You can follow a recipe all you want, but sometimes, things don't go as planned when you're cooking or baking. Maybe the casserole consistency is a little off. Perhaps you burn the cookies. Or maybe you open the oven door to check on your famous vegan red velvet cake, but the pan slides off the rack when you try to move it. The half-done cake sticks to the oven door, and your kitchen smells like chocolate for days.
Whatever the calamity, one thing's for sure: your oven will have some battle scars in the form of burnt food bits and grease. If you want a blank slate and spotless oven, you're going to need some elbow grease and these tips.
Get Ready: What You Need to Clean Your Oven
Does that burnt red velvet cake at the bottom of your oven mock you every time you open the door? Show it who's the boss by readying these supplies:
- Dish soap.
- Baking soda.
- Water.
- Rubber gloves.
- Damp dishcloth or sponge.
- Plastic or silicone spatula.
- Spray bottle.
- White vinegar.
Now that you have your gear, you're ready to tackle the grime. For the next step, let's assume you don't have a self-cleaning oven or that the self-cleaner isn't cutting it.
Get Going: Oven Cleaning Steps
If you need to get your Columbus home especially clean – either because of a cooking disaster or because you're showing your home – follow these steps:
- Remove the oven accouterments. This includes your oven racks, pizza stone, and oven thermometer.
- Wash the oven racks. Simply wash these in your sink with dish soap, warm water, and a sponge. Use the abrasive side of your sponge to remove baked-on food particles. After rinsing, place them on a drying rack.
- Make your oven cleaning paste. This is where the baking soda comes in. Mix half a cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water in a small bowl. It should have the consistency of toothpaste.
- Spread the paste inside the oven. Put on your gloves and apply the paste to the interior surfaces of the oven, taking care to avoid the heating elements. Pay attention to particularly sticky areas, and rub the paste in as evenly as you can throughout the interior. Expect the paste to turn slightly brownish as you go along – that means it's already picking up muck.
- Let the mixture set for a few hours. Some people insist the paste should do its thing overnight, but if you don't have that kind of time, at least give it a couple hours.
- Wipe out the oven. Using your damp dishcloth, wipe away the dried baking soda paste. If you need a little extra help, use your spatula to scrape away especially stubborn spots.
- Spritz the vinegar. This is your last line of defense to clear away the baking soda paste. The vinegar will foam once it hits the baking soda, which breaks it down. Spray as needed.
- Wipe out the oven one last time. Using a clean, damp cloth, wipe down all surfaces of the oven until the residue is gone.
Once you replace the oven racks, you're all done!
Want the Rest of Your Columbus House as Clean as Your Oven?
Sure, a spotless house would be a nice complement to your now spotless oven, but who has the time for that? There are cakes to bake and pets to snuggle.
If you want to make sure you don't sacrifice your precious little free time on house cleaning chores, maybe it's time to see how our Columbus house cleaning services can benefit you.
We understand not everyone has the same budget or needs. That's why we offer custom house cleaning programs for Columbus residents. Book a free cleaning consultation with us today to learn more.