Surveys indicate that 36% of people in the United States cook at home on a daily basis. If you regularly cook using your oven, it’s normal for it to become grimy with grease and food remnants.
Leaving your oven dirty for too long can make your food taste “off” or give it a burnt flavor. A big enough buildup of residue in your oven can even start a fire.
While your oven isn’t normally a part of everyday house cleaning, you should clean it at least every few months if you use it regularly. If you’re not sure what the best method is for oven cleaning, we’ve got you covered.
Read on to learn the easy way to clean your oven!
House Cleaning Items You’ll Need
You could use a commercial oven cleaning product like house cleaners usually use. However, you may not want to use a product with harsh chemicals.
Luckily, you can use these common household items to clean your oven just as well:
- Rubber gloves
- Sponge or washcloth
- Mixing bowl
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Spray bottle
Self-Cleaning Ovens
Many ovens have a button marked “self-cleaning.” When you activate your oven’s self-cleaning feature, it locks the door and heats the inside to at least 500°F.
The high heat burns away residue and turns it into white ash that you can wipe out with a wet rag or paper towel. However, running your oven this hot can cause it to smoke or even start a fire.
To avoid any potential safety hazards, it’s often best to clean the oven yourself or hire a residential cleaning service.
How to Clean Your Oven
Once you have all your cleaning items gathered, make sure your oven is cool and you’re ready to start cleaning!
1. Remove Oven Racks
Set aside your oven racks, as you’ll clean them separately.
2. Mix Baking Soda With Water
Add a few spoonfuls of water to 1/2 cup of baking soda to make a paste. Stir the mixture in a small bowl.
3. Cover Oven Interior With Paste
Now you’ll want those rubber gloves! Using your hands, spread the baking soda mixture over the inside of the oven.
4. Clean the Racks
While the baking soda mixture sets inside the oven, clean your oven racks in the sink or bathtub. Letting them soak in hot water and then scrubbing is usually enough to clean them.
For especially dirty oven racks, you can use a spray bottle to coat them in vinegar and sprinkle baking soda on them. The mixture will foam and lift away greasy residue.
5. Finish Cleaning the Oven
Spray vinegar on the oven’s interior to cause a foaming reaction with the baking soda mixture. Once the foam has covered the inside, use a sponge or cloth to wipe the residue out of the oven.
Replace the oven racks and enjoy your sparkly clean oven!
Keep Your Oven Clean
Using this helpful guide, you’re sure to get all of that greasy residue out of your oven. However, if you aren’t confident about cleaning your oven yourself, you might consider a house cleaning service.
Maid services often include professional oven cleaning. Contact us today for more information about our cleaning services!