Have you been using your oven more than usual to practise your lockdown baking projects? Hate oven cleaning? Want to know the easiest and simplest way to clean an oven?
The best oven cleaning hacks
The experts at Calibre Cleaning know all the secrets to oven cleaning. Here are the best ways to clean your oven:
How to clean the oven using Baking Soda, White Vinegar and Water
Three ingredients in your pantry is all you need to clean your oven professionally. These ingredients are:
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Water
Vinegar is highly effective in cutting through grease and grime, making your daily household chores that much easier. They can also help remove limescale from your appliances, and disinfect your surfaces, making them a highly versatile cleaner.
To clean the oven using vinegar, follow the steps below:
Step 1. Remove oven trays and racks. Soak in a sink filled with hot water and dishwashing liquid.
Step 2. Combine baking soda, white vinegar and water in an oven-safe bowl to form a soft paste.
Step 3. Use an old pastry brush and spread the paste evenly inside the oven’s interior. Pay special attention corners. If you make a weaker solution, you can spray this onto the oven’s interiors. But don’t forget to put the remaining solution into an oven-safe bowl for the next process.
Step 4. Next, heat the oven to 100 degrees Centigrade. Leave the bowl inside the oven for 45 minutes. You can clean your oven racks while you are waiting for the magic solution to do its magic!
Step 5. To clean oven racks, use a scouring pad. Rinse with cold water. If racks need heavy duty cleaning, use a paste of ¾ cup baking soda and ¼ cup warm water. Soaking overnight works for extremely stubborn stains. Scrub with scouring pad and rinse with water after soaking.
Step 6. Use a sponge to clean the oven as you would normally. You will notice immediately how easily the grime comes away from the oven walls. No hard scrubbing required. Rinse using a clean microfibre cloth. Be sure to rinse your cloth several times and to remove all traces of the baking soda paste before you use the oven. Avoid wetting the gasket in the oven when cleaning.
How to clean the oven with lemons
That’s right! Lemons are good for cleaning ovens. They are most effective if you do not have stubborn ingrained grime and food spills. Here are the best cleaning hacks using lemon to clean the oven:
Step 1. Fill a medium size oven-proof bowl with water. Cut two lemons in half and place inside this bowl.
Step 2. Heat your oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.
Step 3. Once heated, place the bowl inside the oven. Leave for an hour.
Step 4. While the oven is still warm but not hot (meaning you can safely touch the walls with your hand without burning yourself), use a clean microfibre cloth to wipe away the steam from the walls and door. That’s it! Super simple and extremely effective.
How to clean the oven using oven cleaner
Commercial oven cleaners are effective in cleaning ovens. When using oven cleaners, always read the instructions first.
Step 1. Remove everything from the oven including racks and trays.
Step 2. Prepare the oven by covering floors and cupboards with an old bedsheet, or old towels. Use more than one layer of protection to prevent chemical spills.
Step 3. Wear appropriate PPE when using commercial oven cleaners because these chemicals can be caustic. How to protect yourself when using a commercial oven cleaner:
- Wear rubber gloves.
- Use goggles.
- Wear a mask.
Step 4. Open the window to improve air circulation. If you do not have a window, turn on a fan.
Step 5. Spray the interiors of the oven with the oven cleaner. Include the back, sides, corners and door. If you have an electric oven, do not spray the cleaner directly onto the elements. Leave for the recommended duration of time. Usually 20 to 30 minutes unless you are using the quick heat cleaning method (usually 5 minutes).
Step 6. While you are waiting, clean your racks and trays following our oven cleaning hacks above.
Step 7. Rinse the oven following the oven cleaner’s instructions. You’re done!
How often should you clean the oven?
Ideally, the oven in your home should be cleaned at least once every three months – particularly if you are an avid cook or baker. If you rarely use your oven (say maybe once or twice a month), then cleaning it once or twice a year would suffice.
Calibre Cleaning specialists say there are three tell-tale signs that will tell you your oven is due for a clean. Here are the three signs:
Appearance
Is there a crust or residue at the bottom of the oven? Crust and residue on the oven are a clear sign that you need to give your oven a good clean.
Is the door coated or splatted with grease or grime? If the oven door is covered in grease, it’s time to give the oven a clean so you can see what you are cooking next time!
Odour
When you heat the oven does it emit an odour? A smelly stank in your oven means there may be lingering grease or food spills that need cleaning.
Smoke
Is your oven a smoking chimney? A clean oven should not smoke. If you are getting a lot of smoke when you turn on the oven, it is time to give it a good clean.
Why is it important to clean the oven?
Imagine trying to bake a cake in an oven that smells like roast chicken? Cleaning the oven and other appliances that cook food, i.e a bbq can improve the flavour of your cooking. Cleaning the oven can also prevent it from catching fire or smoking out your kitchen.
4 Ways to stop the oven from getting too dirty
Hate big oven cleaning jobs? These four simple methods will help you keep your oven from getting too dirty, so you don’t have to spend time on a major oven deep cleaning later!
Line it up
Use foil or baking paper when roasting or baking. That way, you can prevent spills and burnt crust from forming on the racks and floor.
Use roasting bags
Roasting bags are affordable but highly effective options to prevent spills and splatters. Roasting bags can be used for meat or vegetables.
Check your cooking time
Getting your cooking time right can prevent burning and make oven cleaning a lot easier later.
Wipe down after each use
A quick wipe down of your oven while it is still warm can help remove surface spills and prevent them from turning into hardened grime that could become hard to clean later.
We hope you have found our oven cleaning hacks useful. In the next weeks we will feature other household cleaning hacks that will make your cleaning task super easy.
Read about our couch cleaning tips here.
Oven Cleaning: When To Do A General Cleaning and When To Deep Clean
In contrast, a deep cleaning involves removing grime that has built up over time in hard-to-reach places, such as the racks and oven walls. Deep cleaning is recommended once or twice a year, depending on the frequency of use and the level of build-up. While general cleaning is important, deep cleaning will ensure that your oven functions optimally, reduces the risk of a fire, and eliminates any unpleasant odors that may come from food build-up.
Final Thoughts
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Meanwhile, if you are in need of professional cleaning services, Calibre cleaning may just be the best option for you. Our house cleaning services are available in various cities in Australia, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. End of lease cleaning services are also available in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.