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Jun 07 2011

{Cleaning} Quick tips on cleaning the OVEN

Category: Cleaning • Cleaning Tasks • Kitchen • Tips

I have mentioned before about my allergies and not being able to use horrible smelling cleaners.  I find as detailed below a very simple, non toxic way of cleaning my oven:

  • To remove the baked on food at the bottom of your oven sprinkle with bicarb soda.  Fill a spray bottle with vinegar, then spray this over the bicarb, allow to sit for an hour.  Then it should be easy to remove, if not, repeat the process.
  • To clean the shelves, place a few old towel in your bathtub (enough to prevent scratches) then put in your shelves and sprinkle nappy-san over top.  Fill bath with HOT water enough to cover the shelves.  Leave for approx 1 1/2 hours.  Gently scrub grime, should easily come off.

See HERE for more general kitchen tips

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  • Kristen

    Love this! My oven is in dire need of a clean and I hate oven cleaner with a passion, will definitely give this a go instead! Though I will have to cover the floor as my door is side opening, lol :-)

  • Mama Currie

    Hi Katrina
    Came accross this great tip to clean the racks in your stove. Fill your laundry or bath tub with hot/boliling water add 2 dishwasher tablets, soak over night. Very little scrubbing required in the morning.

    When I fill the bath, I used hotwater and boiled the kettle a couple of times.

    They came up beautifully.

    Regards
    Shaaron

  • Amanda Brownhill

    great idea! I nearly choked using oven cleaner and it made me think if I did this more often I wouldnt have baked on stuff.. ha in my dreams…

  • http://moniquefollett@blogspot.com Monique Follett

    I am definately going to try this – I am so over having asthma attacks from the fumes of oven cleaners…..

  • Michelle

    After cleaning our oven we always fold some alfoil and place it on the bottom of the oven. Makes for easier cleaning next time.

  • Kylie

    Hi there
    I also soak my trays in nappysan oxy action though, it is amazing. I usually leave them over night and they are soooo sparkly when I get them out. Shiney as new. I also clean the inside of the oven with nappysan oxy action, just make a paste and put it on and leave for a few hours and come back and wipe off. Works on stove tops too!!! Such a great way to clean without the toxic smells!! Especially considering we have too cook in there and the horrid chemicals would end up in our foods!! gross!!!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1386756307 Antony N Jilly

      Thank you Kylie, I shall buy nappysan oxy action with my baby wipes when I go out in a few minutes!
      oxo

  • MIchelle

    Hi there, you should really check out Enjo products – you’ll never use a chemical again. I have found them well worth the money!

  • Mamagringa

    Great ideas! I would normally use my dishwasher to clean the racks but now, we have just upgraded our kitchen and we bought a pyrolytic oven – SELF CLEANING! Apparently, you turn the oven up high to 250 degrees C and leave it to burn off all the food residue. Then, you can just wipe it or vacuum the ash out once the oven cools. Will let you know how it goes when I try it. :)

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      I have wondered how the self cleaning oven works. I have never thought about vacuuming the ash, what a great idea!

      • Chris Hall

        I know this is bizarre, but when I used my self cleaning oven, twice because I wasn’t sure, it melted the sealant between the oven and the splash board and the wall.

    • Suzanne

      We had a self-cleaning oven for years. It works great but the electric bill is a bit higher.

  • Fiona

    I have just used both of the tips above and WOW!!! I can’t believe how good it looks! Sparkly showroom condition. I’m so impressed, and I didn’t have to use any nasty chemicals. Thanks so much! x

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      That’s great Fiona, love the sparkly bathrooms and a bonus to use no chemicals.

  • http://www.facebook.com/kristie.schwarz Kristie Schwarz

    I actually clean my oven with nothing but baby wipes, and it comes up sparkling just like new every time! I heat the oven for a short while, and then when it is cooled a little but still warm, just wipe all surfaces over with baby wipes! Presto!

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      I have a friend who also swears by cleaning with baby wipes! Great idea Kristie!

