How to Clean an Oven: Commercial and Household Cleaners

Simple methods to make your oven look like new

person cleaning an oven

The Spruce / Ana Cadena  

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 - 10 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $5-10

Learning how to clean an oven is not difficult. Cleaning your oven will get rid of the odors and smoke that could occur from the build-up of spilled grease and food—gross.

Although cleaning the oven seems like a large and messy task at first, it's actually easy when you use the right cleaners. Various ways to clean your oven include commercial oven cleaners, effective natural cleaners like baking soda and vinegar, and the self-cleaning feature.

Read on to learn how to clean an oven properly, safely, and without as much hard work as you once thought.

How Often to Clean the Oven

Spills and overflows should be cleaned as soon as possible. If you use your oven daily, it will need to be cleaned at least seasonally or when you see one or more of these signs:

  • Grease or grime is visibly splattered on the door.
  • Crusty food or residue on the bottom of the oven looks burnt.
  • Burning or greasy odors happen when the oven is turned on.
  • Smoke appears when the oven is turned on.

The Best Ways to Clean an Oven

The best way to clean your oven depends on the kind of ingredients you use, and how dirty your oven is to start. Here's a review of the three best ways to clean an oven:

  • Self-cleaning feature: The self-cleaning feature on an electric oven is a method for a slightly dirty oven. (Not all gas ranges have this feature.) It works by melting away small amounts of grease and grime in your oven with extremely high heat. Do not use this method if your oven is very dirty because the high heat can release fumes and cause large amounts of grease and food residue to smoke or catch fire.
  • Commercial oven cleaner: A commercial cleaner has powerful ingredients and is the best option to clean a heavily soiled oven.
  • Natural oven cleaner: If you're wary of the ingredients used in a commercial cleaner or if your oven isn't very dirty, you can clean an oven without oven cleaners with natural ingredients, such as baking soda and vinegar but this method requires more scrubbing action.

Warning

Be sure to read the manual for your self-cleaning oven before embarking on any cleaning project, as some manufacturers will void their warranty if commercial oven cleaner is used.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Protective gloves and safety glasses
  • Sponge or microfiber cloths
  • Bucket or large tub
  • Small bowl
  • Spray bottle
  • Paintbrush (optional)

Materials

  • Baking soda
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Paper towels or newspapers
  • Pumice stone (optional)

Instructions

materials for cleaning an oven
The Spruce / Ana Cadena  

How to Clean the Oven With Baking Soda and Vinegar

  1. Empty the Oven and Protect Surfaces

    Remove the oven racks and any items stored in the oven. Place paper towels or newspapers on the floor to catch any drips.

    removing items from the oven
    The Spruce / Ana Cadena 
  2. Mix a Baking Soda Paste

    Combine 1/2 cup of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of water (use more or less) in a small bowl to create a spreadable paste. Mix a second batch if your oven is large.

    making a baking soda paste
    The Spruce / Ana Cadena 
  3. Spread on the Paste

    Wear gloves and use your hands or an old paintbrush to spread the paste on every surface in the oven, including the door. Do not spread the paste on any electrical heating elements or gas vents.

    Close the door and allow the paste to sit for eight to 10 hours.

    spreading baking soda paste in the oven
    The Spruce / Ana Cadena 
  4. Treat the Racks

    Place the racks in your sink or bathtub and spray with distilled white vinegar. Sprinkle on dry baking soda and let the mixture foam.

    When the foaming stops, fill the tub with hot water until the racks are fully submerged. Allow them to soak for eight to 10 hours.

    spraying down oven racks with vinegar
    The Spruce / Ana Cadena  
  5. Clean the Oven and Racks

    Open the oven and wipe down all of the surfaces with a damp sponge or cloth. Scrub away stuck-on food with a melamine sponge or spray with a bit of vinegar and add some dry baking soda so the foaming action loosens the mess

    Remove the racks from the soaking water and wipe with a sponge to remove grime. Dry the racks and put them back in the oven.

    wiping down the oven
    The Spruce / Ana Cadena  
  6. Use a Pumice Stone for Burnt BIts

    Use a pumice stone on badly soiled ovens to scrape away burnt-on bits without scratching the surface. Make sure the oven is lubricated with water before scraping with a pumice stone. Pumice can scrape away carbon deposits usually only removed with harsh chemicals.

How to Clean an Oven With Commercial Oven Cleaner

spraying oven cleaner

The Spruce / Ana Cadena  

Remove racks and oven accessories, put on protective gloves and safety glasses, and ventilate the kitchen using the stove hood and opening windows. Have paper towels nearby to catch drips.

Following the directions on the product label, spray the interior of the oven (avoid electric heating elements or gas vents). Close the door and wait 20 to 30 minutes for the foam to work. While waiting, clean the oven racks.

Wipe down the inside of the oven and place the racks back in the oven. Check the label to see when it's safe to use your oven after cleaning.

Warning

Be careful when using commercial oven cleaners by adding protection on the floor or other surfaces while using this product. Drips and overspray could lead to etching on stainless steel or burning wood surfaces. 

How to Use the Self-Cleaning Feature on an Oven  

Self-clean cycle button pressed on oven

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

The self-cleaning feature locks your oven and takes it to a temperature of 550 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. The excessive heat melts and burns away grease and grime.

After around two hours, you are left with white ash in the bottom of the oven that needs to be removed once the oven unlocks and is cool.

You should never leave home with the self-cleaning function engaged. Be careful not to touch the oven again until it’s completely cooled down. 

Tips to Keep Your Oven Clean Longer

Routinely clean your oven to keep it from becoming too dirty between deep cleans. Use these additional tips to keep your oven clean longer:

  • Line the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil or oven liners to catch grease and oils as they drip. Remove the foil or liners after baking.
  • Do not overfill your baking pans to leave room for the food to bubble up without spilling over while cooking.
  • Cover baking pans with oven-safe lids or aluminum foil to prevent splatters during baking.
  • Use roasting bags to keep splatters inside the bag while adding to the flavor of your food.
  • Sprinkle a liberal amount of salt on the liquid that boils over from a baking casserole or pie. Once the oven has cooled, use a spatula to lift away the salty mess. It will be much easier to clean than a hard, baked-on stain.
  • Use steam to clean your oven after baking. It's an easy way to safely loosen small amounts of grime but remain cautious when removing the bowl of water from the oven after use.
FAQ
  • What is the best way to clean a really dirty oven?

    Use a commercial degreaser to clean a really dirty oven. These cleaners are formulated to cut through excessive grease and baked-on food quickly and with minimal scrubbing.

  • Will vinegar and Dawn clean an oven?

    It's safe and effective to clean a lightly dirty oven with vinegar and Dawn dish soap, especially if you do this after baking a lot of food. Mix a few drops of Dawn into a spray bottle with white vinegar, gently shake, and spray on the surfaces of your oven cavity. Use a non-abrasive sponge or cloth to wipe clean. Rinse the surfaces with a clean cloth or sponge dipped in plain water. Dry the oven cavity with an old towel after cleaning it.

  • What not to clean an oven with?

    Do not clean the inside of an oven with cleaning wipes, bleach, or ammonia because the heat can release fumes.