How to Clean an Oven with Minimal Hassle

Easy Oven Cleaning

Save a lot of clean-up time by lining the bottom rack of your oven with aluminum foil when you cook something messy. But never line the bottom of your oven with foil—this can cause a fire.

Hassle-Free Spill Clean-up

Oops, that pot in your oven boiled over, and there’s a sticky mess on the bottom of your oven! To easily clean any oven spill, sprinkle salt on top as soon as possible. After a little while in a hot oven, the spill will turn to ash and you can easily clean it.

Orange Oven

A self-cleaning oven can leave an odor after it’s done its work. Eliminate the lingering smell by turning down the oven to 350ºF after the cleaning cycle, then placing a baking sheet lined with orange peels on the middle rack. Cook the peels for a half an hour, and not only will the oven smell fresh, but your whole kitchen will too!

Oven Cleaning Made Easy

A simple way to clean your oven is to place an oven-safe pot or bowl filled with water inside. Heat on 450°F for 20 minutes, and steam will loosen the dirt and grease. Once your oven is cool, wipe off the condensation and the grease will come with it. When you’re done, make a paste of water and baking soda and smear it on any enamel. The paste will dry into a protective layer that will absorb grease as you cook.

The Black Bag Treatment

Make your oven racks easier to clean by coating them with cleanser, placing them in a black plastic trash bag, and setting them outside in the sun. After a few hours, they’ll be ready to spray off with a hose.

Greasing the Racks

After you’ve cleaned your oven racks, coat the sides with a bit of vegetable oil. They’ll slide in and out of the oven with ease.

Not a Fan of Oven Fans?

Oven fans are magnets for grease. The simplest way to clean the resulting mess is to pop out the fan filter, then run it through your dishwasher on the top shelf. If it’s very greasy, run it with pots and pans or by itself.

For more cleaning tips for around the house, check out our Cleaning Tips board on Pinterest. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook for our Tip of the Day!

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