    • Nikki

      surely that wouldn’t be for an oven that hasn’t been cleaned in over 6 months

    • Jilly

      I am going out to buy baby wipes! Thank you for the tip!
      oxo

  • Anonymous

    Another trick I have learned is that once you’ve cleaned your oven – make a paste of bi-carb soda and water and use a pastry brush to coat the inside of your oven. Yes, it looks bizarre – all white, however, all fat splashes are absorbed. Once the coating turns brown, simply wipe off – voila clean oven! – and simply repeat the process.

    • Suzanne

      That’s an EXCELLENT suggestion! So, you bake, roast, etc with the dry soda paste on the oven surfaces, right? If so it would help me see what’s going on as my oven’s interior is navy blue. Thanks.

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  • Jus

    This method works really well, i also wrap my oven racks in alfoil when soaking them and use a regular washing powder. Amazing results!

  • kate

    dont forget you can clean your exhaust fan thingo’s in nappy san too, i just took mine appart this week and soaked for an hour or so and got rid off all the grease and grime

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001729584054 Karen Martino

      This is a question I have too…do you mean the mesh type of grills on the overhead exhaust fan?….

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=779104749 Kathryn Reid

    I tried the bi-carb and vinegar just this morning for the first time (until now have used the stinky foams) . The oven wasn’t terribly dirty but I wasn’t completely satisfied with the results from the bi-carb/water/vinegar combo. Once I’d wiped out the residue, I dribbled some liquid dishwashing detergent on a wet chux and wiped the walls over, rinsed and did it once more. It’s now lovely, shiny and grease-free again! :-)

  • Darson

    Just a question about using Nappysan. Doesn’t that have bleach in it as well? Just not sure about using the chemicals in Nappysan on things that I cool with either?

    • Darson

      I meant ‘cook’ with not ‘cool’ with, lol.

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      Yes, however I always make sure it is thoroughly rinsed off before putting back in the oven.

  • Kathy

    Here’s how I do mine…Start with a cold oven, remove the trays, boil a kettle and fill a metal bowl with the boiling water. Place the bowl in the oven and quickly shut the door. Take 1/4 cup of ammonia and reach into the oven (keeping your nose away) and tip carefully in the bowl. Shut the door and leave overnight. Cleans quite easily with the bit of bi-carb for any stubborn bits.

    Meanwhile…take the trays and place in the bath. I place a towel in first so that I don’t get any scratches on the bath surface. Cover them with hot water and add a 1/4 cup Morning Fresh laundry Liquid and 1/4 vinegar. Leave until the water is cold and get a ‘curly wurly’ scrubber and run over the trays.

    Everything sparkles.

  • Sueellm

    After the oven is clean I coat my oven and oven racks with bicarb/water paste also… makes it such a quick, easy job to clean in the future (which I do about once a month). It looks a bit yukky though, but I could never go back to using Mr Muscle and the like.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=638957500 Janice Johnstone

    Norwex oven and grill cleaner – enzyme based – spray on – wipe off.  No smell to hurt your nose.  Not caustic – doesn’t hurt your skin – works in minutes.  So much cheaper than Mr Muscle.

    • Suzanne

      where did you get the Norwex? Who makes it? Thanks.

  • http://www.oneontheway.com.au/ Kelly Tredwell

    This is awesome, I am so glad I found this post.  Have been staring at my oven for weeks now procrastinating about cleaning it and I would never have thought of using nappy san.  I am definitely going to do this tomorrow! 

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      Nappysan makes it so easy to remove

  • Savi

    My oven was really bad. Tried your trick, but I just ended up with bicarb gunk to remove. I ended up cleaning my oven trays by soaking in a solution of detergent and bicarb mixed together with boiling water, and they cleaned cleaned up a treat with a gentle scrub (got my 5YO cleaning them for me :) ). The oven itself was very baked on, and we used our new hand held steamer and a fair bit of elbow grease, and it looks fabulous. I also used a technique similar to amosi. I have a misture of vinegar and bicarb in a spray bottle, and read that if you give a spray every now and then in the oven, it will soak up the grease and you just wipe it all off. It looks weird as it dries white, but I am amazed at how much black is still wiping off now!!!

