How to Clean an Oven? The Best Homemade Oven Cleaners
Cleaning an oven is not the most pleasurable activity - especially if something burnt inside. For this reason, you are most likely want to “do it later” - which leads to even bigger mess in your kitchen. The old dirt becomes more difficult to remove and you get more and more frustrated. Fortunately, there are many quick and easy methods to help you clean your oven. We have compiled a list and recipes for the best oven cleaners, so that you will be shiny and clean in no time. Do you want to know how to clean the oven? We're here to help.
How to clean an oven? Oven cleaners and cleaning hacks
If you don’t want to get frustrated every time you tidy your kitchen, make sure to clean your oven on a regular basis. It is best to wipe its insides every time after using it. In practice, however, such activities are put off for as long as possible, until the dirt becomes a serious obstacle.
There are many commercial oven cleaners available to purchase at stores. However, their ingredients are often questionable. Such products typically use strong chemicals releasing a strong scent. What’s more, they might be harmful in contact with skin.
So how to clean the oven? Fortunately, there are plenty of natural, eco-friendly, safe and most importantly - effective oven cleaners.
Oven cleaners for light stains
If the oven is not very dirty, cleaning it won’t be a problem. The best, effortless oven cleaners without scrubbing are:
- Steam for oven cleaning - this method works only in convection ovens. How to clean an oven using steam? All you need is an ovenproof dish and half a lemon. Just pour some water into the dish and squeeze the lemon juice into it. Set the temperature to 170°C. The fan will spread the steam everywhere in the oven. Turn the oven off after a while and wait until it cools down. Then, just wipe the interior using a clean cloth soaked with water and dish soap. Rinse the soap residues with water and leave the oven open until it dries completely.
- Water and vinegar mixture - light stains can be cleaned using water mixed with some vinegar. Just wipe the oven with a cloth soaked with the mixture, or if the stains are heavy - use a sponge scrubber. Then, rinse the oven with clear water and wipe it dry using paper towel or a dry cloth.
How to clean an oven - old dirt
Which oven cleaner can clean stubborn dirt? Removing burnt and baked food particles is difficult and time consuming. Unless you use the right methods, even thorough scrubbing won’t bring any results. Fortunately, there are some reliable home remedies. They will save you a lot of time and energy and you will clean your oven in no time.
Baking soda is the most common oven cleaner. It’s a highly effective substance - apart form dirt, it also removes the unpleasant smell of burnt food. You can also combine baking soda with other products.
The most popular methods use the following mixtures:
- Baking soda, dish detergent and water - to prepare the mixture, take half a glass of water, ¼ glass of baking soda and 1-2 teaspoons of dish soap. Mix it and put the substance onto each dirty spot in your oven. Leave if for a couple of minutes - the paste will dissolve the dirt. Next, clean the oven with a damp sponge, rinse it and leave it to dry off.
- Baking soda, dish soap and vinegar - mix those ingredients as follows: half a glass of soap, half a glass of vinegar and 5-10 tablespoons of baking soda. How to clean the oven using this method? Set the temperature to 50°C and turn the oven off once it warms up. Spread the paste in the oven and leave it overnight. Next day, just clean it with warm water and leave it to dry. This solution is perfect for cleaning a washing machine, a coffee maker and an iron as well.
- Baking soda, salt and hot water - mix the soda and water 1:1 and add two teaspoons of salt. Place the paste onto every stained spot and leave it for 5 min to 12 hours. Clean the oven afterwards using a sponge or a brush. Rinse it with clean water and dry off using a cloth or paper towel.
How to clean a self-cleaning oven?
Many modern ovens have a self-cleaning function. Two technologies are used for this purpose: catalytic and pyrolytic. How to clean an oven with such functions? Both of the methods involve burning the dirt. Pyrolytic ovens warm up to very high temperatures, usually 500°C. As a result, the food particles burn off and turn to ash. Afterwards, you just need to wipe the inside with a damp cloth. Keep in mind that this method of oven cleaning requires emptying the oven completely. If left inside during cleaning, utensils such as baking trays would get simply destroyed.
Catalytic cleaning, on the other hand, occurs while the oven is being used. Special catalytic liners absorb grease and dirt.
If you have this type of oven, remember about cleaning the liners regularly. Do it delicately, as they are prone to damage. Do not let the grease grow on them - if such a layer gets too thick, you will have no other choice but replace the liners.
How to clean an oven - important elements
When you clean your oven, remember about its every component. Pay a special attention to the rack, trays, shelves and the outsides. It is best to soak the removable parts such as the rack and trays in a separate bowl with water and vinegar. Scrub them afterwards using a sponge scrubber and dish soap.
You should also clean the front of the oven. The easiest method is pouring some water mixed with vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray every stain with the substance and wipe the surface with a soft cloth. If possible, unscrew all of the knobs and clean them in a bowl filled with water.
How to clean oven from the outside? Don’t forget about the glass, which is the most important part. Here, all the grease accumulates and dries up. It forms a difficult to remove film. Fortunately, the methods with baking soda mentioned above can help you clean the dirty glass easily. If it’s possible with your particular oven model, take out the glass to make the cleaning process easier.
If the stains are very difficult to get rid of, you can try covering them with petroleum jelly, which should soften the dirt. Just spread it on the glass and wait a couple of minutes. Then, use glass cleaner.
Cleaning the oven doesn’t have to be difficult. Clean it on a regular basis, while the dirt is still fresh and easy to remove. If you left it uncleaned for a long time, though - don’t panic. Available home remedies and oven cleaner recipes will help you. They are cheap and eco-friendly, and you can use them to remove even the most stubborn dirt. It’s definitely worth the effort, as a clean oven is a guarantee that your food will always taste exactly as it should.
📍 How to clean oven using home remedies?
Baking soda is the best oven cleaner used in many home recipes. Just mix it with another substance that you can find in your kitchen, for instance with vinegar and dish soap. Such paste will dissolve any kind of dirt.
📍 How to clean oven without damaging it?
In order not to damage your oven while cleaning, soak all the stains before removing them. It will remove the necessity to scrub the dirt - that could scratch delicate parts. It the dirt is hard to remove, use a brush with plastic bristles. Make sure to be careful with scrubbing.
📍 How to clean a very dirty oven?
You can cover particularly stubborn stains with a special baking soda paste. It should work even with the filthiest surfaces. To prepare the paste, mix the soda with warm water and some salt. Leave it overnight and the stains should soften.
📍 How to clean a convection oven?
The best oven cleaner for convection ovens is steam. Pour water and lemon juice into a heat resistant dish and put it in the oven. Set the temperature to 170°C - the fan will spread the steam. After the oven cools down, wipe the surface with a soft cloth.
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