order to maintain a safe cooking environment. A build-up of grease and grime is a fire risk, not to mention it could get on the food you are trying to cook. 

With the right tools, you’ll keep all parts of your oven ready to go to feed yourself and your family.