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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

What’s The Best Oven Cleaner

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Keep your oven clean to ensure your baked foods taste as delicious as they look!
Keep your oven clean to ensure your baked foods taste as delicious as they look!

Every 3 months, my family and I have a Deep Cleaning Day, where all of us clean everything in the house—the garage, freezer, refrigerator, oven, and so on. Invariably, there’s a caked-on layer of detritus coating the oven’s interior surfaces. Whether it’s from spilled sauces or bubbling cheese, the oven takes a bit of a beating.

In our homes, it’s important to take special care to ensure food preparation areas are especially hygienic. With our busy lives, however, it can be hard to find time to scrub grease out of the oven. Cleaning the oven can be a lot of work but, with the right methods, it is a task that can be completed pretty quickly.

There are many different oven-cleaning products on the market. But, in my opinion, how you clean it is the most important thing. Gas or electric ovens can be very sensitive machines, so it’s imperative that you know how to clean them without breaking anything, as you might end up spending a lot of money to fix them.

How to Clean Your Oven

You might want to read up on this if you are a new gas oven owner. First of all, it is advisable that you open all the windows in your kitchen to ventilate the room. Then you need to make sure you have the right cleaning tools and products. Grab a pair of rubber gloves, a mask (if you have one), and follow all the safety precautions listed on the product label.

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1. Remove the Shelves

Remove all the shelves from the oven (as these need to be washed separately), and make sure you are wearing comfortable clothes. Preferably ones you don’t care much about since things can get messy while you’re busy scrubbing.

2. Remove Food Residue

Thoroughly scrape food residue from your oven before you start cleaning it. This can be a tiring task (especially if the oven has not been cleaned for a very long time), so you may want to take turns with your partner.

3. Apply Oven Cleaner to the Oven Interior

Using a brush, evenly apply the oven cleaner to the door, bottom, and side panels. Take care to avoid the door seals, fan, and heating elements.

4. Leave the Oven Cleaner to Work its Magic

After applying the solution, close the oven and leave the solution to work its magic for the time indicated on the label. The chemicals and oils in the solution will break through the tough stains, which will make it easier for you to remove them.

5. Scrub the Stains

If you don’t have a medium bristled brush, buy one—an inexpensive model will do just fine. Use the brush to scrub the entire area of your oven, except for the fan and heating elements. Pay extra attention to problematic areas, such as the bottom of the oven and the inside of the door.

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6. Wipe it Down

Finally, use a washable cloth and wipe off all excess solution and dirt. To avoid spreading dirt around your oven, rinse the cloth several times.

Now that you know how to clean the oven, you’re probably wondering which product to use. The first few times I cleaned my oven were horrible. I wasted a lot of time because I was using different types of oven cleaners, and I just could not identify which one worked the best.

Which Oven Cleaner Is the Best?

With the right products, cleaning day is a breeze!
With the right products, cleaning day is a breeze!

My oven woes vanished once I found Mr Muscle. There are several oven cleaners from this brand, but the one that works perfectly for me is the spray type. All you do is spritz the cleaner on the surfaces you want to clean, and the foam expands generously.

Mr. Muscle Oven & Grill Cleaner

I usually leave the cleaner on the gas oven for about 15 to 30 minutes before scrubbing everything off. If there isn’t much dirt to begin with, all I need to do is give it a quick wipe and my gas oven looks as good as new.

You can use this product regularly. It isn’t harsh enough that you need to worry about damaging your oven, but it is strong enough to eliminate tough stains and lift dirt and debris from the surface of your oven or stove.

Caution!

Always follow the instructions on the packaging and only use the product as directed. While Mr. Muscle is not very harsh for the oven, like other oven cleaners it is hazardous for humans and domestic animals. Birds have especially sensitive respiratory systems so, if you have a feathered friend in the house, you’ll have to stick to cleaning with baking soda and vinegar.

Additionally, you should exercise some basic precautions whenever you use chemical cleaners, such as wearing a mask while you are spraying and cleaning the oven. These chemicals can cause eye irritation and skin burns, so it’s important to cover exposed skin when you’re using them. After you are done cleaning the oven, wash your clothes thoroughly before wearing them again.

Finally, keep in mind that the fumes are noxious. Ensure that your kitchen is well-ventilated when you are cleaning it. Keep the windows open, and leave them open for at least an hour after you finish.

Now that you have a clean oven, visit my posts on the best roasting rack for turkey and the best-rimmed baking sheets to make sure it stays that way!

Care for your gas oven properly. Here are my top recommendations for the best oven cleaner for gas ovens. Then when your oven’s clean, cook up something fantastic with the perfect cookware for gas stoves.

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: Bryce Heitman

Bryce is not a real professor, but he's real nerdy in the kitchen. He's been barbecuing, chopping, and generally blazing food for many decades. He thinks there's definitely a better spatula or utensil out there that hasn't been invented yet.

1 thought on “What’s The Best Oven Cleaner”

  1. Superb and informative article. Thanks for sharing this useful. You deserve a great appreciation for sharing this useful article

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