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The 11 Best Oven Cleaners of 2024

Our top pick is the Easy-Off Professional Fume-Free Oven Cleaner

An oven cleaner we recommend on an orange background

The Spruce / Amelia Manley

We've all been there: You've just cooked a fabulous casserole dinner, but now greasy cheese bits have dripped and burned all over. In short, your oven is a mess. Luckily, oven cleaners can be handy helpers in removing layers of grease, cooking oil, and food splatter from your oven interior. These formulas are usually liquid sprays or foams and work as quickly as 30 seconds or less for light-duty cleaning. Or if you need something stronger, they can be left on for several hours if you’ve neglected oven cleaning for quite some time. 

When picking an oven cleaner, Kathy Cohoon, Operations Manager at Two Maids, recommends that homeowners look for a cleaner that is best suited to their specific oven and abide by the manufacturer guidelines for maintenance. She also says to avoid overly harsh chemicals. “Just because something has more harsh chemicals doesn’t mean it's cleaning anything more deeply.”

With these factors in mind, we’ve researched the top oven cleaners out there. These tried-and-true options will clean up your oven—no matter how long it’s been since you last tackled this dirty job.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Easy-Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner

Easy-Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Fume-free formula

  • Can be used in manual or self-cleaning ovens

  • 30-second wait time for spot-cleaning

What We Don't Like
  • Not recommended for use with convection ovens

  • Gloves may be necessary to prevent skin irritation

For less hassle and faster results, we recommend Easy-Off Professional Fume Free Oven Cleaner. This aerosol spray is applied to the interior of your oven and is safe for use on racks and stainless steel, too. It’s free of heavy fumes and has a light lemon scent that most people won’t find too overpowering.

One of the best things about this oven cleaner is that it spot-cleans in 30 seconds, giving you a quick and easy method to clean up grease spots or melted cheese. For an in-depth oven clean, it'll require more time to work—about an hour and fifteen minutes or even overnight for heavily soiled surfaces. In either case, it's recommended you wear gloves to avoid any irritation.

Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner can be used in gas or electric ovens, along with self-cleaning ovens. This might be necessary if you’ve avoided any oven maintenance. Just skip using it on your convection ovens, according to the manufacturer. Still, if you have a gas or electric, we think this version works like a charm.

Type: Spray | Amount: 24 ounces | Cleaning Time: 30 seconds (spot-cleaning); 1 hour and 15 minutes or overnight (deep-cleaning) | Scent: Lemon

Best Budget

Zep Oven and Grill Cleaner

Zep Oven and Grill Cleaner

Walmart

What We Like
  • Foam application clings to vertical surfaces

  • Non-abrasive formula

  • Can be used on enamel cooktop, burners, drip pans

What We Don't Like
  • Instructions recommend warm oven cleaning

  • Not intended for use as an instant spot-clean

Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner is a "powerful" formula that gets the job done. This budget oven cleaner lays down a foam that clings to the oven walls, door, and floor. It costs less than $5 for each 19-ounce can and reduces the amount of elbow grease you need to apply to your kitchen clean-up efforts.

We love that it won't pose a threat to shiny finishes because it’s a non-abrasive formula. This makes it suitable for use on drip pans and burners, too. Keep in mind that while many oven cleaners can be applied to a cold oven and still achieve maximum results, the directions for Zep Heavy-Duty Oven Cleaner call for you to warm the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit first. Be sure the oven is off before you begin cleaning. You’ll need to wait five to ten minutes for the oven cleaner to do its work, but then you can easily wipe up the majority of any grease or grime using a cloth or paper towel.

Type: Foam | Amount: 19 ounces | Cleaning Time: 5 to 10 minutes | Scent: Not listed

Best for Baked-On Grease

Kona Safe/Clean Oven & Grill Cleaner Spray

Safe/Clean Grill Cleaner Spray

Amazon

What We Like
  • Gel formula clings to surfaces for less dripping

  • 10- to 30-minute application time for tough messes

  • Water-based and non-toxic formula

What We Don't Like
  • Requires rinsing to avoid streaky, hazy appearance

  • Applicator produces a thin stream rather than broad coverage

If regularly cleaning your oven has fallen off your to-do list for some time, you might be faced with an appliance that has a lot of accumulated grease and grime that's hard to wipe clean. For this situation, look for an oven cleaner that is specifically designed with baked-on grease in mind. The Kona Safe/Clean Grill Cleaner Spray is a heavy-duty formula that is designed to loosen grease that has been exposed to high heat environments, such as inside of a grill. With that purpose in mind, it’s no surprise that it works well for crusty ovens, too.

