Cleaning the oven is easier than you think! This is the best way I know to clean your oven, including the racks and oven glass door.
Cleaning the oven would have to be one of my least favourite jobs. But I love to bake and of course, it’s much nicer and more hygienic when the oven is lovely and clean. It’s a task many of us avoid, but it can be tackled more easily than you might think.
I am sensitive to harsh chemicals so I prefer to not use commercial oven cleaners whenever I can. With the oven, however, there are some stubborn food spills that do need a stronger cleaner to remove them.
Using cleaning spray and sponge, clean the oven’s interior and internal door to remove any grease and grime.
For stubborn marks, dab cleaning paste onto the area, sit for 5 minutes, then remove with a damp cleaning sponge. Alternatively, add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to Lemon Soda Paste and apply to the area; after 10 minutes, spritz with vinegar and sit for 5 minutes. Gently clean the area, then clean again with spray and a cloth to remove paste residue.
Clean the exterior door with cleaning spray and a cloth. If your oven is stainless steel, use a paper towel with a splash of olive oil. Wipe in the direction of the grain, adding more oil to the towel when necessary.
deep clean
Soak the oven shelves and side racks. Place an old towel or a sheet in your bathtub to help prevent scratching the tub. Remove the shelves and side racks from your oven and place on top of the towel. Sprinkle 3/4 cup oxi powder stain remover over the top. Fill the bath with hot water, enough to cover the shelves. Leave for a few hours or overnight to help loosen the grime.
Remove baked-on food on the bottom of the oven. If your oven has a self-clean setting, run this to help make the cleaning process easier. Once the oven is switched off and cooled down, clean with cleaning spray and a sponge. For baked-on grime, dab cleaning paste on the area, sit for 5 minutes, then remove with a damp cleaning sponge. For stubborn stains that will not clean away with the previous method, you may need to use a powerful oven cleaner.
Clean the oven door. Spread cleaning paste or cream cleanser over the oven door, stand for 30 minutes, then use a damp cleaning sponge to remove the grime. Alternatively, add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to Lemon Soda Paste and apply to the area; after 10 minutes, spritz with vinegar and sit for 5 minutes. For stubborn stubborn spots, use a cooktop scraper to remove them but be careful at the angle it’s used to prevent damage. Gently clean the area, then clean again with cleaning spray and a cloth to remove paste residue. I like to give it a final wipe over with sparkle spray or glass cleaner.
One last wipe over. Spray the oven interior with cleaning spray to wipe away any leftover paste. Rinse the cloth and wipe again to reveal your sparkling clean oven and door.
Clean the oven shelves. After the shelves have been soaking overnight, put on some gloves and gently scrub the shelves with a cleaning sponge or grill cleaning brush. Empty the bathtub. Fill a bucket up with water and pour over the shelves to rinse off, then allow to dry. Read here how to clean bathtub.
Replace the oven racks. Place your racks and shelves back in your beautifully clean oven.
Clean the exterior of your oven. Use cleaning spray and a cleaning cloth to clean marks and fingerprints. If your oven is stainless steel, use a paper towel with a splash of olive oil and wipe in the direction of the grain, adding more oil to the towel when necessary.
Kat’s tip: When cooking pies or casseroles that may spill over, place the dish on a baking tray so you will clean the spill on the tray rather than having to scrub the oven.
Katrina Springer, affectionately known as The Organised Housewife, advocates for a harmonious home and balanced living. With expertise in home organising, cleaning, meal planning and managing family life, Kat's mission is to inspire and support her community with practical tips empowering her readers to reclaim control of their homes.
My mission is to inspire and empower others to achieve a sense of order and balance in their homes, enabling them to easily tackle daily tasks so then the rest of the day is filled with activities that bring them joy.
As a popular blogger, influencer, and author, I draw from my expertise in home organisation, cleaning, and meal planning to offer practical tips and heartfelt encouragement to my audience.
