Something is lurking in your stove, and it’s not dinner. It’s the crusty, smoky, mysterious leftovers of last week’s meals. If the smell alone has you slamming the door shut mid-preheat, you need to read this.
When it comes to oven cleaning, people often overthink it, imagining it’s all screwdrivers and elbow grease. However, you can get it done without touching a single bolt.
No one signs up for a marathon scrub session. And that’s why this guide will show you how to cut through grime the easy way. It’s the best way to keep your kitchen fresh and your weekend plans intact.
Gather Your Cleaning Supplies
First things first, you need to grab your supplies so you don’t end up scrambling halfway through.
Baking soda and vinegar are solid choices. They do the job without turning your kitchen into a chemistry lab. Have stubborn grease? Try using plant-based dish soap to keep the cleaning process eco-friendly.
A decent spray bottle will also make your life easier, helping you coat everything properly instead of soaking one patch.
You’ll want a sponge with a bit of grit and a scrub brush as well, especially for the crusty bits that pretend they’re part of your oven now. And while you’re at it, get a few microfibre cloths to get that streak-free finish.
However, before you rush out to buy new products, check what you’ve already got at home. You probably have everything you need under your sink or in your kitchen cabinet.
Prepare Your Oven for Cleaning
Your safety should always come first. So, to avoid burns, turn off the oven and give it time to cool completely. You can also crack a window or flick on a fan to let the stale heat drift out and allow some fresh air to roll in.
Now is also a great time to pull out the oven racks. You’ll find that they’re much easier to clean when they’re not inside a tight metal cave.
So, pop them in the sink or bathtub if they need a proper soak. Finally, line the floor beneath the oven door with an old towel or some newspaper, just in case things get messy.
Create a Baking Soda Paste
Creating a baking soda paste is a brilliant way to tackle stubborn grease and dirt in your oven. It’s a breeze to make and works wonders because it is both tough on stains and gentle on surfaces.
Better yet, this humble paste delivers the same punch as fancy store-bought cleaners, without draining your bank account.
Mixing the Paste
Grab a bowl, and toss in two tablespoons of baking soda with a tablespoon of water. Then, give it a good stir with a spoon, making sure everything is blended together.
Soon, you’ll notice the mixture thickening into a rough, grainy paste. It shouldn’t be too runny or too dry, though. So, aim for that sweet spot where it feels like toothpaste.
That rough texture isn’t just for show. It’ll grip onto greasy spots and lift off splatters without stripping off your oven’s finish.
Want a fresher scent? Toss in a bit of lemon juice for a zesty boost. Just a light squeeze will do the trick and won’t leave your oven smelling like salad dressing.
Application Techniques
Now, you can spread the paste inside your oven using a spoon, a brush, or even your hands, but remember to put on some gloves if your skin is prone to allergic reactions. Also, steer clear of the heating elements. No one wants to play electrician mid-clean.
Trust us, having this paste ready to go will make everything that follows feel a whole lot easier. It’s your secret weapon against grime, not to mention that it’s budget-friendly to boot.
Apply the Vinegar and Let It Sit
Now for the fun part: seeing chemistry in action. Once your baking soda paste is in place, grab some vinegar, mix it with water in a spray bottle, and give all those dirty spots a light mist.
You’ll hear a satisfying fizz—that’s the reaction you want, and it’s doing the heavy lifting. You can also add a squirt of dish soap for an extra kick.
Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or longer if your oven has been through a few too many pizza blowouts or cheese-related incidents. This will give the ingredients enough time to break down the grime so you don’t end up scrubbing like it’s a full-body workout.
Meanwhile, you can use this breather to clean the racks, make a cuppa, or even scroll through some funny cat reels.
Wipe Down the Interior
Once the vinegar and baking soda have worked their magic, it’s time to give your oven a good wipe-down.
First, grab a cloth that’s a little damp and gently wipe all surfaces, making sure you focus on those sneaky corners and the places that you usually miss.
If there are stubborn spots still hanging around, you can use a sponge. You’ll find that the added texture will loosen up any grime stuck in place without you breaking a sweat.
Remember to keep dipping your cloth into fresh water regularly to avoid spreading grime. This way, you’ll get a shiny finish and keep any bad smells away.
For a final polish, wipe down the interior with a clean cloth dipped in water and a splash of lemon or white vinegar. It will add some shine and remove any leftover residue.
However, if you’re short on time, you can call in an oven cleaning company to handle this for you. They have the heavy-duty tools and grease-cutting products to tackle even the stickiest baked-on disasters.
So, if the idea of crouching in front of a greasy oven door makes you want to fake a power outage, outsourcing this chore is your best bet.
Conclusion
You don’t need an engineering degree to have a spotless oven. As it turns out, you can achieve that gleaming, show-room finish with just a dash of natural ingredients and the will to power through. And once it’s sparkling, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