    • http://www.theorganisedhousewife.com.au Katrina

      Love the idea of using the hand held steamer, after all the gunk is off then bicarb and vinegar will be all you need.

    • Savi

      ooops just realised I had a few major typos. It was the oven racks I was cleaning with the above tip, and the solution used was ½ cup white vinegar and ¾ cup dish washing soap and then I covered the racks with very hot water. Regadless, I am very happy with my clean oven :)

  • http://twitter.com/DiLishLife Di Nolan

    My oven glass is terrible. I’ve tried bicarb and vinegar but I think my problem is wiping it away too quickly. Will attempt letting it sit for an hour. Can I do it when the oven is hot or should I do it when it’s cold?

  • Megan Harrington

    For the glass my husband showed me a great tip! I was using a gumption paste with a little water (you could also use the bicarb paste) when he brought in his razor blade scraper from the garage….and proceeded to scrape the glass clean in about 10 secs flat! I was impressed and have used this method ever since. However tomorrow I’m going to use the napisan bath method as soon as I get home from work. Never been so excited to clean the oven!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/DandanLiClark Dandan Li Clark

    What a great idea, I have put all my oven racks in the tub already, can’t wait to check it tomorrow! lol I’m addicted to cleaning now. Thank you so much for your inspiration!

  • Helen

    Just did my glass door of the oven with a wipe of a soapy cloth and some scraping with the razor scraper – fantastic tip!!!

  • jeannette

    Great idea but what is “nappy-san
    “?

    • http://www.facebook.com/joanne.wells.1800 Jo-Anne Wells

      Napisan is a brand of cloth diaper soaking solution. It comes in a powder form and in Aus supermarkets is available in the laundry aisle. I’m sure there would be an equivalent available.

  • http://www.facebook.com/shoppingwith4cuties Seleania Williams

    Where do i purchase nappy- san at in Georgia?

  • Christine

    What is bicarbonate?

    • http://www.facebook.com/joanne.wells.1800 Jo-Anne Wells

      baking soda

  • Trish

    I love the Napisan remedy… Have tried it on a few other tings too, with excellent results, eg the exhaust fan covers….wonderful, they are back to clean white plastic. Love it. Oh and I asked the man of the house to help fold some sheets one day and he says the inside of the cupboards dont care how sheets are folded, OK he just got himself out of that task.. forever…. :)

  • Suzi

    What is nanny-San ?

    • http://www.facebook.com/joanne.wells.1800 Jo-Anne Wells

      see above suzi

  • dirtbustinmofo

    Pumice stone fellow cleaning-fairies!!! P U M I C E S T O N E !
    A wet pumice stone will clean a dirty oven faster than ANY spray-on product, no kidding!

    It won’t scratch porcelain if its wet because porcelain is a harder surface, it’s amazing for toilets as well. Your local hardware stoe should carry it, I’m in US so we carry it in Home Depot, Ace, Orchard Supply, Lowe’s and any Pool Supply Store – it’s what they use on the stubborn tile stains in pools!

    • s

      What is the product name? The pumice stone I know is a small rectangular
      brick. Do you mean “pumice Powder”? We have Home Depot etc here. Thanks.

      • dirtbustinmofo

        Yup, that’s the one I’m talking about! The small rectangular stone you’re thinking of is going to be your new best friend!

        But don’t use the ones they sell for beauty unless it’s 100% natural. You can get one at HD in the cleaning-supply section. The brand they sell is called “Pumie” it’s about $3 (US). They also sell a stone in the pool-supply section but it’s about $10 (US).

        It’s magical. I use it for ovens, stoves, toilets, bathtubs & sinks. Basically, anything ceramic or porcelain & heavy steel oven racks too! It won’t scratch as long as you keep it wet while you scrub & all you need is water = no chemicals!

        Here’s a link for a maid service in Texas that swears by it!

        http://www.mymaidservice.com/article4.html

        Hope this helps, happy cleaning!!!

  • Janel Finnigan

    Hi my name is janel does anyone know if I can do this in a gas stove