3 Super-Easy Oven-Cleaning Hacks From the Pros
If you’re like most people, cleaning the oven isn’t on the top of your “Favorite Things to Do” list. It’s messy, it introduces all kinds of chemicals into your home, and it takes a long time.
Unless, of course, you use one of these three simple oven-cleaning hacks.
3 Super-Easy Oven-Cleaning Hacks From the Pros
Oven-Cleaning Hack #1: Baking Soda, Vinegar and Water
What you’ll need, in addition to an oven-safe bowl:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
Mix the three ingredients in an oven-safe bowl to make a paste. Dab it on the most soiled parts of the oven, then put the remaining mixture (in its bowl) on the rack. Heat the oven to 100 degrees F and leave the bowl in there for 45 minutes. When it’s done, wipe away the grime!
Oven Cleaning Hack #2: Baking Soda, Vinegar and Water (Again, but in a Different Way)
What you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 3 tablespoons water
- Vinegar
- Rubber gloves
- Damp cloth
- Plastic (or silicone) spatula
- Spray bottle
Mix the baking soda with a few tablespoons of water – enough to turn it into a paste. Spread the paste on the soiled parts of the oven, where it’ll turn brown in some places. Let it sit overnight (or at least 12 hours) and wipe it down with a damp cloth. You can use a spatula to scrape off the paste if you need to. Then, spritz the inside of the oven with vinegar wherever you see baking soda residue. It’ll create a light foam, which you can wipe away with a clean, damp cloth.
Oven Cleaning Hack #3: Lemon, Water and a Scouring Pad
What you’ll need:
- Three lemons
- 3 to 4 cups of water
- A baking dish
- A scouring pad
Cut your lemons in half and squeeze their juice into the baking dish. Drop the remaining peels into the dish and fill it about a third-full with water. Put the baking dish on the oven and bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. The water and lemon juice mixture will cling to the grime and loosen it, so you can use a scouring pad to remove whatever’s left on the walls, floor and door. Use the remaining lemon juice and water mixture to rinse as you scrub.
How Not to Clean an Oven
There are some things you shouldn’t do to clean your oven – either because they’re dangerous or because they just don’t work well, such as:
- Using Coca-Cola. There are more than a few “Clean Your Oven With Coke” images on the internet, but here’s the bottom line: soda is sticky, and while it may work for little things like dirty pots and pans or cookie sheets, it’s not really a good idea to put it all over your oven. You’ll still need to scrub (a lot) and you’ll have to do a lot of rinsing. You’re better off using a baking soda or lemon method listed here.
- Using bleach. You can clean your oven with bleach, but remember that bleach’s main purpose is to disinfect things. It’s probably a better idea to use a grease-cutting solution, baking soda or lemons.
- Using the self-cleaning function. While some people swear by the self-cleaning functions of their ovens, you’ll be dealing with really, really high temperatures – and the funky stuff that’s in your oven will smoke, potentially releasing chemicals into your indoor air.
Do You Need Help With Household Cleaning?
We can help you with routine chores and seriously in-depth cleaning jobs. Call us at 910-725-3226 (Southern Pines, NC), 706-256-8771 (Columbus, GA) or 843-491-5526 (Myrtle Beach, SC). We serve all the communities around each of these major cities, as well, and we’d love to give you a free house-cleaning estimate so you can focus on more important things.
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