Despite being a powerful oven cleaner for baked-on grease, you’ll appreciate the fact that the formula is water-based and non-toxic. It’s fume-free and nearly odorless, too! The spray bottle makes it convenient to apply the product to your interior oven, doors, and racks, but because it’s a thin stream rather than a broader spray pattern, you may have to spend more time covering the surfaces. After application, allow the gel formula to penetrate built-up grease and grime for 10 to 30 minutes, and then wipe clean. It’s worth noting that you’ll need to use a wet sponge or a cloth to rinse away any remaining residue and prevent streaks or a hazy film from appearing.

Type: Spray | Amount: 23 ounces | Cleaning Time: 10 to 30 minutes | Scent: Unscented

Best Professional

Diversey CBD991206 Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner

Diversey Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Can be used on warm or cold surfaces

  • Multi-surface formula 

  • Removes grease and carbon 

What We Don't Like
  • Strong odor 

  • Cap can be hard to remove

Designed with the needs of commercial kitchens in mind, plenty of home cooks rely on Diversey Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner for tackling tough oven messes. This multi-surface formula can be used on stainless steel, porcelain enamel, iron, and glass. Plus, it works effectively on both warm or cold surfaces. 

Diversey Break-Up Oven Cleaner is effective at removing grease and grime through emulsification. As the formula breaks down the greasy residue, it also carries away accumulated carbon from soot. If your oven is producing smoke from accumulated carbon every time it heats up, it’s time to give it a deep clean with the help of this oven cleaner. 

While you’ll need to wait at least three hours for the formula to do its work, and it requires ventilation due to the strong odor, you can expect this professional oven cleaner to drastically reduce the amount of scraping and scrubbing required to restore your oven’s appearance. 

Type: Spray | Amount: 19 ounces | Cleaning Time: 30 minutes to 2-3 hours | Scent: Citrus

Best Spray

Easy-Off Heavy Duty Cleaner Degreaser

Easy-Off Heavy Duty Cleaner Degreaser

Amazon

What We Like
  • Fast-acting

  • Can be used on multiple surfaces

  • Lemon scent

What We Don't Like
  • Can’t be used on aluminum

  • Needs to be wiped up quickly (before drying)

An oven cleaner spray is one of the fastest, easiest ways to ensure a thorough, even application of the cleaning formula. The Easy-Off Heavy-Duty Cleaner Degreaser is a lemon-scented multi-surface cleaner that's intended to penetrate through cooking oils and residue without the heavy work of scrubbing or scraping. It’s also fast-acting and only requires a few seconds of application time before you can start cleaning the surface underneath. In short, it saves you time and effort in comparison to conventional oven cleaner formulas. 

What we like about this oven cleaner spray is the fact that you can tackle multiple kitchen cleaning projects simultaneously. This formula can be applied to the interior of your oven, your stovetop, a microwave oven, or any other hard, non-porous surface. Just be sure that you thoroughly wet each surface and keep in mind that you shouldn’t let the formula dry out or use it on aluminum, brass, copper, galvanized steel, painted surfaces, or vinyl. After wiping away the lifted dirt and grime, use a clean, wet sponge or cloth to rinse the surface. This step is especially important for surfaces that may come into direct contact with food, like your kitchen countertops

Type: Spray | Amount: 32 ounces | Cleaning Time: Instant | Scent: Lemon

Best Fume-Free

Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner

Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • No scent or odor

  • Biodegradable formula

  • Foam stays in place for enhanced effectiveness

What We Don't Like
  • Pump sprayer sometimes malfunctions

  • Heavily soiled surfaces require more application time

The potent smell and strong fumes associated with typical oven cleaner products can be a serious deterrent to tackling this task. Fortunately, there are a few effective and fume-free oven cleaners on the market. Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner is our top recommendation, if you want to work with an oven cleaner that has no scent or odors. The formula is fume-free, scent-free, and biodegradable. 

Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner applies to your oven interior using a spray bottle applicator that produces a foam coating for the top and bottom of your oven, the walls, racks, and the door. There are some mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the pump sprayer, which can sometimes become clogged or unevenly apply the product. However, once you have covered the oven’s interior with the foam, it only needs three to five minutes of application time for average messes. If you have especially greasy or soiled surfaces, then you should let the product sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Type: Foam | Amount: 28 ounces | Cleaning Time: 3 to 5 minutes | Scent: None

Best Plant-Based

Method Heavy Duty Degreaser

Method Heavy Duty Degreaser

Amazon

What We Like
  • Safe for use on a variety of surfaces

  • Works in three minutes or less

  • Not tested on animals

What We Don't Like
  • Avoid use on aluminum or marble

  • Not for use on glass or ceramic stovetops

A plant-based oven cleaner can be a natural, effective option for cleaning up tough kitchen messes. We suggest Method Heavy Duty Degreaser for the job. Its ingredient label features a half-dozen plant and mineral-based cleaning agents that provide grease-cutting power for your oven interior. In comparison to the harsh, powerful fumes of some oven cleaners, this one has a light lemongrass scent. It’s also not tested on animals, making it cruelty-free.

Applying this plant-based oven cleaner is as simple as any other spray formula and it only requires a few seconds of contact for light-duty cleaning or about three minutes for burnt-on messes. While you’re shining up your oven’s interior, you might want to clean other greasy kitchen surfaces, and this formula is suitable for the job. It can be used on burner grates, drip pans, range hoods, microwaves, and stovetops—with the exception of ceramic or glass stovetops. You should also skip any marble or aluminum surfaces in your kitchen. 

Type: Spray | Amount: 28 ounces | Cleaning Time: Up to 3 minutes | Scent: Lemongrass

Best Paste

Stardrops The Pink Stuff

Stardrops The Pink Stuff The Miracle Cleaning Paste

Amazon

What We Like
  • No wait time after application

  • Can be used on a variety of surface types

  • Unique scent

What We Don't Like
  • Requires hot water rinse

While it’s not specifically an oven cleaner formula, pick up The Pink Stuff if you want a paste for shining up your oven interior and removing grit and grime. It’s a mild abrasive with very fine quartz to cut through layers of gunk, leaving behind a shiny, streak-free surface. The non-toxic formula also stands out for having a fruity, rhubarb scent that is unique, compared to the citrus scents common to other oven cleaners.

To use The Pink Stuff as an oven cleaner, use a damp cloth to apply the paste to your oven’s interior. As you do, use a circular motion with light pressure to lift the grease, oil, and carbon that may be sticking to your oven walls or floor. In addition, you can use this oven cleaner paste on the window of the oven door. The fact that it’s a streak-free formula means that you won’t be left with a hazy window after your cleaning session is over, eliminating a common complaint of some other oven cleaners. Once your oven interior is clean, rinse with hot water to finish the job.

Type: Paste | Amount: 17.63 ounces | Cleaning Time: Instant | Scent: Rhubarb

Best for Self-Cleaning Ovens

Easy-Off Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner

Easy-Off Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Spot-cleans in 30 seconds

  • Fume-free formula

What We Don't Like
  • Not for use in convection ovens 

  • Heavy build-up may require overnight application

It might seem redundant to buy an oven cleaner for self-cleaning ovens, but sometimes it’s the preferred way to clean up your kitchen appliance. For example, you might use an oven cleaner for a faster way to clean your oven interior or if you want to skip the intense heat that is associated with a self-cleaning cycle on most ovens. 

Not all oven cleaners are listed as safe for self-cleaning ovens. In addition, you should never use an oven cleaner formula in combination with a self-cleaning cycle. But for a fast and efficient manual cleaning experience, consider Easy-Off Heavy Duty Oven & Grill Cleaner. As the name suggests, this is a fume-free formula, with a lemon scent. Not only does it smell better than some other oven cleaners, it also won’t require you to wear gloves while cleaning with it. It can be used in gas or electric ovens but shouldn’t be used in a convection oven, according to the manufacturer. 

