Wondering how to clean an oven without using any harsh chemicals or high heat? Even if you have a self-cleaning oven, you may not want to deal with the fumes as the oven burns off grease and residue at 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, donning rubber gloves to use a highly toxic oven cleaner with harsh chemicals to get rid of buildup may not be a desired solution either.
Fortunately, baking soda and white vinegar—known kitchen heroes—can tackle a dirty oven covered in buildup and transform it into a sparkling clean appliance. Make a chemical-free cleaning paste with these natural products for a safe cleaning method that fights the ickiest grime.
Here, a guide on how to clean an oven using baking soda, white vinegar, and supplies common to a kitchen pantry. Who knows, the satisfaction of cooking in a sparkling clean oven might make you look forward to cleaning the king of the kitchen.
How often should I clean my oven?
Ask yourself, “How often do I use my oven?” The more frequently you use the oven, the more splatters you’ll accrue. An avid baker should aim to give the oven a deep clean once every three months. For someone with a less-than-regular cooking habit, a cleaning every six months, or even once a year, can work.
If you ever notice significant residue lurking in the oven, or something drips to the bottom of the oven while cooking, wipe the mess once the oven cools—you don’t want the gunk baking, and undoubtedly smoking, every time the oven is on. The primary oven-maintenance cleaning tip: Wipe down the interior with a damp cloth and hot water and dish soap once a month, and the grime is less likely to turn into buildup.
What is the best way to clean the inside of an oven?
Cleaning the inside of your oven might feel a little pointless—after all, no one can see it. However, it’s an important ritual for kitchen cleaning.
For starters, it’s good hygiene to clean any area that comes into close contact with food. When it comes to the oven specifically, a dirty interior can affect the taste of your food and may even be harmful to your health. The fumes that come from continuously burning food residue, or caked on grease, can produce a noxious smoke that isn’t the best aromatherapy when it escapes the oven. What’s more, the scorched scent can impact delicate flavors.
How do you clean an oven quickly?
Well, you may find quick solutions but to get the job done, we recommend allotting time for the cleaning solution to work properly. That means cleaning an oven from start to finish can take between 13 to 14 hours. Before you throw in the towel, know that this is not active scrubbing time. For instance, the baking soda paste method needs about 12 hours to break down all of the grime buildup. For that reason, don’t start cleaning an hour before you need to bake a birthday cake. Plan accordingly, as your oven will be out of commission for at least half of the day. One tip: Begin cleaning the oven and oven racks in the evening after you’ve prepared dinner. The baking soda paste will work hard overnight while you rest.
How do you clean a very dirty oven?
Once you’ve cleaned your oven to the point that it’s sparkling, you’ll likely want it to stay that way for as long as possible. To start, pop in some nonstick oven liners from Amazon to help you fight off future grease. These mats catch drips and spills, are easy to remove, and clean quickly. Alternatively, place a sheet of foil directly on the oven rack beneath the rack holding a pot or dish that could drip or have loose food that drops. Avoid placing foil at the bottom of the oven as it can damage the appliance if it gets too hot. Here, a step-by-step guide for a clean oven you’ll be proud of.
FitFabHome Large Non-Stick Oven Liners (3-Pack)
Step 1: Gather cleaning materials
To get your oven sparkling, you’ll need the following cleaning products:
Be honest: how long has it been since you last cleaned your oven? According to Hammonds, cleaning the oven is one of the UK's most hated chores. Unfortunately, the longer you leave it, the trickier it gets.
After a century of testing cleaning methods and products, we feel that we're equipped to let you know how you can get your oven clean without sacrificing your whole afternoon. Here's our quick and easy four-step guide.
How to clean your oven
The inside and shelves
Soak your oven shelves for an hour in a sink-full of hot water in which 250g of soda crystals have been dissolved. Scrub away baked-on food with a scrunched-up ball of foil, rinse and allow to dry.
If more drastic action is needed, use a specialised oven cleaner, such as Oven Pride. Follow the instructions and remember that an oven cleaner cannot be used on stainless steel ovens or AGAs. Always wear rubber gloves and make sure the room is well ventilated.
You can also wash your shelves in the dishwasher if they’ll fit. Otherwise, you can soak them in a large plastic storage box in a solution of biological washing detergent and warm water. Use a mild abrasive cleaner to clean off any stubborn food and grease.
Oven cleaning equipment
Oven Pride Cleaning System, 500ml
Oven Pride tesco.com
£3.00
Kitchen Craft Ceramic Hob Scraper
KitchenCraft robertdyas.co.uk
£7.99
Sealapack Roasting bags, 24 bags
Sealapack amazon.co.uk
£3.99
Dri Pak Bicarbonate of Soda, x6
Stardrops 16 X Pink Stuff Paste 500 grams
Stardrops amazon.co.uk
£28.98
Oven Mate Cleaning Gel Kit
Oven Mate lakeland.co.uk
£9.99
Magic Non-Stick Oven Liner
Lakeland lakeland.co.uk
£11.99
Plenty Original Kitchen Rolls
Plenty amazon.co.uk
£10.90
The door
Remove any cooked-on food with a metal spatula or ceramic hob scraper, then use a gel or spray-on oven cleaner.
If you don’t have these, tackle the oven door by rubbing a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water on to the glass. Leave for 15-20 minutes then wipe off with a damp microfibre cloth.
Kinga KrzeminskaGetty Images
How to keep your oven clean
Once you’ve got your oven sparkling, it’s another struggle keeping it that way! Follow these hacks to keep it cleaner for longer...
Use oven liners
Before you use the oven, line the base either with a piece of foil or one of those brilliant easy-clean oven sheets that you can buy in most kitchen shops.
These non-stick sheets come in different sizes to suit all ovens and mean you’ll never have to clean the oven floor ever again!
Buy roasting bags
Use roasting bags for meat, fish or even veg, to ensure there are no spills or splatters during cooking.
We like the Sealapack Roasting bags to help keep splatters from roasting meat, fish or veg at bay.
Remove grease instantly
If checking the progress of your cooking halfway through, remove the tray, rather than prodding about inside the oven and dripping grease on to it.
Always remove trays with an oven glove and be careful that your skin doesn't make contact with the tray to avoid burning yourself.
Clean immediately after use
As soon as you’ve finished using the oven, put a heat-resistant bowl of water inside and heat at a high temperature for 20 minutes. This will help loosen dirt and grease.
When it’s cool enough, wipe the interior surfaces to remove grime.
10'000 HoursGetty Images
Find an oven cleaning service
Can’t be bothered with all the grease and faff? If you can afford it, using a professional oven cleaning service is convenient, time-saving and a lot less hassle.
How to choose...
- Look for professionals that are part of a national franchise such as Ovenu, Ovenclean and OvenKing. They’re more likely to have insurance and use trained professionals.
- Using a local service? Ask friends and family for recommendations.
- Check if your oven manufacturer recommends a particular cleaning service.
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