November 4, 2013
Simplify the Season: Clean Your Oven
In order to simplify the season ahead, it’s important to do a little preparatory work in advance to keep things running smoothly before the busy begins. I think that today (or this week) is a great day (week) to clean the oven. That’s right, I’m going to be all bossy-pants and boss you into the kitchen and tell you to clean your oven. Why clean the oven now weeks before the actual holiday madness? Because I tried to self-clean my oven a couple years ago on the day before Thanksgiving and blew a couple fuses and had to have a repair person out to the house and I don’t want that to happen to you. Thus the clean the oven way before Thanksgiving tradition.
I have a super simple and effective homemade cleaning recipe for you to use too – you’ll love it. It’s fume-free, uses ingredients you already have, and it WORKS!
For demonstration purposes (ha, ha) I let my oven get really dirty.
Gather these three ingredients:
Homemade Paste Oven Cleaner
- ½ cup water
- enough baking soda to make a paste – about 1/4 to ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon castile soap or whatever dish soap you have on hand
Mix up this paste (it will expand a bit as the baking soda combines with the soap and the water).
Using a sponge, spread the paste all over your oven to coat. Let the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes. Using a clean sponge, wipe clean and rinse thoroughly with warm water. You’ll want to repeat the rinsing with a sponge and warm water until the oven is completely clean and residue free.
Check out the after – pretty clean, right?
If you are feeling really ambitious you could clean your microwave or wipe down your appliances while the paste is working its magic.
You can find this and 149 more DIY cleaning recipes in my book, The Organically Clean Home!
This post is part of a series designed to help you Simplify the Season. You can see all the posts here.
Victoria Says
Thank you for sharing!! I’m definitely doing this today! My oven sure could use it 🙂
TheCleaner Says
I had high hopes for this. I came to this site by a search looking for a different cleaner and thought I’d try this when I saw it, having not cleaned the oven in awhile. What it did clean looks great, but I’m going to have to get out the chemicals to finish up the door and the top of the inside of the oven. Any ideas why it didn’t work or what could make it better?
Becky Says
Post authorI would guess you need to leave the cleaner on a little longer or reapply, especially if your oven hasn’t been cleaned in awhile.
xo, Becky
Carol Says
You might try using a ‘magic eraser’ product with the paste for more abrasion along with leaving the paste on longer. I plan to try this as chemicals are so hard to work with in enclosed places.
Kristin Says
Magic erasers are made with formaldehyde….
LOU Sturm Says
How does one find out what is actually in cleaning products? The label doesn’t always say in plain English what the big words are and I am not a chemist!
Sami kay Says
what i did with my mothers oven (hasn’t been cleaned in 15 years) I applied the mixture for half an hour to an hour while the oven was on at 100 degree to warm up the surfaces. (i did it in the beginning of my house cleaning routine and wiped it off at the end) It worked really well and i only had to scrape a few really bad spots and the were very easy to get off. If that doesn’t work and your oven is really bad apply thickly everyday for 2 to 4 days for the 30 minutes and it will come off easier and safer than chemicals.
Sue Roethke Says
Hi Becky! I ran into your dad today at the post office, and he directed me to your site. It’s wonderful! This is so much fun. As a final wipe for cleaning my oven, I like to wipe it with vinegar, and sometimes rinse it with water afterward. The vinegar cuts the soap and remaining grease, as well. With fond memories……
Becky Says
Post authorAw, thanks so much!
Estefania Says
I needed to know this since I have no clue when it comes to cleaning the house! lol I’m doing it today after work 😀
Crystal Says
Thanks, Becky. I did this today, after work, and my oven looks great! And I’m so happy that I didn’t have to use harsh, toxic chemicals….
Pamela Says
Thanks so much for a chemical free cleaner. I have a bird and I do not like the fumes from chemical cleaners.
Sonia Says
This worked really good for me but please tell me how you keep your kitchenaid stainless so clean. I have used everything and can’t find anything that works.
Becky Says
Post authorHi Sonia! Glad it worked! Here are a couple posts on cleaning stainless steel:
http://www.cleanmama.net/?s=stainless+steel
Ashley Says
Yes! Doing this tomorrow! Any tips on cleaning the racks? I socked them in the tub before and scrubbed them but they rusted a little and some stuff sight come off.
Ashley Says
Soaked*
Essjae9 Says
Put the racks in a heavy garbage bag, add 1 Cup of Ammonia and seal the bag tightly. Place out in the sun ( away from where any animals, children, or plants will come in contact with it) all day and overnight. They will wipe clean in the morning!
