How to clean your oven inside and out.

Watch the DIY video: How to clean your oven.

How often should you clean your oven?

You should deep clean the inside of your oven at least once every three months. However, you should perform a quick, light cleaning after each use — especially if your recent use left behind spills or crumbs. A light cleaning involves wiping up any spills and removing food particles from your oven racks and tracks.

What you’ll need to deep clean your oven.

Cleaning the oven is simple, and you can use these basic items:

• Non-abrasive sponge or soft-bristled brush
• Absorbent paper or absorbent paper towels
• All natural degreaser
• Dish soap
• Vinegar 
• Baking soda
• Lemon
• Gloves
• OPTIONAL: Commercial oven cleaner (instead of baking soda, vinegar and lemon) 

How to deep clean the inside of your oven.

Cleaning the internal walls of an electric oven can be a bit tedious. There are two options to choose from: using a specific chemical to clean the oven or a method based on natural products.

To keep it natural, let’s walk through how to clean an electric oven using a solution of vinegar and baking soda or lemon.

Step 1: Start by mixing 4 cups of water with 3 tablespoons of baking soda or the juice of half a lemon. 

Step 2: You can put the liquid in a spray bottle, and spray directly on the four internal walls of the oven. 

Step 3: Let the liquid or paste sit for 15 minutes so that stains, grease and food dissolve and will be easier to remove. 

Step 4: Rinse with clean water and a non-abrasive sponge or cloth and clean water to avoid scratching the surface. The cloth should be well wrung out, so that excess water does not get into the oven.

How to clean oven racks, trays and pans.

The removable parts of the oven are the baking tray or dripping pan, oven racks and the bottom tray that some models have. Here’s how to clean these items: 

Step 1: Let the oven cool down before you remove any of the parts. Once cool, remove the baking pan, racks or trays from the oven.

Step 2: Cover the pans, racks and trays with paper towels, and spray an all-natural degreaser on the paper towels till saturated. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and then remove the paper towels.

Step 3: Spray a solution of vinegar and baking soda or lemon juice on the rack, tray or pan to eliminate any foul odors.

Step 4: Wash the pans, rack and trays with warm water and dish soap in the sink. You may need to soak the racks and trays in the water and soap for a few minutes (or hours) first, depending on how much baked-on food is stuck on the racks. 

*Pro tip: If there are burnt food particles or encrustations on the dripping pan, try soaking it in a heated carbonated drink with high corrosive power, such as soda. Let it soak in the soda for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse.

Step 5: Use a non-abrasive sponge or brush to scrub off any hard-to-remove grime.

Cleaning your oven door.

The door glass is also usually coated with grease. To clean it, the same products and steps recommended for cleaning the internal parts are fine. Remember to always use a non-abrasive sponge to prevent scratches.

Tips for cleaning a gas oven.

When cleaning a gas oven, make sure you have turned off the oven and gas completely.

Step 1: Remove the grids and trays, and wash them separately.

Step 2: Clean out any encrusted food inside the oven or any food that may have fallen on the bottom of the oven. You can use a cloth or bristle brush to do this.

Step 3: Prepare an all-natural solution for the interior. You can use a mixture of baking soda and water.

Step 4: Add enough water to the baking soda to make a paste and rub it on the oven with the help of a sponge. Or, put 4 cups of water and four tablespoons of baking soda in a spray bottle and spray the solution in the oven.

Step 5: After spraying or wiping the baking soda paste, let the solution sit for a few hours (or overnight).

Step 6: Use a spatula to remove any hardened food and grease. Once all is removed, do a final cleaning with a cloth soaked in a half-water, half-vinegar solution. 

Step 7: The half-water, half-vinegar solution can also be used to clean the oven door and is the final step in the process.

Using vinegar, baking soda, lemons or steam for oven cleaning. 

Here are very simple ingredients that are perfect for degreasing, sanitizing and refreshing an oven naturally:

Steam cleaning your oven.

