How to clean an oven with both natural and commercial options

From baking soda and vinegar to lemon juice and commercial cleaners - let's get your oven spick and span

How to clean an oven with both natural and commercial options

An oven is must-have kitchen equipment for roasting and baking, but after months of use, it tends to get dirty. The food particles and grease build-up and turn into carbon, releasing a potent burning smell when in use. You should learn how to clean an oven even if it has self-cleaning capabilities because it doesn’t always get the job done.

You can use commercial oven cleaners or more natural options like lemon or baking soda and vinegar. The following are the steps on how to clean an oven quickly to make you an efficient and better baker.

Cleaning an Oven with Baking Soda and Vinegar

  1. Take anything removable out of the oven before you start cleaning including all the racks, temperature gauges, kitchen foils, and pizza stones.
  2. Mix half a cup of baking soda and three tablespoons of vinegar in a bowl until you get a thick paste-like solution. Add water until you get the right consistency.
  3. Using a clean paintbrush, apply the solution inside the oven but do not cover the heating elements. Make more paste if it runs out and work on the dirty areas. Don’t forget to clean the interior glass if it is dirty.
  4. Once you are done spreading the baking soda and vinegar paste inside the oven, leave it for about twelve hours – this is enough time for the mixture to break down the grime stuck inside your oven.
  5. Turn your attention to the parts that you removed from the oven. You can clean your oven racks in the sink, but if they are too big, clean them in a larger vessel such as a tub. You’ll need warm water, a quarter cup of dish soap and a scouring pad to wash the oven racks. Soak the racks in warm water for about two hours, rinse them off with clean water and scrub with a scouring pad. Use the baking soda and vinegar solution to clean the broiler drawer and the pan.
  6. After the 12 hours have elapsed, take a clean wet cloth (make sure that it is not dripping) and clear off the dried baking soda and vinegar paste. If you get harder bits that are stuck together, break them off using a plastic spatula and clean with the wet cloth. Avoid using a metal spatula because it will scratch off the finish inside your oven.
  7. Mix half a cup of white vinegar with two cups of water and spray inside your oven. The left-over baking soda and vinegar paste will start foaming, making it easy to wipe off.
  8. Using a moist cloth, clean away the residue vinegar. Take another wet dishcloth and use it to wipe off the remaining baking soda and vinegar. Spray more vinegar on the stubborn spots until you get it completely off. You’ll start to see the inside of your oven shining. Do the same for the boiler drawer (if you had cleaned it with the paste) until its completely clean.

Allow the oven and the racks to dry and put everything back to its rightful place. If you use your oven frequently, clean it once every three months.

How to Clean an Oven with Commercial Cleaners

cleaning-an-oven

  1. Empty the oven by taking out all the removable items and set them aside so you can clean them later.
  2. Lay paper towels or old newspapers on the floor around the oven to catch any grime and cleaner that drip once you start cleaning. Once you’re done cleaning the oven, you’ll not have to mop the floor; instead, you’ll throw out the soiled paper towels or newspapers.
  3. Put on protective glasses and rubber gloves and open the windows. Read the instructions and start spraying the inside of the oven with the cleaner. Commercial cleaners work fast and are super active but they have a lot of chemicals, that’s why you have to protect yourself with protective glasses and rubber gloves.
  4. Depending on the oven cleaner brand, set the timer until the grime is saturated. Most commercial oven cleaners take twenty-five to thirty-five minutes to get the job done, but you should check the instructions for the time indicated. Do not allow pets and small children to come into the kitchen when cleaning, they’ll be exposed to the fumes, and this can be dangerous.
  5. Take the racks and the other removable parts outside or to a well-ventilated area for cleaning. Put them inside a large plastic garbage bag and spray them down with the cleaner and tie at the top. Again, read the instructions to know how long you’ll need to soak them.
  6. Once your timer goes off, wipe the interior of the oven with damp dish towels. Get all the cleaner and grime out and pay close attention to the corners and crevices. Use a sponge to work on the stubborn areas.
  7. Get the racks from the garbage bags and rinse them off in a sink or bathtub depending on their size. Use warm soapy water to get rid of the grime and grease but remember to wear the safety glasses and gloves the entire time.

