Every once in a while that dreaded chore creeps up, cleaning the oven! As much as we hate having to do this, it’s important that we do because overtime the oven faces some battering with spillages and cooking splashes and if left it could be a fire hazard or significantly damaging to your health.

So the time has come, grab those rubber gloves and follow our advice and you too can a sparkly clean oven before you know it!

Where to start?

Start by removing all of the shelving because these can we washed with regular hand washing in the sink. If they are particularly grubby they may need to soak in some oven cleaning product but you can soak these in the kitchen sink whilst you attend to the oven.

What to use?

Most ovens will require some heavy duty cleaning products to be able to shift the grease and grime from the interior.
Most general stores will sell oven cleaning products which are specifically designed to cut through grease, oil and any food residue. They work by loosening up the stains so that you can simply rinse and wash them away.

Spray bottles are easier to use because you can spray the whole oven and allow the product to work its magic. Look out for foam sprays as these tend to stick to the oven interior and do not run down the sides creating a mess at the bottom.

Are they harmful?

Most oven cleaning solutions do contain strong chemicals which should not be inhaled and therefore it is advised to ventilate the room whilst using them, also if you have one available a face mask can help to reduce the risk of inhaling these harmful chemicals.

Products for oven cleaning can be quite harsh to skin so always ensure you protect your hands with rubber gloves.

Is there a natural solution?

Yes you can opt for natural oven cleaning products which are better for your health and the environment. Look out for Eco-friendly cleaning products. Most natural products use citrus to cut through grease and they do work effectively well.

Homemade cleaners!

Some people opt to make their own cleaners and this is quite easy to do. The ingredients required consists of distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar, lemons, baking soda and washing up liquid and the idea is to make a thick paste which can be spread around the ovens interior. This method works extremely well and is much safer than using harmful chemicals.

What equipment will I need?

You will need rubber gloves, something blunt like a butter knife to scrape off stubborn areas of food residue, plenty of kitchen paper towels to wipe off the excess product and to capture spills, newspaper to protect the surrounding flooring, a scrubbing brush, a cleaning sponge and hot spay water to rinse your sponge or cloth as you wipe.

Step by step!

1.    Remove shelves, allow to soak
2.    Protect flooring with newspaper around the oven
3.    Pop on gloves and open all windows
4.    Spray oven and allow the product to work for 20 minutes
5.    Wipe away excess product
6.    Scrape off any hard to shift areas of food residue
7.    Rinse the exterior a few times and remember to keep washing your sponge
8.    Allow the oven to dry, (leave the door wide open)
9.    Wash the shelving which has been soaking
10.    Replace all the shelving
11.    Clean around the oven and mop up any messy bits with may have escaped onto your kitchen floor or surrounding surfaces
12.    Congratulations you’re done and your new oven looks fantastic!