Every week, the average American puts nearly 6 hours of work into cleaning and housework. While there are the standard daily tasks such as washing dishes, sweeping the floor, and tidying up, there are also those nagging seasonal chores like oven cleaning.
When you keep your oven clean, it means your food will taste better, you’ll be using less energy when you cook, and it decreases the risk of fire and health hazards.
Are you looking for advice about oven cleaning so you can get the job done in the least amount of time?
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about keeping your oven grime-free, grease-free, and looking great.
Oven Cleaning: How Often Should You Do It?
The more often you clean your oven, the less of a hassle it will be when it’s time to do the chore. Experts recommend that you give your oven a cleaning once every 3 to 6 months. However, you can certainly clean it more often if necessary.
It can also be a good idea to spot clean periodically throughout the month. This way cleaning the oven will be a simpler task when the time comes for a more thorough cleaning.
Using the Self-Cleaning Function
There is a self-cleaning feature on many modern ovens. When you use this feature, the oven is heated to a very high heat of roughly 880°F. This incinerates any of the food that is inside your oven and leaves a small amount of ash behind.
The task can be easily wiped up with a damp cloth. This is definitely the easiest way for you to clean an oven and doesn’t require using chemical oven cleaners.
However, it isn’t always ideal to use a self-cleaning function in the warmer months. During the cleaning cycle, your oven will lock for 3 to 5 hours and produce a lot of heat in your home. You also want to stay out of the kitchen (and keep kids and pets out, too) during this process because it can produce some unpleasant smells.
You might have to remove the racks and pans before using this feature, depending on your oven model. It’s also important that you make sure that your oven has cooled down before you try to get the interior a wipe down.
If you have seriously baked-on grease, you might need to run the cycle more than once or incorporate some elbow grease.
Removing Baked-On Grease With the Best Oven Cleaner
Another option is using an oven cleaner to remove based on grease. You can either use a chemical store-bought cleaner or you can make a cleaner at home.
To use a chemical oven cleaner, you’ll first want to remove any loose, large pieces of food in your oven. Then spray your cleaner on the interior evenly and let it sit for at least half an hour. You will then be able to easily wipe away grime and grease.
You will probably want to do where a face mask and gloves while cleaning the oven because the chemicals are potent. Opening a window for some ventilation is a good idea, too.
If chemicals aren’t your thing, you can also make a natural cleaner using water, vinegar, and baking soda.
How to Clean Oven Racks
The best way to clean the metal racks in your oven is to take them out and soak them in boiling water that has a little dishwasher detergent added. You might choose to use your bathtub for this purpose, but you will likely have to clean the tub out after the fact.
You can let your racks soak for about two hours and then use a stiff brush to scrub them. Rinse them off and dry them before you put them back in your oven.
You can also use baking soda and water instead of soaking them in boiling water.
Cleaning Oven Knobs
It’s best to avoid spraying your oven knobs with a household cleaner directly. This could end up negatively impacting your unit at an electrical level. The better way this is to spray your liquid cleaner onto a rag rather than directly onto the knobs.
(Are you wondering what the right way is to clean your refrigerator? Check out our ultimate guide.)
Cleaning Oven Door Glass
Glass is more susceptible to scratches so it will warrant a gentler approach than you used for your racks.
You can use a baking soda and water mixture to make a thick paste that you spread on your glass for at least twenty minutes. You can then wipe the paste away with a microfiber cloth and rinse the glass thoroughly with water.
Soapy water can also be spritzed on your glass to clean it. To add an extra shine, use a bit of diluted vinegar or standard glass cleaner at the end.
Oven Cleaning’s a Bore: Why Not Hire the Pros?
Let’s face it: oven cleaning isn’t anyone’s favorite chore. While it’s certainly possible to do the job yourself, hiring professionals can free up your time for more important things. The average American spends more than 23 hours cleaning a month, which instantly invites the imagination to ponder how that time could be used otherwise.
At MaidLuxe, our team is experienced, highly skilled, and extensively trained. It’s our goal to ensure that your home and your family are in capable, reliable, and safe hands.
Are you interested in hiring maid services in the Houston area? If so, contact us for a free quote today!