Your oven should be sparkling clean but be sure to set a reminder for next cleaning. So if you use your oven a couple of times a week, clean it once every month. But if you use it a few times a month, clean the oven every three to six months.

And always store the cleaner in a safe place away from children or pets.

Cleaning an Oven with Lemon Juice

Lemon water loosens the grime and leaves the oven clean and fresh.

  1. Cut two lemons in half and squeeze the juice out into a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with water a third of the way and add the lemon skins. Cleaning with lemons is easy because you don’t have to remove the racks for effective cleaning. Lemon works fast by softening the grime on the racks and the inside of the oven.
  2. Preheat your oven, and once it heats up, place the baking dish for about 30 minutes. Don’t be alarmed if your oven starts to smoke, just open the windows and the oven fan.
  3. Turn off the oven after the thirty minutes and let it cool down. Take a scouring pad and scrub away the loosened grime. Apply pressure on the tougher stains, or you can substitute the scouring pad with a silicone spatula. Dip the scouring pad in the lemon and keep scrubbing until there’s no grime left. Work on the inside of the oven and the racks.
  4. Take a clean towel and dry the inside of the oven. If some parts are still dirty, clean them with a scouring pad.

How to Keep Your Oven Clean

  • Before you bake or roast something in the oven, line the base with oven sheet or regular kitchen foil and the bottom of your oven will stay clean.
  • Use cooking bags when roasting meat, this minimises the amount of fat that drips inside the oven.
  • Always remove the tray when checking the food to avoid spreading grease inside the oven.
  • When you’re done baking or roasting, put a heat resistant bowl of water inside and heat for twenty minutes on high temperature. The steam loosens the grease and when the oven cools, wipe with a paper towel.

Call the Professionals

Cleaning an oven can be a messy affair, but if you have the time and dedication, you can use the information on this article to keep your oven clean. But if cleaning an oven is too much work for you, you can look for oven cleaners near you. They should clean the inside and outside of your oven, leaving it sparkling clean and smelling fresh.

FAQs on How to Clean an Oven

How do I clean the outside of my oven?

You can use warm soapy water and a towel to wipe the top, sides, and outsides of an oven. You can also make a water and vinegar solution, a quarter cup of vinegar and two cups of water, then gently clean the top, sides, and front using a cloth.

How do you clean the stubborn stains?

Soak the racks in a baking soda and vinegar solution overnight. Use a wet sponge, a toothbrush and a scouring pad to clean the dirt in the hard to reach places.

How do I clean my oven if the heating element is at the bottom?

If your oven’s heating element is at the bottom, caution should be observed when cleaning to avoid harming the heating element. Create a baking soda and water paste, carefully spread it around the interior and use a clean cloth to wipe the heating element.

What is the easiest way to clean an oven?

You can use either commercial cleaners or the more natural options to clean your oven. Commercial cleaning agents are fast-acting and clean your oven in no time, but they have chemicals. The more natural alternatives such as lemon or baking soda and vinegar are effective, they have no chemicals but take longer to clean.

These eco friendly cleaning products are under $10, and they work

It's time for a green clean.

These eco friendly cleaning products are under $10, and they work

What’s in the cupboard under your sink?  And more importantly, have you read the ingredients list on those 17 half empty bottles of Spray and Wipe?

The average household has 62 toxic chemicals on hand, and domestic cleaning products are one of the main culprits. They release volatile organic compounds, can irritate skin and get washed into waterways – not great for our health or the environment, so why are we still so keen to spray them around our homes?

