Good Question: Are There Natural Oven Cleaners?
Yes, the best natural oven cleaner is baking soda – and a spot of elbow grease.
When it comes to cleaning an oven, it’s right up there with ironing in the ‘stuff-I-loathe-to-do’ category.
The oven only gets cleaned when combustion threatens every time I turn it on, and ironing, well, forget that. But when I do eventually get round to cleaning the oven, I avoid commercial oven cleaners like the plague.
So, what natural oven cleaner do I use?
You guessed it. Baking soda, baby! That and a good dose of elbow grease.
There is ammonia as well, but that I will cover at the end.
Ovens with special coatings are another beast altogether and need special treatment. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning those ovens.
Things Needed
- Bucket
- Baking soda
- Scrubbing pad, like Scotch or Brillo (Not metal, it’s too harsh)
- Plastic scraper
- Aluminum foil
- Cloth
- Gloves
- Small bowl
- Measuring cup
- Old newspaper
- Vinegar
How to Use the Most Natural Oven Cleaner
• Remove all of the oven racks.
• Scrape off as much of the crispy burnt bits on the bottom as you can, using the plastic or other non-scratch scraper.
• Carefully remove the loose bits from the oven. A small vacuum cleaner works well for this.
• Spread some old newspaper around the base of the oven.
• Measure out 3/4 cups of baking soda.
• Place it into the small bowl with just enough water to make a thick paste that isn’t too runny and can be spread easily by hand. If it’s too runny, it will just run off the sides.
• Use small wads of aluminum foil to block up any holes in the bottom of the oven.
• Put gloves on and spread the baking soda paste over all the surfaces, except the ones mentioned below.
• Avoid bare metal and stay clear of the heating elements in an electric oven. Keep the paste away from the door gasket. Just put a very thin layer on the door glass if it’s very grimy, otherwise leave the door. You can clean it later.
• Close the oven door and leave it for 12 hours. I leave it overnight.
The Next Day…
• Run some warm water into the bucket.
• Put on your gloves again.
• Wipe the inside of the oven with the damp cloth and scrub with the pad where needed. The cloth must be wrung out and not soaking wet. The same goes for the scrubbing pad.
• Start from the top and work your way down.
• Once the whole inside has been wiped clean of the baking soda paste, empty the bucket and fill it again with clean water.
• Give the inside another wipe down with the damp cloth to remove any residual baking soda.
• Rinse the cloth often between wipes and wring out well.
Never Use Baking Soda For a Grease-Clogged Drain
Cleaning the Oven Door
For the door glass, mix up half water and half vinegar in a spray bottle. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda onto the glass and spray lightly with the vinegar and water mix. Scrub the glass with a damp cloth or a plastic scourer.
Have some clean soapy water in the bucket to rinse the cloth off frequently and wring out well.
For the rest of the door, put a bit of baking soda onto the cloth and scrub the door, avoiding the metal hinges. Wipe clean. You can use the scrubbing pad on stubborn, burnt-on sections on the door.
Cleaning the Oven Racks
Give the racks a good clean with the scrubbing pad and some hot, soapy water.
If they are particularly grimy with lots of cooked-on grease, then consider cleaning them with ammonia. Put them into a bin bag, sprinkle with a bit of ammonia, and tie the bag up. Leave for an hour or more before removing the racks and cleaning them is warm water.
Household ammonia is not nearly as dangerous as industrial ammonia, not even close, but it’s still wise to read up on the dangers and precautions here.
Wear gloves, a mask, and eye protection when working with ammonia.
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Cleaning An Oven With Ammonia
Caution: Always wear a mask, gloves, and eye protection when working with ammonia, or any commercial cleaner for that matter. Household ammonia is still better than most commercial oven cleaners.
! Never turn an oven on when ammonia is still inside. For a gas oven, turn off the gas mains and extinguish the pilot light!
• Pour a half-cup of household ammonia into a shallow glass or pottery container and put it on the top shelf. Then place a large pan of just-boiled water on the bottom shelf. Close the oven door and leave overnight.
• I would go so far as to put some tape over the control dial to prevent other members of the household from turning the oven on inadvertently.
• Remove the ammonia and the water and leave the oven door open to air for a bit. Open the windows for ventilation.
• Wipe the oven clean using a few drops of dishwashing liquid in about a quart (approx. 1 litre) of warm water.
Household ammonia can be used for all kinds of ovens, including self-cleaning ones, and is quite safe as long as the proper precautions are observed.
©Text and photos – Kerry Biddle, 2020
Resources
Fruit Tart – Image by俊 哉 佐伯from Pixabay
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