Cleaning the oven is not a household chore that I look forward to, but I always love the outcome. Not every oven has a self-cleaning cycle on their oven, and some people don’t like to use it. I’m not a fan of oven cleaning sprays, and their smells, so I lean towards one or two different methods, depending on how dirty my oven is.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is a great way to quickly clean and refresh your oven. If you do it regularly, you may not need to do any heavy-duty cleaning at all. If your oven has a steam cleaning feature, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to clean with steam. But, if it doesn’t you can still clean your oven using steam. Removing the racks isn’t required when steam cleaning, but I recommend it. That way, any splatters on the oven walls can be wiped clean and you can clean your racks separately.
You will need to leave one rack in your oven, on the lowest rack position. Heat your oven to 250F and add the juice of 2 lemons and a cup of water to an oven safe, non-metallic container and cook for 30-50 minutes, or until about 1/3 of liquid has evaporated. Turn off oven and allow to cool slightly. Once the oven has cooled, remove the pan of water and lemons and wipe down the inside of the oven with a clean rag or towel dipped in the warm lemon liquid.
Clean your racks by handwashing them in your sink. Dry thoroughly before putting them back into the oven.
The Baking Soda Method
For an especially dirty oven, remove the racks and wipe down the inside of the oven with a soft, damp rag. Then mix up a paste of baking soda and water (generally ½ cup baking soda and 2-3 tablespoons of water, and a bit of dish soap) and spread that throughout the oven, avoiding any electrical elements or gas inlets. You can even use this paste on the oven door. Close the oven door and let the baking soda & water paste sit for 10-12 hours or overnight.
In the morning, mix up a 3:1 vinegar solution (3-parts water, 1-part white vinegar) and put it into a spray bottle. Spray the dried baking soda paste with the vinegar solution. It will foam up a bit, that’s okay. Wipe it all out with a clean, damp, soft rag. This should remove your heaviest soil, but if not add a bit more baking soda to the remaining spots and spray with the vinegar. Use a gentle scrubbing sponge to remove the remaining stains and wipe with a clean, damp rag.I like to leave the oven open to dry. This way I don’t have any lingering wet smells when I open up the oven to use it.
To clean your racks, place them in the sink (or bathtub if too big for the sink), and sprinkle with baking soda. Pour vinegar over the racks (no need to dilute), then fill the sink or tub with warm (not hot) water. You can let these sit overnight as well, or just a couple of hours. Rinse & wipe clean and then wipe dry before putting back into the oven.
How often should you clean your oven?
Twice a year is recommended, but it really depends on how much and what types of food you cook.
However often you clean yours, Â these tips help you make it sparkle!