Cleaning the oven is annoying and takes time. But the important kitchen helper should be regularly cleaned of dirt and leftovers for various reasons. Whether with the chemical club or with natural home remedies: These tricks extend the life of the tube.
The oven is the heart of the kitchen. Whether for a delicious cake, juicy roast or classic casserole – the oven is used regularly in most kitchens. So that it looks good for a long time and also bakes and sizzles for a long time, it has to be cleaned regularly. Simply wiping the oven with a damp cloth is often not enough to get rid of stubborn dirt. The following applies: the more often you clean, the easier regular cleaning will be.
Cleaning the oven: why and how often does it have to be?
In many kitchens, cleaning the oven is not part of the weekly cleaning ritual, but should be done at least every two to three months if the oven is used regularly. If this is neglected, heavy soiling burn into the case and produce toxic fumes. These can be harmful to health and also affect the taste of the prepared dishes.
In this way you avoid serious contamination
A few things should be observed to prevent serious soiling of the oven in the first place:
- In many ovens, the bottom of the oven is most often affected by dirt. To prevent this, the floor should be covered with baking paper, aluminum foil or a baking mat be laid out. This protection for the oven floor should be replaced regularly for reasons of hygiene (note: the baking mat has a clear advantage with circulating air heating, since baking paper and aluminum foil are often not left behind.).
- Coarse dirt should be removed directly from the oven with a damp cloth after each baking. This only takes a few minutes, but can prevent the hassle of scrubbing badly burned-on food residue afterwards. A few simple steps are usually enough to save a lot of work later. (Tip: After each baking, put a glass of water with lemon or some baking soda in the still hot oven. Lemon provides a pleasantly fresh scent and dirt can be removed more quickly and easily.)
- Modern ovens have a so-called self-cleaning or pyrolysis function. This can be very practical when you are short on time, in order to combat dirt immediately.
- Finally, it can be recommended to use casserole dishes that are large enough to prevent food from leaking and overcooking inside the oven. Grease splashes and stains can be prevented in this way.
Clean the oven with oven spray
That oven spray is one of the most popular, easiest and most reliable means of cleaning the oven. There is no general guide here. Pay attention to the instructions on the back of the spray bottle. In most cases, the baking tray has to be removed from the oven in order to then completely cover the interior of the oven with the spray foam. Depending on the recommendation on the back, the spray must then act for between ten and 30 minutes. After the exposure time has elapsed, the foam on the housing should be thoroughly removed with a damp cloth (tip: for an even better result, leave the oven spray to work overnight and cover with cling film. This makes it easier to remove particularly stubborn residues the next day.).
Advantages: The oven spray can be used when ordinary home remedies (lemon, vinegar, salt, etc.) fail. It is a cheap and quick option.
Disadvantages: The spray still consists largely of chemical ingredients. Although not serious, it often spreads an unpleasant chemical smell and is sometimes harmful to the environment.
Clean the oven with simple home remedies
If you shy away from the big chemical club or don’t have an oven spray in the house at the moment, you can try a few home remedies when cleaning the oven. Although these can usually be used with only light soiling, they can be used in a targeted manner and, with the right mixture, can work wonders.
detergent can with light soiling and encrustation be applied. Mixed with water, it is carefully applied inside the oven with a sponge or cloth and then scrubbed off. This is how light dirt comes off. You also get a good overview of the degree of soiling in the oven.
If the dirt is more stubborn, you can use it in the next step as an alternative to oven spray, Dishwashing powder can be used in the dishwasher. Due to its fat-dissolving and chemical composition, which is already present, it can be used very well when cleaning the oven. The dosage is also very easy. Dishwashing powder is a product that is available in most households and is therefore readily available when you don’t feel like going to the supermarket.
Cleaning the oven with dishwashing powder – this is how it works
- Scatter the powder evenly on the oven floor (the rule is: the thicker the layer, the better the effect.).