Nature gave us options to keep our chic stone surfaces, stoves and Netflix dinner trays so fresh, so clean, and there are a growing number of eco friendly cleaning products available that claim to provide the same sparkling clean without the toxic side effects.

We’re sure it’s time to retire the bright blue spray and wipe and move to a more sustainable alternative, but do these green cleaners actually work?

We put these five environmentally friendly cleaning products (readily available in supermarkets around Australia for under a tenner) to the test to find out.

The method:

We tasked five people to clean common surfaces with these eco cleaning sprays and review the effectiveness of cleaning, ingredients, smell and cost of product. Find the results below.

Product 1: Koala Eco Multi-Purpose Kitchen Cleaner

Koala Eco natural cleaning spray with mandarin

Price: $10.90 (ok, this one snuck in just over ten dollars, but it’s worth it)

Available from: Koala Eco, IGA supermarkets and independent retailers across Australia

Ingredients: 100% pure Australian Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) and Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) essential oil, Australian filtered water, sugar-based biodegradable alcohol, vinegar, plant-based biodegradable surfactant (soap), plant-based food-grade biodegradable solubiliser.

The clean: Before

Koala Eco kitchen sink clean before

The clean: After

Koala Eco kitchen sink clean after

The review: Koala Eco

Ingredients: The Koala Eco range is derived entirely from natural ingredients, locally made, the bottle is recycled plastic and even the ink used to print the labels is biodegradable. Can’t ask for better than that!

Effectiveness: The multi-purpose kitchen spray is an effective all rounder, perfect for that after-cooking cleanup when you’ve managed to somehow splatter the stove, and the bench top, and a bit of the wall. The product doesn’t leave any residue when wiped.

Smell: The Eucalyptus smell is strong and distinct, but not unpleasant. The lemon undertones help balance out the gumtree vibes.

Cost: This one comes in at $10.90, which is edging towards the higher end of the scale for a multipurpose cleaner, but I think it’s well worth it for the ecological merit. The Koala Eco range is locally produced Bondi and stocked online and in independent retailers.

Definitely recommended!

Reviewed by: Claire M.

Product 2: Organic Choice Multi-Purpose Cleaner

Organic Choice eco cleaning spray tom dixon brass candle

Price: $5.50

Available from: Coles supermarkets, Woolworths supermarkets

Ingredients: Water, Coconut based non-ionic surfactants, Sugar/corn based alcohol, Citric acid, Organic Backhousia citriodora (lemon myrtle) essential oil, Organic Cymbopogon flexuosus (lemon grass) essential oil, Organic Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Fragrance.

The clean: Before

Organic choice eco cleaning kitchen stove before

The clean: After

Organic choice eco cleaning kitchen stove after

The review: Organic Choice

Ingredients: We like the idea of having an organic product. We feel relief using it in our kitchen, assuming it contains less harmful chemicals.

Effectiveness: The product helped us to clean, but its very liquidy consistency made me feel that it must contain a big percentage of water. I would prefer a product with a thicker consistency, but it cleaned about the same as Sard Wonder which we usually use.

Smell: The smell is very light, this gives me the feeling that the product is not as strong as others. Combined with the organic label, it makes me feel that this is not necessarily the best option for heavy duty cleaning.

Cost: The price of this product is the best advantage. I think $5.50 is a very fair price for this type of product.

This eco cleaning product worked the same as what we usually use (Sard Wonder) so I would recommend it for an organic alternative.

Reviewed by: Fred E.

Need an eco-conscious cleaner to help green clean your home? Find one on Airtasker.

Product 3: Glitz Green Antibacterial Eucalyptus Spray

Price: $5.70

Available from: Bunnings

Ingredients*: Eucalyptus oil, Ethanol, Alkanes C3-4

*Note from editor: Glitz Green did not list the ingredients on the product, but we found them by downloading the Materials Safety Data Sheet.

The clean: Before

Kitchen stove chrome cleaning before

The clean: After

Kitchen chrome stove cleaning after

The review: Glitz Green

Ingredients: They are about the same as the antibacterial sprays that I usually use, aside from the eucalyptus oil.

