Cleaning Your Oven

Whether they are gas or electric cookers, they need regular cleaning to keep them working as well as when they were new. It is not the most glamorous job in the world and many people put it off until it becomes a crisis. The biggest tip for all cooker owners is to clean regularly and the oven won’t be such a mess to clean in the first place.

There are some steps that you can take to make the job easier, more pleasant and effective.

  1. The first step is to purchase a fair amount of baking soda. The soda suds eat through the grime and loosen it from the surfaces that it’s clinging to. Along with the baking soda you will need a spray bottle (approximately 1 pint or 1 litre) to make the mixture of baking soda and water. The mixture consists of 3 heaped teaspoons of baking soda mixed with water. You can fill the bottle with water. Shake it vigorously to make sure that all the baking soda dissolves.

  2. Make sure that you work with a cold oven. Use the spray bottle to spray the top, sides and bottom of the oven. You may have to do this a few time during the day. The spray bottle will help you to evenly distribute the baking soda mixture and to get into those uncomfortable little nooks and crannies.

  3. Let the baking soda dry. If you want to, wipe the grime away from the surfaces, although it is advisable to leave the baking soda to soak in properly before wiping it down with a damp cloth. Alternatively you can just continue using your oven as usual – the carbon will disintegrate in the heat. The baking soda is perfectly safe to consume so don’t worry about it getting into the food.

  4. For extra cleaning power you can add a generous amount of lemon juice with the mixture. Not only will it help break down the carbon deposits, but it will also give your oven a pleasant, fresh smell.

  5. To keep your oven clean, keep on applying the baking soda mixture to prevent further carbon build-up.

This technique works well with both gas as well as electric cookers. It is also more environmentally friendly than the commercial oven cleaners. Of course the secret to success is time and patience. Wait for the baking soda to settle in and eat away at the grime. You’ll notice it slowly sliding to the bottom of the oven. This is when you can wipe it down with a damp cloth. In the meantime use your oven as usual. Don’t let oven grime get you down.