Your kitchen stove is a major part of your life. It’s where you cook, it’s where you eat, and it’s where so much of your daily routine takes place.
If you’re like me, you probably don’t want to spend hours cleaning your oven every week. That’s where these crazy hacks come in handy. They make cleaning your oven easier than ever before, and they’ll save you tons of time on even the dirtiest days.
Things You’ll Need
While each cleaning method requires different products, you can get a head start with this general list of materials needed to clean your oven:
- Water
- Toothbrush
- Ammonia
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Rubber gloves
- Sponge or dishcloth
- A Vacuum
- Oven cleaner
- Magic eraser
- Glass cleaner (like Windex)
Oven Cleaning Hacks That Just Make Life Easier
There are a lot of different ways to clean your oven. Some are better than others, and some require more time and effort than others. If you’re looking for an easy way to clean your oven that doesn’t take much time or effort, try these simple hacks.
Method #1: Baking Soda
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the bottom of your oven and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe away any residue with a damp cloth or sponge.
This method works especially well for baked-on foods that have burned onto the bottom of your oven or around the edges where they’re hard to reach with a sponge or cloth.
- Just sprinkle it over the bottom of your oven floor and let it sit overnight.
- You may want to give it a good scrubbing before adding some warm water and rinsing everything off with a wet cloth or sponge before wiping down with a dry cloth or paper towel afterwards.
Method #2: Vinegar
When it comes to cleaning my oven, I always use vinegar because it works wonders! It not only cleans well but also leaves behind a nice scent after being sprayed onto surfaces inside your oven.
- Take 1/2 cup vinegar and pour it into an empty spray bottle (with no chemicals in it).
- Spray down the inside surface of your oven until it’s completely covered with vinegar and let sit for about 15 minutes so that all of the nasty food comes off easily when you wipe it down afterward.
Method #3: Steam Clean With Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most effective cleaning agents out there. It’s cheap and has a multitude of uses in the kitchen (and elsewhere.). If you want to steam clean your oven using vinegar, then follow these steps:
- Fill your oven with water and then add 1 cup of vinegar.
- Turn on the self-cleaning option or preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before pouring in the water and vinegar combination.
- Once the oven has heated up, turn off the heat and leave it closed for an hour or so. The steam from the boiling water will help loosen any hardened food that may be stuck inside your oven so that you can easily wipe them away when you open up the door afterward.
Method #4: Baking Soda & Vinegar
This is one of the most popular and effective methods for cleaning your oven, as it doesn’t require any fancy supplies or tools. It also works on almost any type of stovetop surface, including non-stick cookware.
- Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl or pitcher.
- Pour half the mixture into a spray bottle (if you don’t have one, just pour it straight into the bottom of your oven).
- Grab an old sponge or rag, dip it in water, wring it out well so that it’s damp but not dripping wet, then apply it to the inside of your oven door. You want just enough moisture that the baking soda will turn into a paste when it comes into contact with the heating element.
- Let it sit for about an hour and then just wipe it off with a towel. The vinegar will help dissolve all the grease in your oven while the baking soda helps absorb moisture from foods that have dried on overnight (like bacon grease).
Method #5: Water + Ammonia
Ammonia is a very strong cleaning agent that can easily dissolve grease and grime. It also has an intense smell that will help mask any lingering odors.
- You simply fill a spray bottle with one part water and one part ammonia
- Spray it on your oven racks and let it sit for about an hour before wiping it down with a rag or paper towel. This method works wonders at keeping any grease or food leftovers off of your oven racks, as well as removing any stains that may be present on them as well.
Method #6: Lemon Juice
Use lemon juice to clean stains from your stovetop grates or drip pans. Lemon juice has natural antibacterial properties, which makes it perfect for getting rid of tough food stains on surfaces like stovetop grates or drip pans.
- Just spray some lemon juice on top, let it sit for 15 minutes or so, then wipe off with a sponge or rag (don’t forget to use gloves!). You can also use this trick on other parts of your kitchen where grease tends to build up: like on your range hood filter
- Then use a sponge or cloth to wipe them down in the morning (or whenever). This will also help get rid of any lingering odors from cooking before too long.
Method #7: Dishwasher Detergent Tablets
Do you know those little tablets of dishwasher detergent that you can buy at the grocery store? They are more than just for cleaning dishes. You can also use them to clean your oven’s glass door!
All you have to do is wet one of these tablets with hot water and wipe it across the inside of your oven door. The grease and grime that has built up over time will come off easily, leaving you with a shiny new-looking glass door.
Method #8: Steam With Water + Lemon
Lemons are great for cleaning almost anything in your home, including your oven.
- To make your own cleaning solution, squeeze the juice of two lemons into a pan of water.
- Place the pan in the oven and set it to 225 degrees. Once boiling, steam will break down stains on your cast-iron cookware.
- After you’ve finished using the oven, turn it off and let it cool down before wiping down its interior with a damp cloth.
Method #9: Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are great for dusting, but they can also be used to clean your oven. The fabric softener in dryer sheets helps break up grease and grime so it’s easier to wipe away. Plus, the smell of fresh laundry will make you feel like you’re doing something good for your kitchen.
- Put six or eight dryer sheets into a tub of liquid dish soap, then soak the oven racks for an hour in soapy water.
- The next day, use the dryer sheets to scrub your oven rack. If there are still spots you can’t remove with a rag or brush, get out the toothbrush for some serious scrubbing power.
