Getting Down and Dirty: How To Clean An Oven
Wondering, “How often should I clean my oven?”? Well, that depends on how often your oven is used. If your oven is used on a regular basis, you should make it a part of your monthly cleaning routine, in addition to wiping it down weekly. Of course, the best thing to do when you have spills in the oven is to wipe them up immediately, before the spills become baked on. Baked-on food and grease can cause the oven to smoke and smell bad, affecting the taste and smell of your food.If you hardly ever use your oven, just look in on it every now and then, and give it a quick wipe.
Most oven racks slide out of the oven. A good place to clean oven racks is in the bathtub. Simply put a towel in the bottom of the tub so the racks don’t scratch the tub finish. Then, place the racks on the towel, fill the tub with hot water until the racks are covered and dissolve a half cup of dish washing detergent in the water. Let the racks soak for at least four hours or overnight. Loosen any stuck on particles with a soft brush or sponge, rinse them to remove the soap and dry them off. Easypeasy!
Electric Oven:Consider using baking soda to clean the oven. Simply make a paste with one half cup of baking soda, mixing it with three tablespoons of water. (Use a cup of baking soda with one-third a cup of water if the oven is really dirty.) With the racks removed, use a paper towel or sponge to remove any loose particles from the bottom, sides, top and door. Use a soft bristled brush to scrub the inside surfaces with the baking soda paste, being careful not to scrub the heating element. Let the paste soak for one to three hours or overnight for a really dirty oven. Gas Oven:For gas oven cleaning, use the same method as above, with the following addition:The gas burner is under a panel in the bottom of the oven. There are vent slots in the panel. Be careful not to let any liquid run down through the slots and onto the burner.
To remove the paste, you can spray it down with vinegar or use a paper towel or sponge soaked with vinegar. Replace the racks.