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One of the most despised chores has to be cleaning the oven. It’s easy to ignore – simply close the door – but it has a terrible roll-on effect. Months can go by before the full horror of the situation is realised – and by then you’re faced with layers of hard-baked grease and grime.
It’s very tempting to reach for one of those all-in-one oven cleaners that you leave in overnight, but the warnings about chemical fumes can be off-putting. There’s a more natural way to get the job done.
Here are three tried-and-true methods for cleaning your oven that’ll leave it sparkling in no time.
Method 1: Harness the power of steam
Had something spill or splatter while you were using the oven? Here’s a tip food writer Kate Gibbs often uses to keep her oven clean. Using this method, Kate says it’s possible for her to prevent grease and grime from building up. “Lightly scrub and wipe the oven while it’s still very warm, and the grime and grease should come off easily,” she says.
What you’ll need:
- Deep baking dish
- Water
- White vinegar (optional)
- Non-scratch scour
- Dishwashing liquid
- Gumption, The Pink Stuff or bi-carb soda (optional)
What to do
- Turn your oven on low, about 110 degrees Celcius. Fill a deep baking dish with water (add cup of white vinegar to the water, if using) and place the dish inside the oven.
- Keep the oven on for 1-2 hours. During this time, still will fill the oven and begin to soften and lift grease.
- Allow the oven to cool slightly – you still want it to be warm. Carefully remove the baking dish. Remove oven racks and clean in warm soapy water.
- Apply a small amount of dishwashing liquid to a non-scratch sponge. (If there is quite a bit of baked-on grease, Kate recommends applying a product like Gumption or The Pink Stuff in tought spots. Alternatively, you could sprinkle bi-carb soda onto the sponge for extra scrubbing and grease-cutting power). Scrub all surfaces of the oven.
- Use a soft, damp cloth to remove detergent.
- Use a tea-towel or paper towel to dry the oven’s interior surfaces. Replace oven racks.
Method 2: How to clean an oven using bi-carb soda and vinegar
A great oven cleaning hack is to make a simple homemade solution made of baking soda and water. Before you start scrubbing the dirt and excess food away, start by cleaning the oven racks.
What you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Water
- White vinegar
- Damp dish cloth
- Rubber gloves
- Spray bottle
What to do
- In a small bowl, mix 1/2 a cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water until you have a paste-like substance.
- Spread your homemade paste all over the interior of your oven. Use your rubber gloves for this if your oven is particularly grimy. If the paste turns a brownish colour, this is normal.
- Make sure to cover every part of the oven in the past – including the glass door.
- Let the baking soda solution to rest on the oven for 12 hours (or overnight). Meanwhile, it might be a good idea to spend this time thoroughly cleaning the racks.
- After your oven has spent 12 hours (or overnight) soaking in the baking soda solution, take a damp dish cloth and wipe down the interior as much as you can. A spatula can be used to scrape any of the tough, tried-out baking soda in hard-to-reach places.
- Put some white vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz it all over the interior of the oven to ensure a sparkling, thorough clean. When vinegar reacts with the baking soda solution, it will start to foam – this is normal!
- Take a damp cloth and do a final wipe-down, cleaning every nook and cranny to make sure any remaining bits of baking soda residue is gone. Spray extra vinegar to make sure it is 100 per cent clean.
- Once the interior of your oven is fully cleaned and dry, wipe down the oven racks and put them back inside. Then, hey presto! Your oven will be sparkling clean and ready to be used again.
Method 3: The 5-minute method
Cleaning your oven in just five minutes is possible, but the secret is to clean it after every use. Yes, repeat after me: clean it after every use.
If the oven looks relatively clean after use, allow the oven to cool to warm and apply a drop of dishwashing liquid to a damp dish cloth. Wipe all surfaces down. Rinse cloth thoroughly to remove as much detergent as possible. Wipe down oven again to remove any visible suds. Dry with a tea towel or paper towel. Wash oven racks in dishwashing liquid before rinsing and allowing to dry completely and replacing in the oven.
Shop oven cleaners
Do baking soda and vinegar really clean ovens?
Yes, baking soda and vinegar really can clean your oven – but not the way you might think. Baking soda (also known as bi-carb soda) is mildly abrasive, which makes it excellent for scrubbing away at tough stains in your oven. It’s also non-toxic and has the power to absorb odours, making it an excellent product to use when cleaning the kitchen. White vinegar, on the other hand, is acidic. It can cut through grease and help to dislodge baked-on food. While these two cleaning ingredients are powerful and non-toxic, it’s best to use them seperately. Sure, bi-carb soda and vinegar may produce a fun foam when combined, but what you’re really witnessing is a chemical reaction that The Conversation labels merely “a visual “placebo.””
