Ovens are one of those appliances that people tend to forget about until right before moving time. After all, your oven isn’t very visible, and even regular oven users might not notice scents and flavors coming from a dirty oven. But we have a solution, our low-effort oven cleaning techniques will keep your oven in top condition!
Low-Effort Oven Cleaning Supplies:
There are a few things you’ll need to effectively clean your oven. Here are the supplies you need, the options supplies are for different methods, so you need at least one, but not all.
- Thick rubber cleaning gloves
- Trash Bags
- Oven Cleaning solution (optional)
- ¼ cup vinegar (optional)
- Baking soda (optional)
- 1 lemon or ¼ cup lemon juice (optional)
- Glass Baking pan (optional)
- A sponge, pumice scrubber, or dishcloth
- Old newspaper, paper towels, or ragged towels
Of the optional supplies, oven cleaners are the easiest to use, but are the most caustic and can be hard to work with if you’re sensitive to powerful cleaners.
Lemon or vinegar, and the glass baking pan, are used to steam and provide a mild acid bath for your oven before you start cleaning. We’ll go into both methods in a minute. Both are low-effort oven cleaning techniques. But vinegar does take a little longer than using store-bought oven cleaners.
Two Low-Effort Oven Cleaning Techniques:
For both options, you’ll first remove the oven racks. Place them in a trash bag, or on newspaper outside to deal with later.
Store-Bought Oven Cleaner
Put on your rubber gloves before using your oven cleaner. If you have sensitive eyes or skin, you may also want a face shield or goggles. Lye is one of the main ingredients in most oven cleaners, and it’s very caustic.
However, it’s an incredibly low-effort oven cleaning tool because that lye essentially turns the oils burnt on to your oven into soap. They are also designed to stick to the dirtiest areas of your oven and to sink into the scum until it’s easily washed away.
Avoid the heating element or gas inlet. Spray a relatively generous layer of cleaner over all the surfaces of your oven, close it, and leave for the recommended length of time. Usually 20-30 minutes.
Go to your oven racks. For this method, it’s best to store them in a garbage bag outside. Spray them with the cleaner and leave them to wait for the recommended time. Wipe off with a paper towel, dish rag, or sponge when they are done.
It should be easy to wipe away the grime on your oven walls and floors with a sponge. Rinse often for the best results, but don’t take your gloves off until you’re completely done.
Vinegar or Lemon Method
For this method, plan a little extra time. Cleaning out the oils and grime in your oven is the same as the method above, but you won’t be spraying the vinegar or lemon on the inside of the oven. Instead, grab a glass casserole dish, and mix the vinegar or lemon with enough water to about half-fill the dish.
Place the full dish in the oven and turn it on to about 250 degrees. For the best low-effort oven cleaning, leave the dish in the oven for at least an hour after the oven heats, and while the oven cools.
Wipe the oven out once it’s cool.
For the racks, take them outside in a garbage bag, or to your bathtub. While your oven is heating, cover the racks with a thin layer of baking soda, and then spray vinegar over them. The combination will foam. Once it’s done foaming, fill the garbage bag or bathtub with water to soak.
When your oven is clean, drain the water and wipe off your oven racks, they should be good as new.
Contact Us:
Not sure your oven needs a clean? This article discusses why you want to clean away the grime, and gives you a good idea when to do it.
Are our low-effort oven cleaning techniques still more work than you want to put in? We can clean your oven as an add on to our other regular services. Contact us for a quote, and to customize the services you need, today!
