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How to Clean an Oven: 10 Easy Steps

man using an oven

If it’s been a long time since you cleaned your oven or you just moved into an apartment and want to tidy up, you might be surprised to find out how dirty it can be and how difficult it is to clean. To make matters worse, many commercial cleaners use harsh chemicals that can burn your skin and damage your health. If you are looking for something better, keep reading as we provide you with a step-by-step guide for cleaning your oven with ingredients that you likely have around the house.

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Before You Get Started

We highly recommend getting all your supplies together first so you don’t need to stop, since it can be messy. We’d also recommend wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands, even though you won’t use harsh chemicals. It’s a good idea to wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from any splashes, and since the oven in most people’s homes is close to the floor, we recommend a good pair of kneepads so you can work for a while without hurting your knees.

gloves cleaning kit baking soda
Image Credit: Monfocus, Pixabay

Supplies

  • Old newspaper
  • Paper towels
  • Baking soda
  • Warm water
  • Spray bottle
  • Paintbrush
  • Dishcloth
  • Plastic scraper
  • White vinegar

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The 10 Easy Steps to Clean an Oven

1. Empty the oven

You will first need to remove the racks and other items from the oven to access the entire area inside easily.

man using an oven
Image Credit: ArtOfPhotos, Shutterstock

2. Cover Your Floor

The next step is to protect your floor around the oven from any grease or grime that might spill out. We recommend using old newspapers because they’re usually easy to find, but you can use an old painter’s tarp, cardboard boxes, or even paper towels.


3. Create a Cleaning Paste

Create your cleaning paste by mixing baking soda with water. Usually, about ¾ cup of baking soda to ¼ cup of water will work perfectly, but you can adjust it as needed for better consistency or to make more.


4. Spread the Paste

Once you get the paste the way that you like, you will need to spread it around your oven to cover the entire surface. Wear your rubber gloves and safety goggles, avoid any heating elements, and put extra where you see a large amount of gunk. Use a paintbrush or similar tool to help you get the paste everywhere.

wallpaper paste
Image Credit: Dmitriy Utlanov, Shutterstock

5. Let It Work

Once you paste over the entire surface, let it sit overnight to help break up the grime inside the oven. We recommend waiting at least 12 hours to let it work.


6. Wipe It Out

After you let the paste sit, go in with a clean cloth to wipe out the paste. Use a plastic scraper to help scrape away any caked-on grease and grime, but be careful not to hit the heating elements so you don’t damage them.


7. Create a Spray

Add water and a few tablespoons of vinegar into a spray bottle, and mix it well. Use it to spray any baking soda that you are having trouble removing, and let it sit for several more minutes before wiping it down again with a clean cloth. Repeat until the oven is completely clean.

Cleaning Oven with spray cleaner
Image Credit: Lena Ogurtsova, Shutterstock

8. Clean Your Oven Racks

Use dishwashing liquid and a scouring pad to clean the grease and grime from your oven racks. Let them sit in hot water if you need to make it easier to get them clean.


9. Clean Your Glass Oven Door

If you need to clean your glass oven door, we recommend using baking soda and water to create a paste, like you did to clean inside the oven. Use rubber gloves and a paintbrush to spread the paste over the glass, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Once the time passes, use a soft cloth to remove the paste, and buff it clean with a clean microfiber cloth.


10. Clean the Oven Knobs

You can use dishwasher liquid, water, and a clean cloth to wipe around the knobs on the oven. You can remove older knobs to clean them in the sink, but you will need to be careful with new models, as they are easy to damage.

Stove with oven
Image Credit: mgattorna, Pixabay

How Often Should I Clean the Oven?

Once you get your oven clean, most experts recommend cleaning it about once every 3 months to make it easier next time. You might be able to extend it to 6 months if you don’t use the oven too often.

house divider Summary

Cleaning your oven can be messy and requires a bit of elbow grease, but you shouldn’t need to resort to harmful chemicals to get the job done. Ordinary baking soda and white vinegar will usually get your oven clean. You can also use baking soda to clean the front window of the oven to make it easier to see inside, and dishwashing liquid will help you get the knobs clean. Repeat every 3 to 6 months to make the process easier.

See also:


Featured Image Credit: BearFotos, Shutterstock

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