Having a clean oven is important for cooking delicious meals, but many conventional oven cleaners contain harsh chemicals. Fortunately, there are effective natural methods to clean your oven without exposing yourself or your family to toxic chemicals.
Why Have a Clean Oven
A clean oven allows you to:
- Cook food evenly since grime and grease won’t cause hotspots.
- Avoid burnt on food getting on other dishes.
- Prevent oven fires caused by built up grease and grime.
- Make your kitchen look tidy and your oven shine.
- Ensure no off tastes or smells get into your food from oven grime.
Problems With Conventional Oven Cleaners
Many conventional oven cleaners contain caustic chemicals like sodium hydroxide or ammonia. Fumes from these cleaners can cause:
- Breathing irritation or coughing.
- Burns or rashes if they touch your skin.
- Damage to surfaces near the oven, like countertops.
Once sprayed, you also have to deal with strong fumes that linger even after you’ve wiped the oven clean. This makes conventional cleaners unpleasant and potentially hazardous to use, especially if you have children or pets around.
Natural Oven Cleaning Methods
Fortunately, you can get great results cleaning your oven without harsh chemicals using simple natural ingredients:
Baking Soda
Baking soda is mildly abrasive so helps scrub away grime, but is also alkaline so dissolves some deposits.
- Make a paste with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water.
- Apply the paste to oven surfaces.
- Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Vinegar
Vinegar is acidic so helps dissolve mineral deposits and cut through grease.
- Put undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle.
- liberally spray vinegar over oven surfaces.
- Let sit for 15 minutes before wiping clean with a damp cloth.
Salt
Table salt acts as a gentle scouring powder.
- Sprinkle salt generously over greasy areas.
- Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
- Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Tips for Cleaning an Oven Without Chemicals
- Cool oven first – wait for oven to completely cool before cleaning.
- Use an oven liner – place a sheet of aluminum foil on the oven bottom to catch drips and make cleaning easier.
- Remove oven parts – take out racks, trays and the oven door to clean separately.
- Scrub tough spots – use a plastic scouring pad and baking soda paste on stuck on grime.
- Rinse and dry – wipe away all cleaning residue with a clean damp cloth, then dry oven thoroughly.
Maintain Your Oven
To limit major oven cleaning sessions:
- Wipe up spills right away before they get baked on.
- Use a liner and clean it often.
- Do quick cleans after heavy use, using steam, vinegar spray or baking soda paste.
- Do a deep clean every few months for a sparkling oven!
With simple natural ingredients and some strategic cleaning, I can keep my oven shining without using any hazardous chemicals! It just takes a little elbow grease and consistency.