Traditional oven cleaners can be powerful cleaners and work rather quickly. But some cleaners have toxic chemicals and produce fumes. A simple, safe and natural way to clean your oven is to steam clean it. 

Place an oven-safe pot or bowl filled with water inside the oven. Heat the oven to 400°, and let the water sit for 20 to 60 minutes so the steam can loosen baked-on food and grease. 

When the oven has cooled, wipe off the condensation and the dirt and grease will wipe off easily with it. If there are any stubborn areas, scrub them with a paste of baking soda and lemon or vinegar. Then, pass a damp, non-abrasive cloth over the area and let it dry.

How to clean grease from oven using vinegar.

Vinegar is an excellent degreaser. To clean the oven with vinegar, simply pour a glass of white wine vinegar into a pan full of water. Bring the water to a boil, and turn on the oven bringing it to a temperature of 400°. Then, put the pan full of water and vinegar in the electric oven and leave it inside for 15 minutes.

Turn it off, remove the pan from the oven and wait for the water to cool. Dip a non-abrasive cloth into the water, and wipe it on the walls of your oven.

Remove foul odors with lemon.

Lemon is perfect if your oven is greasy, encrusted and releasing foul odors. Squeeze 3 lemons and dilute them with a glass of water. Then, put the liquid in a pan and bake at 300° for 30 minutes. 

After the 30 minutes are up, dip a non-abrasive cloth in the liquid and wipe it on the walls of the oven. If there are particularly stubborn encrustations or the smell doesn’t go away, rub the halves of the lemons directly on the walls. Once completed, wipe them down with a clean, damp non-abrasive cloth. Allow the oven walls to dry.

Clean the oven with baking soda and salt.

Baking soda is another powerful ingredient for oven cleaning. It’s great at removing difficult spills, stains and hardened food. 

Prepare a mixture with 1 cup of baking soda, 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of warm water. Mix well, and spread it on the walls of the oven with a damp cloth. Rinse everything well using a damp, non-abrasive cloth when you're done.

How to use the self-cleaning function.

If your oven has a self-clean cycle, you can use it. But there are a few things you should keep in mind. For example, self-cleaning is not totally hands-free cleaning — you’ll need to remove and clean the oven racks separately. And, plan to remove any residual ash with soap and water. 

This feature can also be a fire hazard if you don’t take certain precautions. Before turning on the self-cleaning cycle, make sure you:

• Read your manufacturer’s guidelines for step-by-step instructions. If you don’t have a physical copy, search online for instructions on how to use the self-cleaning cycle on your specific oven.
• Clear your oven. Remove the oven racks (hand wash them in the sink), foil, pots, pans, trays, visible debris (like hardened food) and grease first. 
• Make sure there’s ventilation in your kitchen. Turn on the fan in your range hood, open windows and make sure nothing is blocking the oven vents.

How to keep your oven clean for as long as possible.

There are several easy tricks you can use to effortlessly keep your oven clean. For example, try:

• Placing aluminum foil on the bottom. Always cover the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil or an oven-safe silicone sheet when baking. This prevents grease and splashes from dirtying the bottom of the oven. If any grease or food spills onto the aluminum foil, you can easily remove the foil when cool and then replace it. Or, just easily rinse the silicone sheet, dry and replace it in the oven.
• Wiping down the exterior daily. The oven door (including the door handle) should be wiped down daily. Get in the habit of doing this every night after you’re done cooking.
• Cleaning up spills and crumbs immediately. Accidents happen. When they do, be sure to clean up the mess ASAP to avoid creating tough-to-remove stains and crust inside your oven.

Find house cleaning services on Thumbtack.

Sometimes, life gets hectic and we don’t always have the time (or energy) to stay on top of our important cleaning tasks. When this happens, it’s time to consider enlisting a professional. Use Thumbtack to search, compare and hire local house cleaners. Be sure to ask several professionals in your area if they offer oven cleaning, and get multiple price quotes as well.

Related: How to get melted plastic off of the stove, oven, and more.