Cooking a roast like this automatically means a dirty messy oven.
We have said it before, and we will repeat it: oven cleaning is amongst the most hated chores for most people. The only easy way to maintain the stove pristine is to wipe it thoroughly after every use, but who has the time for that? And even if you do, sometimes cooking a juicy meatloaf or rich sauce means automatically grease splashes and burnt food that a simple wipe can handle. Sounds familiar? Then read on – this cleaning method involving sodium hydroxide might be just what you need to deal with grease and burnt food on the appliance. It might seem like something popped out of your kid’s chemistry book, but don’t worry. If applied correctly, this method is safe for your family’s health and the environment.
Read also: 5 Efficient Oven Cleaning Recipes to Try at Home
Caustic soda granules.
Cleaning Uses of Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide, widely known as caustic soda or lye is a white solid, and it is one of the strongest bases used for cleaning. The substance is the active ingredient in most drain and oven cleaning products. Caustic soda is corrosive and can damage your skin if it gets in contact with it, but this is what makes it such an excellent ingredient for cleaning! Moreover, the substance is not toxic and not dangerous for your household and the environment. Nevertheless, you do need to wear gloves and safety goggles when using it.
Check also: How to Clean the Oven at Home the Easy Way
You can use sodium hydroxide to clean not only your oven but the barbecue grill as well.
What Makes Sodium Hydroxide So Efficient Cleaner?
Caustic soda is a base used in soap making. When the water solution of caustic soda gets in contact with animal or plant fats or oils, the result is soap and glycerol. The process is called saponification. So when you use sodium hydroxide, you are dissolving the fats and transforming it into water-soluble products. Basically, you are turning the grease into soap, not just smearing it around. Caustic soda can be used as an oven cleaner, but also as a very efficient drain cleaner. Besides dissolving fats, it hydrolyses the proteins in hair, which usually clog the pipes in your shower.
Read also: 7 Common Home Cleaning Products That Aren’t Safe for Children Part 2
You don’t need to be a scientist to try this oven cleaning method at home.
How to Prepare the Oven Cleaner
You can easily purchase soda caustic at soap making stores and other hobby stores both online and offline. It is usually in the form of white flakes or granules. To clean your oven from grease, you need to prepare a 10% solution. Take 100 g of sodium hydroxide and put it into a deep plastic container. Carefully add 1 litre of cold water – the reaction of the two ingredients is exothermic, meaning the solution literally heats itself. Stir gently. Your oven cleaner is ready! You can either pour it into a spray bottle or dip a sponge directly into the liquid. Apply to all built-up grease inside the over and on the cooktops and let it sit for 10 minutes. After the time is up, all you need to do it wipe up the appliance and let it dry.
Safety Measures When Cleaning Caustic Soda
- Always wear gloves and goggles to avoid contact with skin
- Never add caustic soda flakes to water, always put the solid first
- Never use warm water as water, and caustic soda have an exothermic reaction
- Stir your solution gently and to avoid the liquid splashing onto your skin
- Don’t inhale the vapours released during the reaction of the ingredients
If you find the oven cleaning too tedious – don’t hesitate to call us. Our professionals will do the dirty job for you in no time leaving your kitchen appliance shining. Book oven cleaning in London at we will be at your kitchen whenever you say.
