The other day I opened my oven to put in a batch of muffins and was totally surprised to see how dirty it was.
Since when did things get so gross?! How didn’t I notice until now?
The self-clean function is an option… but it doesn’t clean the glass oven door that well.
Plus, when my oven broke down last fall, just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, the repairman asked if I had just tried to self clean it. He said he’s been called out on many repairs thanks to self cleaning. The high temperatures are hard on the oven.
Instead, it’s my favorite cleaning solution, baking soda, to the rescue. Just a quick sprinkle over the door.
And a scrub down with a soapy mild abrasive sponge.
And without all that much elbow grease, my door looks great.
The same solution can work for the inside of the oven, but I like to use a fine grade steel wool instead of a sponge, since the surface can take a bit more abrasion. There’s no need for the toxic cleaners.
I still like to use the self clean function now and then, but I am sure to do it on a day when I can be out working in the yard and I can open windows for ventilation… the fumes that come from the oven don’t exactly smell healthy.
Thanks for the tip. My oven needs some attention, and the self-cleaning makes my eyes burn. But I hate those oven cleaning products that are so strong you have to wear heavy gloves to use them. I will try your solution. You did mean baking soda, rather than baking powder, didn’t you?
Hi Debra, Yes, baking soda! Thank you for catching that! I need to NOT write posts late at night :). cheers, Calli
Love your blog!
Thanks for the tip. I will definitely be using it soon.
I’m definitely going to do this today since I just cleaned the inside of the oven yesterday and had no idea how to clean the window. I’ve had my oven for quite awhile and I’ve never known how to properly clean it so I’m excited to give it a try. I’m thinking I might have to use a little elbow power!
Thank you for this ! I just hate those chemical cleaners (so smelly) ! I’ll be trying this asap before any of my visitors that are coming over for Easter think I don’t clean :)
I need to do this! Last week I cleaned my oven, but as you said, the door didn’t get very clean. I did, however, find a tip for getting the racks clean… put them in the bathtub with hot water and laundry detergent overnight, and ta-da!
Get tip thank you. First time on your blog, how cute. Lots of good ideas for a grandma. Will visit again.
Used this “trick” this weekend as we were cleaning the house. Worked like a charmed. My husband was stunned and kept asking me what else we could clean with baking soda. So in addition to a clean oven I got a husband enthused about cleaning. Temporarily anyway. ;) Thanks!
I want to hit on your point a little harder! I too used the self cleaning function on my oven and it FRIED my circuit board. It was going to be at LEAST $700 to fix, and the repair man couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t be more than that. I was astonished…my house was only 5 years old….it seemed crazy to me that such a ‘young’ oven was basically dead. The repair man said 5-7 years is the average life span of modern appliances. We bought a new oven instead of fixing the old, and I will never again use the self cleaning function. Thank you for a great easy way to clean it :)
Thank you for this tip! The last time I cleaned my oven, I used spray on oven cleaner, since there was so much build up… and I nearly threw up from the smell (yes, windows and doors were open with the fans on BEFORE I even started). I will have to try this tomorrow morning on the rest of the oven! Thank you!
I tried this as soon as I saw it, and was disappointed to find that it didn’t work for me. What went wrong?!
Amazing! I have tried so many things to get my oven door cleaned with no results whatsoever. The baking soda and
soapy sponge worked like magic.
Thank you
Good ol’ baking soda!
Hi, in England we call it bicarb, short for bicarbonate of soda. Saw your blog the other day and have been returning most days. I love it! It is like reading your favourite magazine, or exchanging ideas with a friend, anyway…. The bicarb trick. I tried this on a really badly burnt oil mark on our stainless steel splash back behind the cooker. It worked! I was soo please because no product on the market could shift this stain and I mean nothing until the good old bicarb came along and did it without any fuss. Thank you so much. I have just found a new little cleaning friend.
Using the self cleaning has discolored the back splash of my stove. I have tried to clean it but didn’t have any luck.
Calli,
I remember reading recently about a gentler alternative to using your oven’s “self-clean” mode that didn’t create nasty fumes. I was almost certain that it was on your blog, but now I can’t find it. Could you direct me to it? My three little kids, my dirty oven and I would all really appreciate it.
I think that the brand Arm and Hammer must have something else in it besides just baking soda. I have not yet tried it as I buy my baking soda from the organic isle. It says it is pure baking soda on the package so …. It did not touch my oven window. I left it twice for the 20 minute span suggested on another post when I tried just sprinkling it and soapy (new blue) sponge did nothing. Maybe my stuff is just too baked on or maybe the brand you used has something more? Ended up using an Orange Hand Cleaner my husband uses when his hands get greasy. It worked somewhat but … oh well…