Today I’m sharing a couple of quick and thorough oven cleaning methods, so you can choose what suits you and get cleaning. Ovens are one of those household appliances that have the distinct ability to turn into a gourmet grime scene pretty fast. There may be grease and stains that have gathered in a hardened spot on the bottom, a rogue chip that slipped off the tray and has essentially turned into charcoal, and the shrewd film of grease on the glass that has prevented you from being able to gaze into the oven for goodness knows how long.
Not sure how to clean an oven or where to even begin? It may seem like too much, but the reward of a magically clean oven—and the promise of healthier tasting food—makes it worth the endeavour. Luckily, deep cleaning an oven isn't as scary as you might think. You’ve probably spent more time thinking about it than it would take to actually do the job. Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean an oven.
How Often Should You Clean Your Oven?
It is recommended that cleaning your oven at least every three to six months, or more often if needed. Think after Christmas, special events or after a Sunday roast dinner. It’s also smart to spot-clean throughout the month. The more you do to keep up the cleanliness of your oven, the easier the process.
How to Clean Inside the Oven Using the self cleaning function.
It sounds too good to be true, but these days many modern ovens come with a self-cleaning feature. This is a time-saving convenience for sure. During this cleaning cycle, the oven is heated to about 850 degrees. At this temperature, food inside the oven simply turns to ash. This wipes out easily with a damp cloth.
Self-cleaning is, by far, the most simple way to clean an oven. It's also one of the best ways to clean an oven if you don't want to mess with chemical oven or DIY cleaners. The main drawback is that your oven can locks up for three to four hours and will let off some significant heat, which isn't ideal in the warm months. It can also produce an unpleasant odour, and you should definitely keep pets and people out of the kitchen during the process. You also want to keep in mind a few tips for self-cleaning ovens. No commercial oven cleaner or oven liner should be used in or around any part of a self-clean oven as it will damage the enamel coating of the oven. Also, depending on your oven model, the pans and racks may need to be removed. If using the self-clean or steam-clean cycles, or just cleaning the oven manually, always make sure that the oven has cooled to room temperature before attempting to wipe out the inside.
Use a shop bought oven cleaner.
While the self-clean cycle does a pretty good job of removing baked-on grease and other grime from your oven, many of us do not have this feature, so instead this leaves us a handful of alternatives. One option is to use a chemical shop-bought cleaner. After removing any large pieces of loose food, (you can hoover it all out as well) then spray your choice of cleaner evenly onto the interior of the oven and allow it to sit for at least a half hour. The cleaner will lift the gunk and grease, allowing you to easily wipe it all away. Please note, because the chemicals are very potent, it's best to open windows and wear gloves and a face mask while cleaning the oven.
Use a DIY oven cleaner.
If you want to clean your oven without oven cleaner, you can DIY a natural cleaner using baking soda, vinegar, and water. I’d say skip the chemical oven cleaner and use a safe and simple solution that still gives you ahh-mazing results. A great homemade oven cleaner is a combination of baking soda and water. Baking soda is the magical go to for many cleaning needs. The baking soda acts as an abrasive and the water softens baked-on crud and loosens all food particles. Make a paste and apply it liberally on the oven's interior surfaces and give it at least 30 minutes (ideally longer) to break down the charcoaled food.
You can also add a bit of vinegar to your baking soda mixture for some extra va-va-voom cleaning power. Simply spray the vinegar on top and allow it to bubble and set for 30 minutes. Next, use a non-abrasive pad to gently scrub all surfaces and follow up with a damp microfiber cloth. Magical!
Remove and soak the racks.
It doesn’t matter what type of oven you have, the best way to clean the metal racks is to remove them from the oven entirely and soak them in boiling water with a little dishwasher detergent. The bathtub is a great place to soak oven racks if you can’t fit them in your sink. After soaking for two hours, scrub the racks with a stiff brush, rinse, and dry before returning to the oven.
Add baking soda to remove stubborn spots.
Instead of boiling water, you can also use the baking soda and water mixture with vinegar spray. The key is letting it sit long enough for the ingredients to work their magic so that scrubbing is jelly to a minimum.
How to Clean Oven Knobs.
Use a micro fiver cloth to wipe knobs down.A simple damp microfibre rag used on and around the knobs will do the trick. If the job requires it, use a rag with a bit of soap or a disposable wipe.
Avoid spraying directly on the knobs.
We would warn against spraying the oven knobs directly with a household cleaner. The liquid can get behind the knobs and switches and cut out your ovens control panel. Instead, spray a rag with liquid cleaner and then rub the controls to prevent power shorting.
How to Clean Glass Oven Doors
Mix baking soda into a paste and apply. Your oven's glass door requires a gentler approach compared to the racks since glass is more susceptible to scratches. That means skipping abrasive products and using a less aggressive scrubbing technique.
To clean your oven door glass without scratches, mix the baking soda and water for a thick paste. Spread the paste generously on the glass and let it sit for 30 or more minutes. Then, gently wipe up the paste with a microfiber cloth, rinse thoroughly with water, and buff it dry for a magical shine.
Wipe down glass with glass cleaner.
Alternatively, you can spritz on soapy water or an oven cleaner. To finish the job, use a standard glass cleaner or a bit of diluted vinegar and a soft microfibre cloth for extra shine.
Remove dust and debris from hidden areas.
Most times an oven's glass door is comprised of two pieces of glass, which can lead to an accumulation of crumbs, dust, or grease streaks in between over time. How annoying! This is something you can clean easily, although it does require a few extra steps.
First, carefully open the door and rest it on your leg for support, then unscrew along the top of the door. (By letting the door rest on your legs you'll prevent it from falling and breaking.) Once unscrewed, you'll have access to the in-between layers of the oven. To clean up dust and crumbs, use a vacuum hose with a small nozzle. To clean grease, use a damp sponge with a long handle. Ta daa!
So there you have it! Simple solutions for a dreaded task. However if you feel this will be time consuming and you would rather be doing something else, then you can always contact Magical Maids to do the job for you! Contact us now for your free no obligation quote by clicking the Magical Maids link below.
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