Effectiveness: Overall, this eucalyptus antibacterial spray does the job well and is able to remove stains and disinfect surfaces. It is the same as other sprays I’ve used, such as the Woolworths antibacterial spray. This product doesn’t stand out of the crowd but it also isn’t any less effective than the others.

Smell: The eucalyptus scent was slightly overpowering. Personally, it smelled worse than other surface sprays I’ve used. Some people may find the smell overpowering and as a person with a sensitive nose, the scent definitely was too strong for me. However, in saying that, the strong smell gives me the feeling that the surface is cleaner (but doesn’t necessarily mean it actually is).

Cost: The cost was $5.70 for 200g at Bunnings. As a comparison to other brands on the market, there isn’t much of a difference in price.

Overall, this eucalyptus antibacterial spray does the job well and is able to remove stains and disinfect surfaces. Some people may find the smell overpowering and as a person with a sensitive nose, the scent definitely was too strong for me. However, in saying that, the strong smell gives me the feeling that the surface is cleaner (but doesn’t necessarily mean it actually is). This product doesn’t stand out of the crowd but it also isn’t any less effective than the others. Ultimately it boils down to whether you like the eucalyptus scent or whether you’d prefer something less intense.

Reviewed by: Julien L.

Product 4: Earth Choice Multipurpose Spray

Earth Choice green eco cleaning spray with lime

Price: $3.20

Available from: Woolworths supermarkets, Coles supermarkets

Ingredients: Water, Ethyl alcohol (derived from wheat or sugar cane), Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfo Laurate & Disodium 2-Sulfo Laurate (derived from coconut oil), Sodium coco sulfate (derived from coconut oil), Glycerin (derived from coconut oil), Sodium citrate (derived from corn), Fragrance, Benzisothiazolinone*, Cl 19140, Cl 42090.

*Note from editor: Benzisothiazolinone is an antimicrobial and preservative chemical and is considered by the European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety to be a skin sensitiser that may cause irritation over time.

The clean: Before

Earth choice kitchen floor cleaning before

The clean: After

Earth choice kitchen floor cleaning after

The review: Earth Choice

Ingredients: I like the ingredients of this product. It’s free from Ammonia which is good for the stove top and kitchen sink.

Effectiveness: I sprayed it on the stove and floor and wiped after 1 minute, the result was good, not too much work needed to clean. My opinion is this is a good product but not as great as my what I normally use – Dettol multipurpose spray. But since the price is cheaper than Dettol, I don’t mind using this for my general cleaning activity and where there’s kids or animals in the home.

Smell: The smell is not too sharp.

Cost: This product is cheaply priced.

My overall review is that I am happy with product and would definitely recommend, but the packaging is not really good since it leaked.

Reviewed by: Indri P.

Product 5: Probiotic Solutions – All Purpose Cleaner – Anywhere Anytime

Probiotic Solution eco cleaning spray with pink grapefruit

Price: $9.99

Available from: Harris Farm supermarkets and online (Probiotic Solutions has recently rebranded to Counter Culture – Probiotic Cleaning Tonic)

Ingredients: Purified water, Proprietary Mother Culture (Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacteriumanimalis, Bifidobacteriumbifidum, Bifidobacteriumlongum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus [synonym: Lactobacillus bulgaricus], Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis [synonym: Streptococcus lactis], Rhodopseudomonaspalustris, Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Brown sugar, Mineral powder, Sea salt, Essential oils (lemongrass, lemon myrtle, rosemary, pink grapefruit, coconut).

The clean: Before

Probiotics Solution bathroom sink clean before

The clean: After

Probiotics Solution bathroom sink clean after

The review: Probiotic Solutions

Ingredients: I have used many other natural and chemical products before and found one thing to be true. Nothing can do everything. Probiotic Solutions – Anywhere Anytime is a great general purpose product made from natural ingredients.

