Top Tips: How to Clean Your Oven

A thorough oven clean is one of those household chores that I tend to keep putting off because its not a quick task. A thorough clean can mean that the oven is out of action for a few hours or longer which can be hectic. You can either use the oven’s built-in cleaning feature, which uses very high temperatures (about 600 degrees), to burn the grease and other food residues or alternatively, you can use specialist corrosive chemicals to clean your oven. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages but can be quite dangerous if not careful. So, here’s an easy, less abrasive method on how to clean an oven with some simple, less harsh, home-based materials.

What do you need?

 You need the following easily-available household materials to clean your oven

• Water
• Baking Soda
• White vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Rubber gloves
• Cloth

Remove the oven accessories

Remove the oven accessories from the inside of the oven, including the oven racks, trays, pans, or thermometers.

Mixing the cleaning solution

Use equal parts water and baking soda to create an easily spreadable paste. Use this paste to cover the entire insides of your oven. Increase the amount you make depending on the size of your oven.

Applying the mixture

Apply the paste to all areas inside your oven. It’s recommended that you wear gloves during this as it can get quite messy. Add more paste if needed to the more stubborn areas.

Leaving it to dry

For the tougher spots with a build up of grease and burnt in food, gently massage the mixture in circles when you have applied it. Now,  leave the mixture to dry completely. Sometimes it is best to leave it overnight if you can.

Cleaning the racks

While you are waiting for the oven mixture to work it’s magic, now is the best time to pay attention to the oven racks. The best way to clean the oven racks is to soak them in warm soapy water for at least two hours. After they have been left to soak, give them a good scrub and then rinse thoroughly.

Cleaning the paste off the oven

Back to the oven, it’ time to clean the paste off. Using a damp cloth, wipe off off the baking soda solution and any residue from the inside of the oven, rinsing the cloth in-between wipes. Try to clean off as much of the solution as possible. If the residue is hard to remove in places, use a scouring sponge lightly to soften before using the cloth to wipe away the remaining mixture.

Make a vinegar spray

Even after cleaning, some baking soda may still remain inside the oven. Using a mixture of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, spray liberally inside the oven. The reaction of vinegar and baking soda causes the solution to bubble which will help loosen any residue from inside the oven.

Wiping the oven

Again, use the damp cloth to clean and wipe down the inside of the oven. You can then put the oven racks back inside and let them oven-dry.

Cleaning the inside of the oven glass

To clean the inside of the oven glass, mix up another batch of the baking soda paste and apply the mixture on the inner side of the glass. Let it sit for about 30 minutes,  massage the mixture in and then wipe clean with the wet cloth. The inside of the glass can have quite a build up of grease and grime so repeat this step if required.

External cleaning

Use they spray bottle with the vinegar solution to  spray down and clean the external parts of the oven. Wipe with a clean damp cloth afterwards for a sparkling clean oven.

Using the above-mentioned simple and easy-to-follow steps, you can easily clean your oven with simple materials without the need for any harsh chemicals at all.