One of the best things about using this oven cleaner in comparison to your self-cleaning oven cycle is that it offers fast, efficient spot-cleaning. Spray the Easy-Off formula onto any spills or splatters inside your oven, let it sit for 30 seconds, and then wipe clean. For a deeper clean, you can apply the oven cleaner to the entire interior of your oven. Allow it to rest for just over an hour before wiping clean. Take note that for especially tough, baked-on messes, you might have to let the product sit overnight before attempting clean-up. 

Type: Spray | Amount: 14.5 ounces | Cleaning Time: 30 seconds (spot-cleaning); 1 hour 15 minutes (deep-cleaning) | Scent: Lemon

Best Rack Cleaner

Carbona Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner

Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner

Amazon

What We Like
  • Gloves, bag and cleaner included

  • Works in cold oven

  • Safe on a variety of racks

What We Don't Like
  • Racks must soak in bag for eight hours

Oven racks are exposed to a considerable amount of grease, spills, and carbon build-up. Cleaning them effectively can be a challenge, because most self-cleaning ovens instruct you to remove the racks before the cleaning cycle, and using a spray oven cleaner on racks results in much of the product being sprayed on other surfaces, rather than the rack itself. To solve this dilemma and restore the shine of your oven racks, try Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack Cleaner. This product includes a 16.8 ounce bottle of cleaning fluid, a leak-proof bag, and gloves to get the job done. 

Cleaning the oven racks is as simple as removing them from the oven, placing them in the bag, then filling it with solution. The most challenging part of the whole process might be the fact that the racks will be out of commission during the eight-hour soak time called for in the directions. After soaking the racks, rinse them with water to remove any residue and the cleaning solution. Some people find that a quick scrub with steel wool is necessary to remove all traces of build-up. 

If you’re worried that your oven racks are too big for the provided bag, the manufacturer recommends using two heavy-duty trash bags (one inside of the other) instead of the provided bag. Just be sure to seal the bag tightly to avoid a spill. 

Given the fact that it’s a one-time use product, the price point is high, compared to other oven cleaners, but it’s one of the most straightforward and hands-off options to clean oven racks.

Type: Liquid | Amount: 16.8 ounces | Cleaning Time: 8 hours | Scent: Not listed

Best All-Purpose

KH-7 Super Degreaser

KH-7 Heavy Duty Degreaser for Oven

Amazon

What We Like
  • Water-based formula

  • Short, three- to five-minute application time

  • Can be used on aluminum with an immediate rinse

What We Don't Like
  • Less effective against baked-on grease

This water-based formula is our top recommendation for an all-purpose oven cleaner. KH-7 Heavy-Duty Degreaser is tough enough to cut through grease in five minutes or less but it’s safe enough to use on a wide range of surfaces, including your cookware, barbecue grill, and clothes. While many multi-surface oven cleaners advise against use on aluminum, the instructions for KH-7 specify that you can use it to clean up aluminum, but you should rinse the surface immediately.

KH-7 Heavy-Duty Degreaser has a spray bottle applicator. There are no harsh fumes to be concerned with, as you use this all-purpose oven cleaner, and the scent is described as light and not overpowering. It’s often used as part of a regular cleaning routine to keep ovens, stovetops, air fryers, range hoods, and microwave ovens free of greasy fingerprints or splatters. However, it cannot be as effective against a heavy build-up of baked-on grease. For that, you might need a specialized oven cleaner formula. 

Type: Spray | Amount: 25 ounces | Cleaning Time: 3 to 5 minutes | Scent: Not listed

Final Verdict

We recommend Easy-Off Professional Fume-Free Oven Cleaner as the best option for most households. It works in gas or electric ovens and can be used for spot-cleaning or a deep clean if you allow the formula to sit for an hour and fifteen minutes or overnight. While it offers professional-grade cleaning power, it won’t give off harmful fumes. For a great budget-friendly pick, try Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner. It has a foam formula that sticks to surfaces, and it costs less than $5 for a 19-ounce can.

