You’ll probably need to clean your oven at some point. You may want to refresh the appearance of your appliance, or you may simply want to eliminate odors in your kitchen. Whatever the reason, here are some tips on how to clean an oven and make it look new again.
Why it is Important to Keep Your Oven Clean
A clean oven helps your kitchen look great and makes it safer for you and your family. Keeping your oven clean isn’t too hard, but it takes some diligence on your part. To increase the longevity of your oven, it’s important to keep it clean between uses. Food debris and grime can easily build up in the oven, especially if you use it often, and can make it unsafe for use. It is much easier to clean small bits of food and dirt than a large caked-on mess; however, many people avoid cleaning their oven out because it seems like a daunting task. Here are some tips that will help you simplify your oven cleaning task.
Finding the Right Cleaning Products
When it comes to oven cleaning, a good rule of thumb is: don’t trust that your average dish soap will be able to handle all of that grease. Look for stronger oven cleaners at your local grocery store. Make sure you always wear gloves when cleaning with chemicals and follow all safety instructions on your cleaner container. Also, don’t mix different cleaners—your skin can absorb chemicals in a concentrated form if they come into contact with each other while you’re working on your project. Mixing cleaners can also be a recipe for toxic fumes that can harm you or your pets.
You can find natural cleaning products that are safer for you and your home that are just as effective. Another option is to make a paste out of white vinegar and baking soda if you want to go the DIY route! Both vinegar and baking soda will cut through grease and help neutralize odors in your oven.
Cleaning the Interior of the Oven
There are a number of ways to clean your oven. If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, run the self-cleaning and allow all of the food bits to turn to ash. After the self-cleaning cycle has run, it’s easy to wipe out the ash from the oven. After this, you can allow the oven to completely cool and then start doing a deeper clean if necessary. If your oven doesn’t have a self-cleaning cycle, that’s okay! You will just have to put in some extra elbow grease to get it spotless.
- Take out any removable racks and scrub them with a mixture of warm water, baking soda, and vinegar. After giving them an initial deep clean, use dishwashing liquid and a good dish scrubbing tool to get them sparkling clean.
- For an oven that’s old or heavily caked with gunk, spray it down with your cleaner of choice and allow it to soak for at least a couple of minutes. Then, use steel wool or a strong scrubbing tool that you can find at the grocery store to scrub at tougher spots—just be gentle as to not scratch any surfaces!
- Wipe down everything else with soapy water—you can use standard dish soap or one made specifically for cleaning ovens.
- Once you’ve removed all of the visible mess, give your oven a final wipe-down to get the remaining dirt or buildup completely cleaned.
- Replace the clean racks and enjoy your freshly clean oven!
Cleaning the Exterior of the Oven
- If you have a glass cooktop, spray down the surface with a cleaning product of your choice and allow it to sit for maximum results. Then, wipe down the surface with a cloth to remove any mess. If there is build-up grime and food, you can use a scraping tool to easily scrape the burnt-on bits from the glass top.
- If you have a stovetop with grates, you can remove these and clean them with a sponge and dish soap. Some grates can be put in the dishwasher, but check the manual first!
- If you have a stovetop with electrical burners, you can remove them and wipe them down with dish soap and a sponge. Be careful not to get the electrical connection on the burners wet, though! Remove the drip pans and give them a soak in warm, soapy water. Then, use a sponge and dish soap to scrub them and get off any remaining grime.
- If the exterior is extra dirty, start by scrubbing it down with a cleaning product and a scrubbing tool. Then, wipe off all of the dirt and grime with a cloth or paper towel. You can also pull the oven out of its place to make sure the sides are getting cleaned, too.
- After the initial deep scrub, use a cleaning product and a sponge or cloth and wipe down your oven’s exterior. Make sure to pick a cleaning product that is suitable for the finish of your oven! This second wipe-down will make sure the exterior of the oven is completely clean and shiny.
Hire a Cleaning Service
Cleaning your oven can be a tedious, daunting task. If your schedule is too busy to clean your oven or you would like to leave it to the professional, call a cleaning service! Professional cleaners know the right products and tools to clean your oven, no matter what kind you have.
Give Sparkling Clean Pro a call today to set up your cleaning service at (415) 742-4869. Sparkling Clean Pro services the San Francisco area, including San Mateo, San Rafael, Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Burlingame.