Effectiveness: I found it to be adequate on all surfaces in the average household. It struggled on heavy oil build up in the kitchen and heavy soap/make-up grime in the bathroom. I did find it very good on most lightly soiled surfaces and was impressed with its effectiveness on both glass and stainless steel.

Smell: I was expecting a slightly stronger aroma. I found it to be so close to neutral that it was verging on almost non existent.

Cost: The cost, I believe, is comparative to what is in the current market, but more expensive than any of my other cleaning products.

Overall I found the ingredients to be more environmentally friendly than most of my cleaning products. The products effectiveness differed from worse on the built up oily grime to similar or better than my products when used on stainless steel and glass. The smell of the product was very subtle, but better than most of my normal cleaning solutions. Overall proved to be a very good cleaning product as an “anywhere anytime” household solution.

Reviewed by: Cameron J.

The verdict?

All these products did the job and our reviewers would use them again (as long as they could stand the eucalyptus smell), so there’s no excuse: next time you’re cleaning, make it green. Do you have a favourite eco friendly cleaning product? Let us know in the comments.

Product photos by Claire Mueller, before and after photos by reviewers.

10 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda

You’re guaranteed to find baking soda in any pantry, often reserved for cooking, but there are plenty of other uses "10 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda"

10 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda

You’re guaranteed to find baking soda in any pantry, often reserved for cooking, but there are plenty of other uses for this natural mineral including home cleaning and medicinal purposes.

It’s common to find baking soda tips for cleaning your kitchen and bathroom, but I’ve looked into some other uses around the house. This way you can get more bang for your buck and make more areas of your home naturally clean.

Here are 10 Ways to Clean using Baking Soda

A. Odors

1. Animal odor
They can get mighty woofy sometimes even if you do give your pet a good wash regularly. However by adding baking soda to kitty litter or sprinkling it on a wet dog and brushing out, it can reduce those not-so-nice odors in a flash.

2. Smoking oder
Cigarette and cigar smoke is never nice for non-smokers. To make it a more pleasant social setting, place some baking soda in the bottom of the ashtray.

3. Carpet and rugs odor
Got a funny smell you just can’t get rid of? Sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on top and leave it for 15 minutes. Then give it a vacuum and if it’s not better, repeat.

Baking-soda-clean-rugs
Source: A Single Sunbeam

Find out how to remove pesky stains by reading Stain Removal – Myths vs Facts

B. Kid’s items

4. Baby furniture
Harsh chemicals should be kept away from the baby’s room, however using a ¼ cup of baking soda to 1 cup of water to wash the bassinet, change table and other items will do the trick.

5. Pool toys
Inflatable pools and pool toys can be cleaned from mildew by washing with a baking soda and warm water solution.

6. Toys
With illness easily spread among children, after play dates make sure you clean the toys to kill any bacteria. To do this, place a ¼ cup baking soda and ¼ warm water in a bucket. Put in the toys (or just wipe with a cloth), and then rinse with clean water and leave to dry.

cleaning-kids-toys

C. Laundry

7. Fabric softener
To make your towels all soft and fluffy add ½ cup baking soda to the rinse cycle.

8. Boost bleach
Too much bleach can be bad for your health and the environment, but by combining baking soda with bleach you can cut down your usage and make it more environmentally friendly. Just add ½ cup of baking soda for each ½ cup of bleach.

laundry-airtasker

Outdoors

9. Furniture
With outside furniture battling the elements, a quick wipe down with a 1 cup of baking soda added to some warm water will leave them sparkling. Just don’t forget to rinse thoroughly with some clean water and leave in the sun to dry.

10. Fly screens
Screens on windows and doors can collect dust, dirt and cobwebs but they are easy to clean with a damp cloth dipped into baking soda and a bit of elbow grease. Rinse with a damp cloth or if you can remove them, wash with a hose.