Antonia Says
Just a quicky. I bought the same tub of baking soda from £ land years ago & refused to throw it when we moved. Then we bought a house that had grease on the kitchen wall. Hubby was moaning at me about cleaning it & our oven, saying he’d buy chemicals. (But from the UK so for us in luxembourg it’s not easy) I made this up, he was sceptical but it worked! 🙂 I did a post recommending it & your blog. 🙂 nexd step is the oven! 🙂
Linda Says
A quick way to clean your microwave is to pull a bowl of water in it on high for 5 minutes. The water will steam it, and you can just wipe it off!
www.streathamcarpetcleaners.org.uk Says
I’ve already tried this cleaning recipe and I am amazed that it works so well! My oven has never been so clean and the good thing is that these products are harmless for the environment and for me of course. Thanks for the post! Streatham Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
Rebecca Says
Thanks for sharing this on Instagram this week, I’ve got my oven soaking as I type. Finding your spring clean great inspiration (even if I am a little behind)
Carrie @ The Birtch Bunch Says
Thank you Becky!! I was a little skeptical but I hated the thought of the chemical cleaners – but after my hubby made beef jerky in the oven (using the racks only) I had to do something to get my oven back.
I whipped up the recipe yesterday and I have to tip my hat to you – it’s AMAZING!!!
I’ve already bagged to my Mother-In-Law about how awesome it is – and easy – and I think she’s tackling her today.
Becky Says
Post authorHooray! Thanks for sharing! xo
Jasmine Says
This is great!
What about the ‘self clean’ option on our ovens?????
Becky Says
Post authorYou can definitely use that! Just take the racks out first 🙂
Kristin Says
Is this safe for a gas oven? I’ve been told you need to treat them differently.
Becky Says
Post authorDouble check with your owner’s manual first 🙂
Becky S, Says
Thought I would give this a try since I am getting ready to sell my oven (getting new stainless one) and wanted the inside to look brand new; WHAT A MESS!! I followed the instructions as written and came up with a gooey mess that took over 20 minutes to clean out. The solution never harden! I let this set for over 40 minutes and when I went to wipe it out the soap you are told to add to the solution just kept getting soapy and was just terrible to clean out. Vinegar and baking soda might have been alright by themselves but I will never try this again with the soap added!
Becky Says
Post authorOh no!
Janel Says
Will this work on toaster ovens?? The hubby decided to make bacon in our toaster oven and now you can’t even see through the glass front door! Please help!
Becky Says
Post authorSorry, I haven’t tried it on a toaster oven…
S.R. Says
If you have a self cleaning oven do you do that over night first and then clean with the mix the next day?
Becky Says
Post authorSelf-clean first and then see if you need more cleaning after that 🙂
Jennifer Deis Says
Question – just did this in my oven, and while it worked great for cleaning, a good amount of water went down the seams in the bottom of the oven. There is a seam on either side of the bottom of the oven. I thought the water would pool in the drawer, but it’s not there, and it’s not on the floor. Any idea where it goes? Is this okay?
Emy Says
I tried and its works really! Thanks to u 😉
Jackie Says
I tried this for the first time and it wasn’t a paste? What did I do wrong?
b r Says
Post authorAdd more liquid 🙂
Zoe Mogensen Says
Hello! I tried this today and while it didn’t get everything (was out of vinegar)..it made my oven smell clean and fresh. I also didn’t heat the oven first. It was easy to clean up though.
For the next oven cleaning, I will definitely use vinegar and heat oven first 🙂
Vikki Says
How did you get the heating coil out.
b r Says
Post authorWork around it, I would not take it out.
Sheri Says
Trying this on my oven right now. Haven’t cleaned oven in long time. Very dirty, I will let you know how it works. Thanks for the tip.
Arelen Says
Will this work on a gas oven without turning off the gas .
Clean Mama Says
Post authorJust make sure you aren’t coming close to any areas that the solution can get into.
Meredith Says
In the midst of a quarantine I decided to tackle the oven (which has been off my cleaning list for a long time). Thanks for sharing this especially with items easily found in the house since the grocery store isn’t a safe place anymore.
Jen B Says
This worked really well. No such thing as an easy oven clean. But with a good scrubber and a razor blade to scrape it wasn’t bad after I left it sit. No nasty odors and my oven looks great. Also took door off which helped access the back of oven and I cleaned the glass between the doors. That was a big job but it looks wonderful! I’ve had this stove for 10+ years and I cook and bake often. I have never fully cleaned the stove like this but it looks so good. Thanks!