Did you know that the oven as we know it today was invented in 1490? An oven is a very convenient, if not necessary, appliance that can be found in most home kitchens, but ovens can also be a pain to clean. Fortunately, learning how to clean the oven doesn’t always have to be a hassle.
No matter whether your oven is covered in crumbs, grease stains, or any other form of debris, there are a few ways you can go about cleaning the oven so it can look as fresh and new as the day you bought it. Keep reading and learn more about how to clean the oven in a fast and easy way.
Start From Top to Bottom
If you’re looking for oven cleaning tips, the first thing you should know is that you should always clean your oven from top to bottom. Why does this matter, you might ask? If you start from the bottom and move to the top, you’ll find that the dirt and grime from the top of the oven will, sooner or later, end up dirtying the lower parts which you just finished cleaning and you’ll have to clean them all over again.
This, of course, is not efficient and it can waste a lot of your time and energy. To make sure you make the most of your oven cleaning endeavors, you should start with the stovetop and the settlings near the stovetop. Don’t forget to clean every nob and button as dirt and grime can easily get stuck in these areas.
When it comes to the stovetop, you’ll have several options to choose from when it comes to cleaning. First, you will need to wipe off any large crumbs or any other large pieces of debris. Then, you’ll need to get your hands on an oven cleaner.
You can find many of these at your local grocery store. They already have all the ingredients necessary to remove grease and stains from stovetops. However, if you don’t want to use a store-bought cleaner, you can also make your own.
What You Need to Know
Creating a mix of vinegar and water is an almost full-proof solution. The strength of the vinegar should be enough to remove most stains and spots of grease. To give the mixture a bit of a boost as well as a more pleasant smell, try adding a few teaspoons of lemon.
The acid from the lemon juice will be especially helpful when cleaning up splatters of oil or butter. You can use a rough sponge or cloth on the parts of your oven that don’t contain glass. On the glass parts such as the window to look into the oven or possibly the stovetop, use softer materials such as a microfiber cloth.
That way, you won’t have to worry about leaving any scratches on the glass which could ruin its appearance for good. Once you’re done wiping down the exterior of the oven, don’t forget to dry it before moving on to the oven’s interior.
Cleaning the Inside of the Oven
Cleaning the inside of the oven tends to be a harder task than cleaning the outside because the debris inside the oven tends to be burnt and stuck. However, this doesn’t mean that you should give up on the idea of cleaning the oven’s interior. Keeping the oven’s interior clean is important for ensuring that your oven lives out its full lifespan.
The first thing you will want to do is remove the racks and place them in your bathtub. The bathtub should be filled with very hot water and soap. Then, all you need to do is leave the racks in the water overnight.
In the morning, you’ll find that the majority of the grime on the racks will have disintegrated or softened. If there is any grime remaining on the racks, it should be very easy to get a sponge and scrape it away. Once that’s done, be sure to dry the racks with a towel and then leave them out in an open area to dry for a bit.
While they dry, take the opportunity to clean the rest of your oven’s interior.
The Details
You can clean the interior with a store-bought cleaner, but an even easier way is to make a thick paste out of water and baking soda. Once you have the paste, smear it across the entire interior of your oven and let it sit for several hours, if not overnight.
The paste will break down the debris inside the oven and soften it so you won’t have to throw out your back scrubbing away whatever might be stuck and burnt inside your oven. After the paste has sat for some time, get a sturdy rag and wipe it away.
You will find that your oven will be sparkling clean as a result. Be sure that when you apply the paste that you avoid the heating elements inside the oven. Putting the paste on the heating elements could end up ruining them.
The heating elements themselves should not be very dirty because they will burn away whatever falls on them. If they do look a bit dirty, however, get a damp cloth and rub them down.
How to Clean the Oven Like a Pro
Learning how to clean the oven doesn’t have to be hard. By starting from the top and moving toward the bottom, you can make sure that you don’t miss any dirt. Also, by using a paste made of baking soda and water, you can make quick work out of even the toughest of stains.
If you don’t have time to clean, you can always hire a professional to do it for you. Contact us here to learn more.
