While a grubby oven certainly looks unpleasant, it can also cause it to work less effectively, taint baked items, and even become a fire hazard. With this in mind, let’s look at some cleaning tips to get your grimy oven clean and working efficiently:
Remove excess dirt while the oven is cool:
Remove all racks and any other items from inside your oven, and scrape off any burnt-on food from the interior; the more you can remove before the next step, the better.
Make your own baking soda cleaning solution:
Combine ½ a cup of baking soda with water until a paste is formed, then daub it all over the bottom of your oven, taking care to avoid the heating elements; try to spread the paste everywhere. The results are best when left overnight.
Get to work on the racks:
If you have a bath tub, this is the perfect vessel for soaking your oven racks in. If you don’t have a tub, the sink or a large bowl or bucket will do. Fill the tub with hot water – close to boiling if possible – and pour in plenty of detergent. If left for a few hours to soak, or ideally, overnight, you’ll find the grease and grime comes off the racks with very little scrubbing and effort. You might also find the dishwasher is effective for racks that aren’t too heavily stained.
Clean the oven glass:
Using the same water and baking soda solution you used on the interior of your oven, smear it all over the inside of the window before leaving it to sit for at least thirty minutes. Then, simply take a clean cloth and wipe the window clean.
Degrease the stovetop:
By mixing a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of baking soda with a tablespoon of water, you can make a simple, cheap and extremely effective cleaning solution. Use the mixture to scrub the top of the stove and wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
Remove the paste from the inside of the oven:
The next day (or at least a few hours later), grab a damp cloth and a tool like a spatula to wipe and scrape away the paste and any dislodged debris and food particles.
Use vinegar and a damp cloth for the finishing touches:
Get an empty spray bottle and fill it with white vinegar, before liberally spraying it all over any areas of the oven that still have baking soda on them. With a damp cloth, wipe away any smears or debris that still remain, before quickly scrubbing and drying the oven racks, and returning them to the oven.
While this is a simple and quick way to clean your oven, one equally quick and simple way to do it, is to hire a professional cleaner! With all the tricks of the trade at their disposal, a professional cleaning company will send their best cleaning operatives to tackle your oven and any other tasks that you don’t have the time to do.