What to Look for in an Oven Cleaner

Ingredients

The ingredients of an oven cleaner will determine its potency and how pleasant it is to use. Heavy-duty oven cleaners may have powerful fumes and pose the risk of skin irritation, requiring good ventilation and gloves. The extra protection is called for when you want intense cleaning power for a dirty oven with stubborn, baked-on grease. In that situation, a formula like Diversey Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner is a solid choice. Other oven cleaners take a different approach and have a non-toxic or plant-based formula, like the Method Heavy Duty Degreaser

Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, points out that the powerhouse ingredient in most conventional oven cleaner formulas is sodium hydroxide. “This chemical compound helps break down grease, oils, and more without damaging surfaces.” 

Cleaning Time

The cleaning time required by an oven cleaner varies based on the formula. Some are intended for spot-cleaning and can lift light messes in 30 seconds or less. But if you have an accumulation of grease and grime, don’t expect such fast results. In that case, plan to allow the oven cleaner an hour or more to fully penetrate the surface. In some cases, you may even need to allow the oven cleaner to work overnight before wiping the surface clean. Our top recommendation, Easy-Off Professional Fume-Free Oven Cleaner, can handle both spot-cleaning and deep-cleaning. The only difference is how long you need to leave the product on the oven surface.

Scent

Some oven cleaners have heavy fumes that require plenty of good ventilation. Individuals who are sensitive to heavy scents or chemicals might find these difficult to use, even while following all of the appropriate precautions. For this reason, many people prefer a fume-free oven cleaner. Keep in mind, though, that in many cases fume-free doesn’t necessarily mean scent-free. Many oven cleaners, including fume-free formulas, have a scent—usually lemon or citrus. 

Use

The general purpose of an oven cleaner formula is to clean the interior of the oven, including the top, bottom, sides, and door of the space. Some formulas can be used on oven racks, too, but you should take care to read the directions for use to see whether any parts of the oven (like the racks, heating element, or glass window) should be avoided when using the cleaner. 

Your best bet, if you want to use an oven cleaner on any part of the oven, along with your stovetop, drip pans, burner grates, range hood, and more, is to pick an all-purpose oven cleaner, like the KH-7 Heavy-Duty Degreaser

FAQ
  • How often should an oven be cleaned?

    Like most other kitchen maintenance tasks, routine cleaning is the best choice and minimizes the amount of deep-cleaning that needs to be done. Cohoon suggests that home cooks “aim to wipe down your oven after each use to avoid an accumulation of food grime or baked on messes.” Of course, an occasional in-depth oven cleaning is to be expected every now and then, especially if you use your oven frequently. Plan to do a deep-clean of your oven about every three months. 

  • Can you use an oven cleaner in a self-cleaning oven?

    You can use an oven cleaner in a self-cleaning oven, as long as you choose one that is compatible with this type of oven per the manufacturer. Note that you should not use the self-cleaning mode of the oven in conjunction with an oven cleaner formula. Oven cleaner is meant to be used for manual cleaning in lieu of running the oven’s self-cleaning cycle. 

  • Can oven cleaner damage your oven?

    When used properly, an oven cleaner should not damage your oven's interior. Cohoon provides this guidance: “If the cleaner aligns with manufacturer instructions, and you follow the cleaner instructions to a tee, then the oven cleaner should be completely safe to use and won’t damage your oven.” In addition, Cohoon warns against using abrasive cleaning agents or scouring pads on textured ovens. 

  • Are oven cleaners dangerous?

    Oven cleaners are not dangerous if they are used properly. A 2017 study found that those who experienced symptoms of toxicity from oven cleaners were exposed by direct contact on their skin or eyes or through inhalation. Of those who experienced symptoms, only 4 percent had severe symptoms. To prevent contact with any oven cleaner, simply wear thick, long gloves, long-sleeve clothes, safety goggles, and a face mask or respirator.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Erica Puisis, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce with extensive experience researching large and small appliances, including ovens and cooktops. To find the best oven cleaners, she took into account the active cleaning time of the formula, the scent and any precautions for use, along with the type of formula—spray, foam, paste, or liquid. 

We also interviewed Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, to learn more about the features and benefits of various types of oven cleaners. Cohoon weighed in on what to look for in an oven cleaner formula and provided tips on how often you should clean an oven.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Day, Rachel C, et al. Toxicity Resulting From Exposure to Oven Cleaners as Reported to the UK National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) from 2009 to 2015Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2017; 55(7): 645-651., doi:10.1080/15563650.2017.1306070

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