How often do you clean your oven? Probably not as often as you should, right? But that’s not your fault. Ovens are hard to clean, so it’s easier to ignore them and hope they clean themselves. (But if you don’t have a self-cleaning oven, you need other options.
Luckily for you, cleaning your oven doesn’t have to feel like an impossible task anymore. With a few simple tricks, you can have a spotless oven in a matter of hours. So find out the best cleaning trick for your oven, gather your utensils and get to work.
1- ammonia (h/t One Good Thing).
When you are ready to clean the interior, preheat the oven to 150 F and turn it off. Place two heat-resistant trays in the oven, one filled with ammonia (top rack) and one with boiling water (bottom rack). Leave them overnight, remove the trays in the morning and clean everything with a damp, soapy sponge.
2- dishwashing liquid
If the racks are the only dirty part of the oven, you don’t need to clean as much. Just remove the racks and soak them in hot water and dishwashing liquid for a few hours. After soaking, scrub the racks with a scouring pad and rinse them with warm water. When they are dry, put them back in the oven.
3- baking powder
If you want to thoroughly clean the inside of your oven door, you can try this great treatment. First, mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/8 cup dish soap and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle. Shake the mixture well and spray it on the inside of the oven door. Put a thick layer of baking soda on the door and spray it again. Leave it overnight and, in the morning, wipe it off with a damp, soapy cloth.
4- Salt
Sometimes you may spill a little in the middle of cooking. Instead of letting it burn on the oven floor, you can make it easier to clean up. Sprinkle salt on the stain and then close the oven door to let the food finish baking. When the food has finished baking and the oven has turned off and cooled, you can easily clean the stain with a damp sponge or scrub brush.
5- Thieves household cleaner
If you need a strong cleaner but don’t want to use chemicals, try Thieves household cleaner. Spray Thieves cleaner on all surfaces of your oven and let it sit for at least 2 hours (overnight is best). Then scrub everything with scouring pads and a wire brush. Wipe off any excess dirt with a damp flannel. Depending on how dirty the kitchen was to begin with, you may need to repeat this process.
6- clorox wipes
After cleaning every inch of your oven, you may still not be able to see through the door window. This means you need to clean between the door glass. The easiest way to do this is to attach a Clorox cloth to a straightened wire hanger with a rubber band. Remove the drawer from under the oven and push the wire hanger through one of the slats on the bottom of the oven door. Move the wire hanger back and forth so that the Clorox cloth slides between the glass panes. When you are finished, simply pull it back and return the drawer to its position.
