9 Brilliant Oven Cleaning Tips – Easily make it shine Now!

-Updated 10/2/2021

When you use an oven in your home often then it is necessary to clean it thoroughly from at least twice yearly.

Though it is not difficult to clean the oven, it can be made easier if you know how to clean each of its parts effectively.

So, what are oven cleaning tips to easily make it shine? Use a combination of soapy water, vinegar, elbow grease along with the self-cleaning function and a steam cleaner to get that professional clean oven you are looking for! We break down the tips and show you what to use on which piece of the oven, inside and out.

Cleaning oven racks

You can clean the racks of your oven in a bathtub by filling the tub with very hot water to cover the racks completely.

Now add cup of dishwashing soap like down dish soap and let it stay overnight.

You can also use vinegar and baking soda for this purpose as an alternative. In the morning you can use an old towel to scrub the racks to remove grime and grease from them.

Pro Tip: Break out your steam cleaner to break down any residual baked-on grease. Steam cleaners heat up the grease so EVEN THE TOUGHEST GREASE IS easily removed.

Cleaning oven glass

To clean the glass of the oven you will have to create a scrub by mixing baking soda and water in a 1:3 ratio.

You can apply this loose paste on the inside of the oven glass door as well as on its outside with the help of your fingers.

Allow the paste to stay on the glass for 10-15 minutes so that it can loosen the grime stuck on it.

After 15 minutes take a sponge to scrub the glass thoroughly from both sides by using sponge from its rough side.

Now rinse the glass with the help of the sponge and clean it with a dry cloth.

If the glass is heavily stained then you should heat your oven to 100-125F so that food particles stuck on glass can be softened and can be removed easily by using a safe oven cleaner.

You can spray the oven cleaner on the warm glass of the oven and allow it to stay there for at least 5 minutes.

Scrub the glass with a damp scrubbing sponge or kitchen scrubber and rinse it with a damp sponge.

Cleaning oven door

While cleaning the door of the oven you will have to clean it from inside as well as outside. It is easy to clean the oven door from outside but it can be a bit challenging to clean it from inside.

You need white vinegar or lemon juice and a microfiber cloth to clean the oven door from outside.

You should apply the cleaner on the door with downward strokes to remove grime from it and clean it with a dry piece of microfiber cloth.

To clean the oven door from inside you will have to use a mixture of baking soda and water, a razor blade and pieces of microfiber cloth.

The mixture of baking soda and water will make a stronger cleaner as you have to tackle grease and grime on the inside of the oven door.

You should apply the paste of baking soda with water on the entire surface inside the door and allow it to stay there for 15-20 minutes at least.

Afterward, wipe away the paste with the help of a microfiber cloth.

You can use a razor blade to scratch away the stubborn stains of grease that remain on the door. You can repeat the process if needed.

The element of the oven

While cleaning the oven it is always advised that you should remove its heating element as you have to protect it from grease and grime removed from the walls of the oven.

The element can be on the sides, top or bottom of the interior of the oven, depending upon each model.

Before removing the element of the oven you should unplug the oven or turn off the mains to avoid any electrical shock.

Now open the door and unscrew the element from where it is installed in the oven. You can unhook it by sliding it back and lift it to take it out of the oven.

Using baking soda & vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar are used for cleaning almost every part of the oven.

While cleaning the oven you should, first of all, remove its racks. Now mix cup of baking soda and some water to make a loose paste.

Before spreading the mixture of baking soda and water thoroughly inside the oven you should wear gloves.

You should also take the element of the oven out or apply the mixture carefully so that it is not applied to its heating element.

You should allow the mixture to stay inside your oven for at least 12 hours or overnight to soften the grease and grime stuck on its interior.

In the morning you can wipe off the mixture by using a damp cloth.

If you cannot remove from certain parts of your oven then you can spray white vinegar on those parts to loosen up the baking soda.

You should clean the oven thoroughly by wiping it consistently.

Use vinegar

If burnt food is stuck on the bottom of the oven and its racks then steam of boiling mixture of water and vinegar can clean it effectively.

It is one of the best DIY methods to remove stubborn stains of burnt food from your oven if you have no time to scrub them throughout the day.

You should take cup of white vinegar and mix it in a baking pan with steaming hot water.

Put the pan inside the oven under the stained rack and switch it on and allow the water to boil in the pan so that its steam can loosen the stubborn stains on the rack. Now turn off the oven and allow it to cool.

You can easily remove the grease and grime from the rack once it is cool.

Cleaning oven with professional chemicals

Normally harsh professional chemicals are avoided to clean the oven.

But if there are some stubborn stains inside the oven then you can find various types of professional chemicals in the market to use on them.

Cleaning top of the oven

It is easy to clean the top of the oven just by spraying the mixture of vinegar and water on it and wiping it with a damp cloth.

A microfiber cloth works great to remove any of the built-up grease while not scratching the glass top of your oven.

Cleaning underneath and besides the oven

Similar to the top of the oven you can also spray the mixture and water on its sides and bottom to clean them naturally.

Check Out: 15 Important Facts That You Should Know About Conventional Ovens

FAQs

What is the most effective way to clean ovens?

Using a combination of methods is the most effective way to clean ovens.

Many professional cleaners recommend removing the racks and cleaning them outside of the oven (in a tub with soapy water) so the racks can soak.

In the meantime, you could either use soap and water or vinegar to clean the burnt-on grease.

Any remaining grease could be removed by heating it up with a steam cleaner so it is professionally cleaned.

Once the inside glass, door, and oven are clean then you could finish cleaning the racks with the steam cleaner so everything is removed.

The soapy water will remove 90% or so of the build-up but the remaining grease will need to be broken off or heated until it melts and then removed.

How often should I clean the oven?

You should clean your oven whenever it gets dirty, starts to smell or, in some cases, even smokes.

You want to remove any grease from the oven before it builds up and becomes a fire hazard.

If you bake a lot then you may want to clean it every few months.

This will make it easier to clean throughout the year so you don’t have a huge mess to clean before you decide to clean it the week before Thanksgiving.

How does the self-cleaning function work?

Ovens with self-cleaning options heat up to several hundred degrees (often 700-800 degrees).

Open the windows.

Turn on the vent fan.

Make sure to remove the racks before you use this self-cleaning function.

The extreme heat will likely bend your racks so they will be hard to remove and install – if you leave them in during this high heat blast.

During this time they lock the door so you can’t open the door and get burned.

The extreme heat burns up any food or grease and leaves behind burnt ash that you clean up once it has cooled down.

Do self cleaning ovens remove all of the stains?

No, you will likely have a layer of ash that needs to be wiped out.

It is usually white and is removed once the film is cleaned.

You may have residual grease stains on the bottom near the element that needs extra TCL and scrubbing or another shot of steam to get it completely clean.

Are oven cleaning chemicals dangerous?

They can be if you do not use them as directed.

Many of them recommend opening a window so the kitchen can air out and chemicals do not build up.

You should also avoid breathing in any of the chemicals.

You should wear protective gloves so you don’t burn your hands or get poisoned from the absorption of chemicals.

Safety Tip: If exposed to chemicals, contact the Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222

Can I use my oven after I clean it?

Yes, you can but you should heat it up to at least 350 degrees for 20 minutes to burn off any chemicals, then air it out and blow any fumes outside.

Make sure your windows and fan are on so many chemicals are quickly removed from the kitchen and blown outside.

This will make it safe for use.