If you open the door and are greeted by burnt-on residue and that smell of old grease, it is time to roll your sleeves up. Learning how to clean the oven is no mystery: with products you already have at home and a bit of patience, you can leave it looking brand new. In this guide we explain how to clean the oven inside step by step, what to do when it is really filthy and how to use the classic vinegar and bicarbonate duo without damaging anything.
How often you should clean the oven
How often depends on use, but a good rule is a quick wipe after every roast that spits and a deep clean once a month. If you bake almost daily, make it every two weeks. The sooner you remove a splash, the less it bakes on with the heat and the less effort it takes later. Letting grease build up is exactly what turns a ten-minute job into an hour-long battle.
What you need before you start
No harsh or expensive products required. This is more than enough:
- Bicarbonate of soda
- White vinegar
- A soft scourer and a microfibre cloth
- A spray bottle of water
- Rubber gloves
- Washing-up liquid
First of all, unplug the oven or switch off the power and wait until it is completely cold. Take out the trays, the racks and everything removable so you can wash them separately.
How to clean the oven inside with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda
This is the star method and the kindest one to the enamel. Follow these steps:
- Mix half a cup of bicarbonate of soda with a little water until you have a thick paste.
- Spread it over the whole interior with a gloved hand, avoiding the heating element and the fan.
- Leave it to work overnight, or at least four or five hours.
- The next day, spray vinegar over the top: you will see a gentle foam form that lifts the dirt away.
- Go over it with the scourer, remove the paste with a damp cloth and rinse thoroughly.
The bicarbonate absorbs the grease and the smell, and the vinegar finishes the job by dissolving limescale. It is cheap, leaves no toxic fumes and works beautifully.
How to clean the oven when it is really filthy
If you haven't touched it in months and the dirt is baked hard, you need reinforcements. Heat the oven to 50 degrees for five minutes and switch it off: the gentle heat softens the grease. Then apply a thicker layer of bicarbonate paste over the burnt patches and let it work overnight.
For the most stubborn residue, put an ovenproof dish of water with a splash of vinegar inside and heat it for a few minutes so the steam dampens the walls. That steam softens the crust and then you lift it off with the scourer, barely scrubbing. Repeat as many times as needed before reaching for anything stronger.
Don't forget the door glass
The glass is where the difference shows most. Sprinkle damp bicarbonate over the surface, leave it for about twenty minutes and scrub with a sponge. For marks between the two panes, many ovens allow you to take the door apart following the manual; if you aren't confident, just clean the side you can reach. Finish with a microfibre cloth so there are no marks or streaks left.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Looking after your oven also means knowing what not to do:
- Don't use metal scourers or knives, which scratch the enamel.
- Don't get the heating element or the fan wet.
- Don't mix different cleaning products together.
- Don't switch the oven on until it is completely dry.
- Don't overuse the pyrolytic function if your oven has one, because it uses a great deal of energy.
Keep it clean with small habits
The best clean is the one you never have to do. Put a tray or a sheet of baking paper on the base to catch drips, cover dishes that spit and wipe the inside with a damp cloth as soon as the oven cools. Having a set of microfibre cloths and a good soft scourer to hand is the difference between quick maintenance and an exhausting deep clean.
With these tricks, knowing how to clean the oven stops being a dreaded chore and becomes something quick and even satisfying. If you are looking for kitchen tools and cleaning accessories to make daily life easier, take a look at our shop: small things that make caring for your home far more comfortable.
Images: Maurizio Pesce / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) and Naithik Shetty / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).