It can be a difficult job to clean the oven. It’s one of those things that can get left for years without getting attention when we’re cleaning around the house. Food doesn’t touch the oven itself, after all, right? While that might be true, a dirty oven can cause problems you should be careful of over time.
Dangers Of A Dirty Oven
If you leave your oven uncleaned for too long, you expose yourself to various risks and inconveniences. Here’s why regular oven cleaning is crucial:[1][2]
- Your safety is at risk because burnt food and grease can lead to a fire. When you use the oven, there’s a chance it releases smoke, which is not good. Clean it out immediately if you notice any smoke.
- Your food might not taste as good. The grease buildup keeps burning while you cook, messing with the flavor. It could also take longer to cook in it because it will use more energy to burn greasy gunk.
- Your kitchen smells fowl. If your kitchen stinks and you can’t figure out why, it might be the dirty oven. Keep that oven clean to keep your kitchen smelling nice.
How Often to Clean an Oven
Generally speaking, you should clean your oven every three months.[3] If it starts to smell or smoke, you should clean it immediately. It will become harder to clean the longer you leave it. It will become harder to clean the longer you leave it. Putting it off can also increase the risk of it catching fire. It’s time to give it a deep clean if it’s been over six months.
How to Clean An Oven’s Interior
Follow these steps for an effective and natural cleaning solution:[4]
- Mix water and baking soda. Baking soda is natural and doesn’t involve any weird chemicals. It’s like a gentle abrasive that tackles burnt gunk and frees up stuck food bits.
- Make a paste by stirring a tablespoon of baking soda into warm water. Spread the paste all around the inside of your oven and the interior glass. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes or even a few hours.
- To speed things up, spray some white vinegar on the paste. Vinegar helps the cleaning process. Spray it with vinegar again every hour or two once the paste dries for an extra boost.
- Grab a soft cloth or the soft side of a dish sponge. Get it a bit wet. Now, start scrubbing the inside of the oven. It might take time and effort, but you’ll see that nasty buildup slowly saying goodbye.
- Be patient; it might need a few tries, especially if your oven is a grease magnet.
Notes:
- Add a few drops of dish soap to the paste to increase the cleaning effectiveness. If you do, then make sure to rinse the oven properly before using it. Avoid heating the oven with any dish soap residue still there.
How to Clean An oven’s exterior glass
Cleaning the exterior glass on an oven is more straightforward because food debris and grease don’t make their way onto it. Here’s how to clean the oven’s exterior glass:
- Spray your glass cleaner of choice on the glass. It can be a glass cleaning solution from the supermarket or a natural cleaner like lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Use a soft cloth like a microfiber cloth to wipe the glass using downward strokes.
- Repeat until the glass is clean.
- Use a dry cloth to remove any remaining dry streaks from the glass.
References
- Jones, K. (n.d.). Cleaning Matters Magazine – The dangers of a dirty oven. [online] www.cleaning-matters.co.uk. Available at: https://www.cleaning-matters.co.uk/page_546062.asp [Accessed 26 Dec. 2023]. ↩︎
- A Cleaning Service (n.d.). What’s Lurking in Your Oven? The Cleaning Techniques You Need to Combat It. [online] www.acleaningservice.co.uk. Available at: https://www.acleaningservice.co.uk/post/whats-lurking-in-your-oven-the-cleaning-techniques-you-need-to-combat-it [Accessed 26 Dec. 2023]. ↩︎
- Wellbank, L. (2021). How Often Should You Clean Your Oven? [online] Martha Stewart. Available at: https://www.marthastewart.com/8094409/how-often-clean-oven [Accessed 29 Dec. 2023]. ↩︎
- Gould, W. (2023). How to Clean an Oven Thoroughly—Plus, How Often You Should Clean It. [online] Real Simple. Available at: https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/how-to-clean-an-oven [Accessed 26 Dec. 2023]. ↩︎