If it's been awhile since you cleaned out your oven, you have probably noticed a layer of scum or baked-on food and grease that has been building up. You'll notice buildup on the window of the oven, as well as the insides of the appliance. It's important to clean your oven regularly to maintain its life span and keep it in good working order. When you allow grease and caked-on food to remain, you risk a smoky oven when you cook, not to mention you're making the cleaning task a lot harder for yourself when you finally get around to tackling this unpleasant cleaning task. No worries, you can keep your oven squeaky clean with just two main ingredients: baking soda and vinegar. No harsh chemicals needed!
What You'll Need
You can find the following items around the house, so gather:
- water
- spray bottle
- baking soda
- rag or cloth
- vinegar
- small bowl
Cleaning the Oven
Take out the oven racks first and foremost. Blend together two spoonfuls of baking soda into a bowl with water, creating a paste you can spread over the oven surfaces, advises Tip Hero. When spreading the paste, note that the baking soda will turn a brownish color. That's OK. Let the mixture sit overnight, for a total of at least 12 hours. Take a wet rag or cloth to the oven and wipe all surfaces. There will be some baking soda remaining. To get rid of it, add vinegar to a spray bottle and spritz the inside of the oven, wiping it down again with the cloth. Return the racks to their original position. Turn on the oven to low for about 20 minutes to speed up the drying process.
The result is a shiny oven interior that looks like new!