- Soak several reusable washcloths or towels in lukewarm water. Then lay it out evenly on the floor of the oven so that the entire floor of the oven is covered.
- Keep the oven closed and leave everything to work overnight.
- Remove layer with a sponge (If not all dirt has been removed, repeat the process with a thicker layer of dishwashing powder.).
On non-chemical and environmentally friendly Home remedies for cleaning the oven, which everyone in the household is guaranteed to have ready, is salt. Cleaning the oven with salt and a damp cloth is very easy and quick. When cleaning the oven with salt, the degree of soiling is also important.
Cleaning the oven with salt – this is how it works
- First, moisten the oven generously with a cloth.
- Then sprinkle it with salt (where: Sprinkle the affected areas extra thick.).
- Heat the oven to a maximum of 50 degrees until the salt turns slightly brown.
- Once the salt and water mixture has cooled, it can be removed with a damp cloth or cloth.
Baking soda is used in many areas for cleaning and stain removal. The all-rounder can also be used to clean the oven in case of grease splashes or similar.
Cleaning the oven with baking soda – that’s how it works
- Mix packet of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water
- Apply paste with a brush inside the oven
- Close the oven and leave for 30 minutes
- Sweep out the powder and wipe off the rest with a damp cloth
The lemon is also used in many areas, including stain removal. Unpleasant odors and light soiling can be easily combated with a little lemon and water. The lemon is one of the environmentally friendly oven cleaning variants and also provides a pleasantly fresh scent.
Cleaning the oven with lemon – that’s how it works
- Mix lemon juice with water, fill into a heatproof container and place in the oven at 120 degrees
- Leave in the closed oven for about 60 minutes
- Wipe out the interior of the oven with a cloth or rag
Using shaving foam as a cleaning agent sounds a bit strange at first, but many users swear by its effect. Also because it is a cheap alternative to many oven cleaners. Ordinary shaving foam consists of water, betaine, polyglyceril and potassium, which are ideal for removing stains and are therefore also perfect for cleaning a dirty oven. The potassium soap in particular helps to remove burnt-in stains and dirt. As always, coarse food residues should be removed from the oven before use.
Cleaning the oven with shaving foam – this is how it works
- Apply a handful of shaving cream
- close the oven and leave on for at least two hours
- Roughly clean the interior with a cloth and water
- Wipe thoroughly with a clean, damp cloth
Vinegar cleaner has long been considered one of the best home remedies for cleaning the bathroom and kitchen. Vinegar has also proven its worth when cleaning the oven. The advantage is that the different strengths of vinegar can be used personally, depending on the degree of soiling.
The vinegar can be used in two different ways.
Cleaning the oven with vinegar – that’s how it works
Light soiling
- Mix vinegar with washing-up liquid and apply to the soiled areas
- Foam the mixture with a sponge
- Leave to act and then wash off thoroughly with a cloth and water
Stubborn dirt
- Mix vinegar essence with water in heat-resistant form
- Leave the mixture in the oven at 150 degrees for 45 minutes
- Remove the bowl and clean the interior with a damp cloth
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is an integral part of many cleaning agents anyway. Among other things, various detergents or baking powder contain the additive sodium bicarbonate. It reacts with water and acid and foams. Soda also dissolves stubborn dirt, limescale and fat spatters and should therefore not be missing from the top household products.
Cleaning the oven with baking soda – that’s how it works
- Mix baking soda with water in a 1:1 ratio
- Distribute the paste in the interior of the oven and allow it to act for at least 30 minutes, depending on the degree of soiling
- Sweep out dried residues and roughly clean the oven
- Clean the tube with a rag or cloth and plenty of water
Clean the oven – every few months is enough
What, how and where exactly works best can be tried out piece by piece at home. Luckily, cleaning only needs to be done every few months, and maybe even less frequently with the preventive measures outlined above. After a thorough cleaning of the oven, all oven dishes can be enjoyed again without hesitation.
Sources:“ao.de”; “Chip”; “Lovely living”; “Utopia”
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