How To Clean an Oven?

[chely7425]

Ok, so this is gross.. I know... but we have lived in our house for over a year and I have never cleaned the oven. It does have some weird self clean cycle but I have no idea how to use that. So... help? What do I do??

[rparker]

[ChristyMarie]

If it has a self clean cycle you just empty it (take the racks out) and hit the button. It will lock and go through the cycle for a couple of hours. It gets hot and kind of smells. Then you just wipe the ash looking stuff out of the bottom after it cools off.

On self cleaning ovens I don't think you are supposed to use oven cleaner. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that.

[chely7425]

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie

If it has a self clean cycle you just empty it (take the racks out) and hit the button. It will lock and go through the cycle for a couple of hours. It gets hot and kind of smells. Then you just wipe the ash looking stuff out of the bottom after it cools off.

On self cleaning ovens I don't think you are supposed to use oven cleaner. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that.

I tried this once and something caught on fire in it... is that supposed to happen?

[Katie T]

No it should not start on fire! Eek. I would spray pretty strong vinegar water mixture in there let it sit for a while and then take a plastic scraper and scrap off the bigger things. Then maybe you can run your self cleaning cycle with no fire.

I use the vinegar and water and do a couple rounds of that and it is much better. I still have dark spots but they are more like a oil stain of sorts.

[chely7425]

Ok I will try that! I don't think I have a plastic scraper but I am sure I can figure something that will work!! I don't mind a few spots but DH makes such a mess in there it definitely needs to be cleaned. Do you think a 50/50 mix of vinegar a water would work?

[Jaxinator]

I've used baking soda paste, and a 50/50 vinegar spray. I found the baking soda paste, left on for awhile (I dunno, like a hour I guess) worked better. I was able to get all the nasty burnt on stuff and the grease and everything off. I had to scrub, but it was wayyy better than the vinegar.

[treegardner]

Originally Posted by Jaxinator

I've used baking soda paste, and a 50/50 vinegar spray. I found the baking soda paste, left on for awhile (I dunno, like a hour I guess) worked better. I was able to get all the nasty burnt on stuff and the grease and everything off. I had to scrub, but it was wayyy better than the vinegar.

This!

[ChristyMarie]

Um, yeah, never had anything catch on fire!

[chely7425]

Yeah me and my oven obviously don't get along Will be tackling this today while the kids nap! Do you guys just scrub with something steel woolish? a plastci scraper of some sort? Something elsE?

[Okapi]

Cream of Tartar. I saw this recommended somewhere after try the vinegar/BS route and just not getting far. I mixed the cream of tartar with some water to make a paste, let it sit for a bit, and it worked much better. The door looks totally new. Also, for the window part, I have a razor blade scraper thing (the same one I use for our glass stove top) that cleared it right up. Anything that was left, I used the cream of tartar paste and that took care of it. The sides/bottom where stuff is really crusted on took a couple of times (like I'd do a bit one day, then in a week or so, do it again) before it was really clean.

[swd12422]

I usually wipe it out before I run the self-cleaning cycle, just to keep the smoke/stink down.

If it's REALLY bad (and mine is, right now), I'll wipe it down with just water, then put a small glass dish of ammonia in there (I know, it's not great, but it works) overnight or for at least a few hours. The fumes melt most of the crud off, so you just wipe with a damp towel and most of the job is done. Then if there's still burnt-on stuff, I'll run the self-clean cycle, making sure all the fumes have dissipated first.

[chely7425]

I scrubbed it with vinegar and got a bit off it... now it is running the self clean cycle on low so we will see what that does for it!! I have a feeling a baking soda paste scrub is in the cards for this evening or tomorrow but I am almost out of baking soda so I can't do that till DH comes home.

[chely7425]

Just an update... I got it mostly clean!! I did the vinegar, then self clean, than a baking soda scrub Am I supposed to take the racks out when I run the self clean? I did because I wasn't sure, but the racks don't look nearly as clean as the rest of the oven now...

[Katie T]

Originally Posted by Jaxinator

I've used baking soda paste, and a 50/50 vinegar spray. I found the baking soda paste, left on for awhile (I dunno, like a hour I guess) worked better. I was able to get all the nasty burnt on stuff and the grease and everything off. I had to scrub, but it was wayyy better than the vinegar.

Don't know why I didn't think of that but I am going to do this from now on!

[chely7425]

The baking soda past definitely worked really well!! DH thought housing brought us a new oven... guess I should clean it more often!!

[Jaxinator]

Originally Posted by chely7425

The baking soda past definitely worked really well!! DH thought housing brought us a new oven... guess I should clean it more often!!

Yay, glad it worked for you!
I wish someone would give us new appliances ><
The ones we got from our base are ridiculous.

[LaughingHyena]

Cleaning it while it is warn makes it a bit easier to scrub things off.

I like to put a dish of hot water in after taking out whatever I have been cooking, then leaving the oven to cool down with the water in. The steam helps loosen stuff and I can wipe it up without too much scrubbing.

The down side is that I usually end up cleaning out the oven not long after dinner, which is not what I would like to be doing.

The steam thing works really well in the microwave too, I microwave a bowl of hot water for a couple of minutes, leave it to stand a while then wipe down the microwave.

I'm going to try the baking soda paste now.

[sosurreal09]

i have the HAAN steam cleaner and it works awesome for my oven it uses just water and sanitizes too. its the only steam cleaner i will use it was $50 for the complete kit at hsn or qvc one of them but you could just google it.