Clean your oven with these everyday household products

Cleaning the oven is a job that often gets put off. Yet a clean oven is essential for hygienic cooking and keeping your food tasting as it should. In this article, we share the most effective, eco-friendly ways to give your oven a thorough clean, so it looks as good as the day you bought it!

Cleaning your oven: why does it matter so much?

A dirty oven doesn't just affect the taste of your food. It can also become a breeding ground for bacteria. On top of that, built-up grease can be a fire hazard. Did you know that one of the most common causes of oven fires is a build-up of grease and food residue? The high temperature inside the oven can cause this grime to catch fire while you're cooking. That's why cleaning your oven properly really matters. 

Want to clean the rest of your kitchen too? Take a look at what's possible when cleaning your kitchen with a steam cleaner. 

 

How often should you clean your oven?

Daily cleaning

After each use, clear away crumbs and spilt food straight away, so they don't burn on and damage your oven.

Weekly cleaning

It's a good idea to give the oven rack and inside walls a light clean every week, especially if you use your oven often.

Monthly cleaning

Give your oven a thorough clean, including the oven floor and racks, at least once a month.

1. Start by preparing the oven

Before you start cleaning your oven, make sure you have the right supplies to hand. For an effective clean, you'll need the following:

• Rubber gloves: to protect your hands from cleaning products and grime
• Sponges and microfibre cloths: for cleaning and drying the oven thoroughly
• Baking powder and lemon: a gentle abrasive that helps remove stubborn stains
• Vinegar: helps break down grease and disinfects in an eco-friendly way
• A spray bottle: for applying vinegar or a homemade cleaning solution
• A steam cleaner: simply the most effective household helper for cleaning your oven. Don't have one yet? Browse our steam cleaner collection.

 

2. Making a baking soda cleaning paste

Make a natural cleaning solution by mixing baking soda and water into a paste. It's gentle but effective at removing grease and baked-on food. Better still, it's eco-friendly and cheap!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of water (or more, if needed)

3. Applying the paste

• Spread the baking soda paste over the inside of the oven. Apply thick layers to any stubborn stains.
• Leave the paste to work for at least 12 hours. This gives the baking soda time to loosen the grease and dirt.

4. Remove the cleaning paste

• Use a damp cloth to wipe away the paste. You can also use the brushes of a steam cleaner. Don't have a steam cleaner? Try a heavy-duty sponge instead.
• Wipe the oven down with vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and spray it over the inside of the oven. It reacts with any leftover baking soda, making it easier to wipe clean.

5. Cleaning the oven racks and baking trays

• Soak the racks in warm water with a little washing-up liquid. Once they've soaked, use a sponge or brush to remove any remaining grease and dirt.
• Dry the racks thoroughly before putting them back in the oven.

6. The final check: a sparkling clean oven

• Check the oven is clean by looking for any remaining marks, and wipe them again if needed.

Make sure you wipe away every trace of cleaning product thoroughly.

Put the oven on a low temperature for about 15 minutes so any remaining moisture evaporates.

 

3. More tips for cleaning your oven 

Cleaning your oven with lemon
Lemon juice is a true all-rounder around the house. It helps loosen grease stains and leaves your oven smelling fresh. Sprinkle some baking powder on the stains you want to clean and use half a lemon as a sponge. The acid works with the baking powder to lift stains easily.

You can also turn it into a spray. So how do you clean your oven with a lemon spray? Follow the steps below to clean your oven with this effective cleaner.

1. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze out the juice.
2. Mix the lemon juice with an equal amount of water and pour it into a spray bottle.
3. Spray the mixture generously onto the dirty areas in the oven and leave it to work for a few hours.
4. Wipe the oven clean with a damp cloth or sponge. After these simple steps, your oven won't just be clean, it'll smell lovely and fresh too.

Use salt on fresh spills: just spilt something? Sprinkle salt over spilt liquids or food residue while the oven is still warm. The salt absorbs moisture and stops the stain from becoming stubborn.

 

Cleaning your oven with vinegar:
Vinegar is a versatile cleaner that's ideal for ovens. Its acidity breaks down both grease and dirt effectively. It's also handy for removing limescale and neutralising unpleasant odours.

How does cleaning with vinegar work?

Follow the steps below to clean your oven effectively with vinegar. Don't use too much vinegar, as the smell tends to linger.

1. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the mixture generously over the dirty areas in the oven and leave it to work for a few hours.
3. Wipe the oven clean with a damp cloth.
4. Repeat for stubborn stains if needed.
   
   

Common mistakes when cleaning your oven

Using harsh chemicals

Harsh chemicals can damage your oven and your health. Ideally, use mild cleaning products and make sure the room is well ventilated while you clean.

Forgetting to rinse the oven properly

If cleaning products aren't rinsed off properly, they can give off fumes while you cook. Make sure you wipe away every trace of cleaning product thoroughly.

Cleaning your oven with a steam cleaner

A steam cleaner is probably the best way to clean your oven thoroughly without chemical cleaning products. High-pressure steam breaks down grease and grime, even in the hardest-to-reach places. Steam also disinfects thoroughly, so your oven isn't just clean but hygienic too. To use the steam cleaner, aim the steam at the dirty surfaces, then wipe away the loosened dirt with a cloth. That makes a steam cleaner both eco-friendly and highly efficient.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. How long does it take to clean an oven?

It depends on how dirty your oven is. On average, it takes between 30 minutes and an hour.

2. Are there special cleaning products for ovens?

Yes, there are lots of cleaning products designed specifically for ovens that can be more effective at removing stubborn dirt. Even so, it's best to start with the gentler solutions we covered above. 

3. How can I stop my oven getting dirty again so quickly?

Use oven liners or baking trays to keep spills to a minimum, and wipe up crumbs and stains straight after use so they don't burn on. It's also worth giving the oven a quick wipe with a cloth every time you use it.

4. What if the solutions above don't work?

If so, your oven is probably very dirty. Cleaning your oven with household products works, but only up to a point. If you're dealing with very stubborn residue that our household remedies can't shift, you can always use a steam cleaner or a dedicated oven cleaner. 

Conclusion: cleaning an oven is quick and easy

Regular maintenance and a thorough clean don't just help your oven last longer. They also help it run more safely and efficiently. With these simple, eco-friendly tips, cleaning your oven is easy. For the best results, use a steam cleaner. The hot steam loosens grease and grime easily, so you don't need any chemical products.