Take a look around your kitchen, and you’ll notice a wide range of cooking appliances. Each one serves a different purpose in cooking, but they all can get equally dirty and messy, such as your oven. When that happens, it might seem convenient to have a self-cleaning function, but how much of this is too good to be true? In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about your self-cleaning oven, including how to actually keep it clean and tidy!
How Does a Self Cleaning Oven Work?
Self-cleaning ovens utilize a pyrolytic cleaning method, which is when food particles and residue are heated until they’re carbonized and eliminated. These ovens can get as hot as 800ºF, which helps disintegrate any food debris and splatter and makes them much easier to clean off afterward. However, contrary to what it’s called, you still need to be involved during the process, even if you’re using your oven’s self-cleaning function.
Can You Use an Oven Cleaner on a Self Cleaning Oven?
No, you shouldn’t use an oven cleaner on a self-cleaning oven if you’re planning to use the self-cleaning function. Here are a few reasons why:
- Using an oven cleaner when your oven is running through a self-cleaning cycle can damage the inside of your oven.
- When your oven cleaner is heated to incredibly high temperatures, the cleaner may lose its effectiveness.
- Aside from reduced effectiveness, oven cleaners that are heated in extreme conditions, such as a self-cleaning oven, can release toxic fumes that can be detrimental to your health.
How to Clean a Self Cleaning Oven
Cleaning a self cleaning oven is a simple and straightforward process. Follow these steps:
- Prepare the oven by removing all of the contents—including racks, trays, foils, liners, and cookware—before wiping down the inside of the oven door with a damp cloth. Take the time to wipe the oven window as well, which will prevent any unwanted streaks.
- Familiarize yourself with the self-cleaning function of your oven by reading through the user manual’s recommendations. Some self-cleaning ovens have light, moderate, and heavy cleaning settings, with each setting having varying durations and temperatures, so make sure to consider this before proceeding.
- After ensuring that the oven door is properly closed, start a self-cleaning cycle and choose the cleaning setting that best suits the cleaning needs of your oven. During this period, your oven will get really hot, so make sure to keep your pets and children away. It’s also important to keep the area clear of any plastic materials that could melt.
- Once the self-cleaning cycle has finished, leave your oven to cool down before wiping away all the ash and debris with a damp cloth.
How to Clean Self Cleaning Oven with Baking Soda
As mentioned before, it’s not a good idea to use oven cleaners on your self-cleaning ovens, but you can choose to manually clean your oven with baking soda. Here’s how you can clean your self-cleaning oven with baking soda:
- Prepare your oven by removing all its contents and wiping down the inside of your oven with a damp cloth.
- Mix together ½ cup of baking soda and 3 tablespoons of water to create a paste.
- Spread the baking soda paste throughout the interior of your oven.
- Leave the baking soda to sit anywhere from 20 minutes to overnight, depending on the level of mess inside your oven.
- After letting the baking soda paste do its work, spray it with some white vinegar or lemon juice before wiping it away with a damp cloth.
Will Baking Soda Harm a Self-Cleaning Oven
No, baking soda will not harm a self-cleaning oven. If used on an oven completing a self-cleaning function, baking soda will simply blast away without releasing any toxic and harmful gases. If used for manual cleaning, it’s an easy and accessible material that can help you thoroughly clean the inside of your self-cleaning oven.
Additional Cleaning Tips
Here are some additional oven cleaning tips to keep in mind:
- Regardless of whether you prefer your oven’s self-cleaning function or manual cleaning, make sure that you clean your self-cleaning oven regularly to prevent the buildup of unwanted messes and grime.
- When using your oven’s self-cleaning function, keep your kitchen properly ventilated to dissipate the heat, odors, and smoke that it can produce. You can do this with a range hood or by leaving some doors and windows open.
- Check on your oven’s door gasket regularly for any damage. Your self-cleaning oven can only complete a full self-cleaning function if the oven door is properly closed.
- Keep an eye on your oven when it’s completing a self-cleaning cycle. Remember that this function involves really high temperatures that can produce smoke and fumes, so it’s best to be nearby while this is happening.
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