Looking for more natural cleaning products? Here are 4 natural kitchen cleaning products that will clean your house.

4 Natural Kitchen Cleaning Products That Will Clean Your House

Most people make the switch to natural cleaning products for general house cleaning due to the high amount of chemicals "4 Natural Kitchen Cleaning Products That Will Clean Your House"

4 Natural Kitchen Cleaning Products That Will Clean Your House

Most people make the switch to natural cleaning products for general house cleaning due to the high amount of chemicals (which may cause health hazards), found in many off-the-shelf products.

The benefits of ‘going green’ mean fewer health risks and less impact on the environment. With a little bit of extra effort you’ll be able to beautify your home naturally.

Making the switch from harsh chemicals, such as bleach, to home remedies isn’t as hard as it sounds. You’ll have most of what you need sitting in your pantry.

borax-vinegar-lemon-bakingsoda-cleaning
Source: Hello From The Natos

Here are 4 natural kitchen cleaning products that you can use in a way you’ve never thought of using them before:

Baking soda

It’s often used in cooking but it can also clean, deodorise, soften water and scour.

lemon-and-baking-soda-naturalcleaning
Source: Secretly Healthy

Oven
Attack an oven of grimy grease and cooking juices by making a paste of baking soda and water. Once made, spread paste over the bottom of the oven, leave for a few hours and then simply wipe off.

Toilet cleaner
Take a cup of baking soda and put it in the toilet to let it soak for at least an hour. Then pour a cup of white vinegar and leave for 5 minutes before flushing.

Citrus fruit

Lemon is the fruit used most in and favoured for its strong food acidity against household bacteria.

General disinfectant
Making citrus infused vinegar will take care of numerous home-cleaning tasks e.g. mopping floors, windows and surface disinfectant.

To make: Place lemon peels in a jar and top up with white vinegar for a few days. When you want to use it, just strain out the vinegar.

Food waste disposal (in sink)
These can get smelly so to ward nasty smells, cut a lemon in half and turn on the grinder and put in the lemon while the water is running.

Air fresheners

natural-airfreshener-lemon
Source: The Yummy Life

Everyone loves walking in the door to a fresh clean smelling home and your house will smell divine with this recipe:

Ingredients:
– Sliced lemon
– 2 tablespoons of rosemary
– Dash of vanilla

Method:
Place into medium saucepan with ¼ cup of simmering water. Allow cooling and placing in a recyclable bottom and get spraying.

Vinegar

Most households would have vinegar in the kitchen, however white vinegar is the one you’ll want to cut through grease, remove mildew, odours, stains and wax build ups.

Dishwasher cleaning
Place two cups of vinegar in a bowl without any other dishes and put it through a cycle. Your dishwasher will be all lovely and fresh.

Shower heads
Wrap a plastic bag with vinegar in it around the shower head and tie it so that the head is immersed. Leave for a few hours and then carefully remove.

Clean-Shower-Head-Vinegar
Source: Curious Nut

Burnt saucepans
No one likes scrubbing the burnt pans after cooking. So instead, fill the pan with water, add a cup of vinegar and bring to the boil. Then remove it from heat and add baking soda – WARNING! It will fizz. Empty the pan and scour.

Not sure how to remove stains? Here are the Stain Removal Myths vs. Facts

Borax

You can buy this in powder form and it’s often found in many cleaning products – however it is a natural mineral.

Bathroom soap scum
Create a no-fuss scum by sprinkling Borax in the show or bathtub and add water. Then just wipe over it and rinse well.

Find out more Bathroom Cleaning Tips.

Fridge
Place one teaspoon of Borax with 3- litres of warm water and wipe the shelves and draws with the mixture. Rinse well with water and wipe dry.

If you’re not sure where to buy Borax, Coles stocks the Bare Essentials Borax cleaner.

Don’t have time to clean or need a helping hand? Why not Get Cleaning Quotes with Airtasker and reclaim your weekend.