Discover a simple old-fashioned oven-cleaning trick using everyday household ingredients. This easy method can help loosen baked-on grease and grime without harsh scrubbing.
Here’s a Simple Old-Fashioned Trick for Cleaning an Oven
Before reaching for strong chemical oven cleaners, try this simple traditional method using baking soda, vinegar, and warm water. These basic household ingredients can help soften stubborn grease and dried-on food, making the oven much easier to clean.
What You’ll Need
- ½ cup baking soda
- A few tablespoons of warm water
- White vinegar in a spray bottle
- A damp sponge or microfiber cloth
- A small bowl
- Rubber gloves
How to Do It
1. Make a baking-soda paste
Mix the baking soda with a small amount of warm water until you have a thick, spreadable paste.
2. Apply it to the oven
Make sure the oven is switched off and completely cool. Spread the paste over greasy and dirty areas, avoiding heating elements and electrical components.
3. Let it sit overnight
For stubborn buildup, leave the baking-soda paste in place for several hours or overnight. This gives it time to loosen baked-on residue.
4. Spray with vinegar
The next day, lightly spray white vinegar over the baking-soda residue. The fizzing reaction can help loosen the softened grime.
5. Wipe everything away
Use a damp sponge or cloth to remove the residue. You may need to repeat the process on particularly stubborn spots.
6. Finish with a clean wipe
Go over the oven with a clean, damp cloth to remove remaining baking soda and vinegar.
A Few Important Tips
Don’t mix vinegar with commercial chemical oven cleaners, and don’t apply homemade cleaners to heating elements or electrical parts. Always check your oven manufacturer’s cleaning instructions first.
For a heavily soiled oven, this method may need to be repeated—but it’s a simple, inexpensive approach that can make routine oven cleaning much less unpleasant.