Most modern ovens come with a self-cleaning feature. The goal is to keep your oven in good shape, but the truth is those self-cleaning routines run upwards of 1000 degrees, and can actually do more damage to your oven than they’re really worth.
According to The Kitchn, running the self-cleaning routine will scorch off any baked on goo on the inside, but most ovens today have heating elements hidden behind drip shields that make it difficult for anything to get on the element anyway. Plus, since those elements are hidden, they’re difficult to ventilate—especially when the interior temps get so high. All that trapped heat winds up damaging your oven’s internal components, popping fuses and burning out electronic components.
The Kitchn notes that manufacturers know this is a problem, but they include self-cleaners anyway because customers won’t buy ovens without them. So what do you do? Go back to basics and give the inside of your oven a wipe down with your favorite cleaner when it gets dirty. Even if you use your oven’s self cleaner without issue, they note it’s important to be aware of the risk of damage to your oven when you run it.
Why You Should (Almost) Never Use Your Oven’s Self-Cleaning Function | The Kitchn
