Cleaning an oven, whether gas or electric, isn’t quick, but if it’s done right you can make an aging appliance like new. All it takes are these oven-cleaning hacks.
IMPORTANT: Everything included in this list of oven-cleaning hacks is natural. Requiring household items in the right measurements, each of which is easily made, accessible, and safe to use.
These hacks work as steps and can be followed in one big effort, or done gradually. First up, make a natural homemade oven cleaner.
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How to make a natural homemade oven cleaner?
To clean the inside of your oven you need a strong oven cleaner. Many off-the-shelf solutions have horrible chemical smells, so instead of spending on fancy cleaning products try this highly recommended and well-used homemade oven-cleaning hack.
When ready to clean your oven follow these steps:
- Put 1/2 cup of baking soda into a disposable container, adding tablespoons of water gradually and mixing so that it creates a thick paste.
- Repeat this process of adding baking soda and water until you have enough of a paste to cover the inside of the oven. You’ll likely need 1-2 cups worth of baking soda paste to get good coverage.
- Make sure you have white vinegar on-hand as it is the best way to loosen up the paste after it dries.
Only start step one when you are ready to clean. Ideally at night as the paste needs 12 hours to work its magic.
How to clean the oven?
The next step is to use your paste.
- First up, open your oven and remove the oven racks and baking trays.
- Give each surface a quick wash using a damp cloth. Your goal here is to remove any easy-to-remove waste in the oven, rather than spreading the paste on it.
- Then, using gloves spread your mixture all over your oven’s interior. Including the glass door. Do not put the paste near the heating elements.
- Once covered, close the oven door and leave it to sit overnight, up to 12 hours if possible.
- After 12 hours, apply white vinegar to disposable cloths or paper towels and remove the paste. Expect to see your paste a deep brown color, this is grease.
- Once the paste is removed, using a clean cloth and warm water, give each side a wipe to remove any remaining paste or grease.
The above method can clean the top, bottom, sides, and glass in your oven naturally, but the racks need a different approach to cleaning.
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How to clean oven racks?
The best way to clean your oven racks is with a good old-fashioned soak and a scouring pad. However, there’s one oven cleaning hack that’ll cut down on the amount of elbow grease needed.
- Ideally, once you’re at step four on the “How to clean the oven” process you’ll be able to give your oven racks a similar overnight clean.
- First up, take your oven racks to the bathroom. Then add several towels to the bottom of the bath and place your oven racks on the towels. Covering them with hot water. The towels protect your bath from the oven racks metal.
- Now for hack #2, washing powder! Use a similar amount as you would in an everyday washing machine cycle. Add to the hot water in the bath, sprinkling over each rank if possible.
- The next step is to leave them soaking overnight.
- The following day, using a scouring pad, clean off the grease and baked-on food. This overnight soak would have made cleaning the oven racks easier.
- Again use white vinegar and disposable cloths to give your oven racks a nice shine.
Now your oven is clean on the inside, the next step is to give it that lemon fresh clean naturally.
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How to steam clean the oven?
The next step in making your oven like new is to steam clean the inside. To do this, you’ll use another natural oven cleaning hack.
- First up, you’ll need two lemons. Slice them in half and add their juice to an ovenproof pan. Fill the pan with water and a splash of white vinegar.
- Place the pan in the oven and put it on medium-high heat.
- Keep the oven on until the door window is well covered in condensation, or until the water has almost evaporated.
- Once done, turn the oven off and remove the pan. Let the oven cool and wipe away the condensation for that final lemon fresh clean.
The final step is to make another homemade cleaning solution for the stovetop.
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How to make a solution to clean a stovetop?
There’s little point in having a clean oven and greasy stovetop, so test out this super simple, easy-to-make cleaning solution.
- Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with 1/2 cup of salt in 1/2 cup of warm water. Then add a splash of lemon juice.
- Remove any elements from the stovetop. Add the mixture to a cloth and scrub.
- If there are any dried on elements, use white vinegar, the mixture, and a scouring pad.
- Once the stovetop is thoroughly cleaned, use a dry clean cloth to remove any grease or excess liquid.
- Using the same mixture and process clean the elements you removed.
This stovetop mixture can be used for all exterior surfaces on the oven. So with some elbow grease and these four oven cleaning hacks your appliance can look like new.