Oven cleaning is one of the things most people really, really hate. Nobody likes rubbing stubborn grease stains and scraping burnt food with hours, so we just set this chore aside “for later”. Unfortunately postponing this task can lead to smoke, foul odours, and even – to fire. However cleaning the oven doesn’t have to be difficult and eat up your weekend.
Read also: How to Remove the Toughest Food Stains left from the Holidays
Check our 5 easy oven cleaning tips for shining spotless oven.
Loosen Food Residues with Baking Soda
Loosening solid food residues will make further oven cleaning much easier. Use a damp sponge to wipe out any loose food residues inside the oven. Prepare a thick paste of baking soda and warm water and apply onto burnt spot, food crusts and stains. Let the soda mixture sit overnight and wipe with a wet sponge in the morning. Most of the dirt should come out along with the baking soda paste. You can use plastic spatula to scrape off the loosened dirt.
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Remove Old Grease Stains with Paper Towel
If you have to clean fresh grease splashes, the easiest thing to do is to soak them with paper. This is pretty much the same method but with a little twist to help you deal with old grease stains. Mix warm water and strong dish detergent in a small bowl. Fold a few pieces of paper towel and dip them into the liquid. Wring them carefully, unfold and lay over the grease. Let it sit for an hour – it will loosen the grease and transfer it to the paper.
Easy Cleaning of the Oven Shelves
Cleaning the oven shelves in place is difficult, but they can be cleaned in the sink or in large plastic basin full warm soapy water. Let them soak for 1 hour and scrub off the grease and built on dirt. Use rubber gloves to keep your hands clean. Put the oven racks on a paper towel and let them dry. When you finish cleaning the oven, place shelves back inside.
Remove Burnt Food with Ammonia
If your oven doesn’t have self-cleaning function, you can still dissolve easily the old stains. This is one of the most efficient oven cleaning techniques and you don’t need to scrub burnt food and grease for hours. Put half cup of ammonia in a small pot on the top shelf. Place a large pan of water on the shelf below, or directly onto the bottom. Turn the oven on the highest temperature and leave like this for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the ammonia and water sit overnight. Remove the two containers and open the door, to let the fumes evaporate. Wipe the oven down with warm water, and dish detergent using a sponge.
Use Salt to Deal with Fresh Stains
If you want to remove fresh stains, before they cool down and turn into crust, you can clean it easily with salt. Spray the spot with water and sprinkle generous amount of salt on it. This will prevent the food and grease residues to harden. Wait until the oven cools down and you can wipe up the stain with ease.
If oven cleaning is not your thing, or you just don’t have the time to deal with it, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our London oven cleaners can take care of this tedious task for you, with no effort on your side.
