How to clean an oven: baking soda, self-clean or oven cleaner

Step by step: how to clean an oven

Safety first. Turn the oven off and let it cool completely first. Never use oven cleaner spray on a self-cleaning oven’s enamel unless the manual allows it, and never mix vinegar or oven cleaner with bleach.

1. 1

   Empty the oven and pull out the racks

   Take out the racks, thermometer and any pans or foil. Scrape loose crumbs and burnt-on bits off the floor of the oven with a plastic scraper and vacuum or wipe them out, so the paste works on grease rather than crumbs.

2. 2

   Mix a baking soda paste

   Stir about 1/2 cup of baking soda with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until it is spreadable, like frosting. Make more if your oven is large or very dirty.

3. 3

   Coat the inside of the oven

   With gloves on, spread the paste over the floor, back and sides of the oven, thicker on the brown spots. Keep it off the heating elements, the gas burner opening and the door gasket. The paste will turn brown as it softens the grease.

4. 4

   Leave it overnight

   Close the door and let the paste sit for at least 12 hours. This is the step people skip, and it is what lets you wipe instead of scrub.

5. 5

   Clean the racks while you wait

   Soak the racks in a bathtub or large sink of hot water with a few squirts of dish soap for a few hours or overnight, then scrub them with a non-scratch pad. Our guide to cleaning oven racks has methods for heavy buildup.

6. 6

   Wipe out the paste

   Use a damp cloth to wipe out the paste, and the plastic scraper for stubborn patches. Rinse the cloth often. Most of the grease comes away with the paste.

7. 7

   Spray vinegar on the residue

   Mist any white baking soda film with vinegar. It will foam gently. Wipe again with a clean damp cloth until no film is left, then dry the inside.

8. 8

   Clean the glass door

   Spread a thin layer of the same paste on the inside of the glass, wait 15 to 20 minutes, then wipe it off and buff with a dry microfiber cloth. Put the racks back once they are dry.

Which oven cleaning method should you use?

Pick the method by how dirty the oven is and what kind of oven you have. Baking soda is the gentlest and works for most ovens; a fume-free spray is fastest on heavy grease; the self-clean cycle needs no scrubbing but runs very hot for hours. If you want to clean an oven without oven cleaner and without much scrubbing, the overnight baking soda paste is the way: the long wait does the work, and a damp cloth and plastic scraper do the rest.

The bottom of the oven collects the worst of it, because drips land there and bake on every time you cook. Scrape off the loose burnt bits first, then give the floor the thickest layer of paste and the full overnight wait. On a gas oven, keep paste, water and spray out of the burner openings and away from the igniter, and wipe rather than flood the floor. Some gas ovens have a floor panel that lifts out for cleaning; check your manual before you try to remove yours. If you ever smell gas, stop and follow the gas safety steps below.

How to use the self-clean cycle safely

Remove everything, wipe the frame by hand, start the cycle and stay home until it finishes and cools. A self-clean cycle heats the oven far above cooking temperature so food soil turns to ash you wipe out afterward.

KitchenAid’s self-clean instructions say to take out the racks, broiler pan, cookware and any foil or liners first, and to hand-clean the door edge and the area around the oven frame, because those spots do not get hot enough to clean themselves. Do not rub or bend the door gasket. KitchenAid also advises against commercial oven cleaners in a self-cleaning oven, since they can damage the finish.

Open a window and run the range hood. The cycle can smoke and smell, especially the first time or when there is a lot of grease. Pets, birds in particular, should be in another room. Once the oven has cooled, wipe the ash out with a damp cloth.

When to use an oven cleaner spray

Use a spray when grease is thick, black and baked on, and the baking soda method has not shifted it. Choose a fume-free formula if you can, and follow the label exactly.

Classic heavy-duty oven cleaners are strongly alkaline (many contain lye) and need gloves, eye protection and good airflow. Easy-Off’s product line includes a fume-free version alongside the heavy-duty one. Whatever you use, open a window: the EPA notes that cleaning products can release volatile organic compounds indoors, and ventilation keeps exposure down. Keep sprays off heating elements, the gasket, the thermostat bulb and any bare aluminum.

How to clean the oven door glass, inside, outside and between the panes

Clean the inside pane with the baking soda paste from the steps, the outside pane with glass cleaner on a cloth, and the gap between the panes only by taking the door off or opening it up as your manual describes.

The outside pane

Spray glass cleaner onto a microfiber cloth rather than onto the door, so liquid does not run into the vent slots along the bottom edge. Wipe, then buff dry with a second cloth.

A rainbow sheen is not dirt

If the glass looks green, purple or rainbow-colored from some angles, scrubbing will not remove it. Whirlpool explains that the tint comes from an oxide coating on the inner glass that reflects heat back into the oven and keeps the outside of the door cooler. It is normal and needs no service.

Between the panes

Grease and crumbs that slip through the vents end up between the layers of glass. On many ovens the door lifts off its hinges, which makes the job much easier. For doors with hinge locks, Whirlpool’s door removal steps are typical:

1. Open the door fully and flip the lock on each hinge toward the door to unlock it.
2. Close the door partway until it stops, then grip it at the sides and lift it up and out, shifting it slightly if it sticks.
3. Lay it flat on a towel or padded surface. Oven doors are heavy, so have a second person help.
4. To refit, slide the hinges back into their slots at about a 45 degree angle, open the door fully, and rotate both locks back. Check that the door hangs evenly.

Doors without hinge locks usually come off by opening them to the first stop, about 4 inches, and lifting evenly until they clear the hinge arms. Whether the panes then separate with screws depends on the model, so check the manual before you unscrew anything, and let every part dry before you put it back together.

Why does my oven smoke or smell, and what should I do?

Most oven smoke comes from old food and grease burning off. A few causes need a different fix:

• Built-up grease and spills. This is the usual cause, and a deep clean solves it. During a self-clean cycle, Whirlpool notes that heavy soil means a longer cycle and more smoke, which is why wiping out loose soil first helps.
• Cleaner left behind. Baking soda film or oven cleaner residue can smoke and smell the next time you heat the oven. Wipe the inside again with a clean damp cloth until no film shows, then heat the oven empty with a window open before you cook.
• A brand-new oven. Whirlpool says smoke and odor on first use come from new parts, insulation and manufacturing residue. Its fix is to remove all packaging, run Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes with the kitchen ventilated, and repeat once or twice if the smell remains. Move pet birds out of the kitchen first.
• A gas smell. This is not a cleaning problem. The CPSC advises leaving the home right away without switching lights or electronics on or off, and calling the gas company from outside.

What to do if oven cleaner gets on your skin or in your eyes

Rinse right away with running water, keep rinsing for a long time, and then call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Strong oven cleaners are corrosive, and the damage gets worse the longer the product stays on.

Poison Control’s guidance on oven cleaners says:

• On skin: rinse with running water for at least 20 minutes, and take off any clothing with the product on it while you rinse.
• In the eyes: rinse with running water for at least 15 to 20 minutes, then call your poison center.
• Breathed in: move away from the fumes into fresh air.

To avoid an accident in the first place, wear the gloves, eye protection and other gear the label lists, use the product with windows open, keep it in its original container, and store it where children cannot reach it. Turn the spray nozzle to the off position between uses, and never mix it with another cleaner.

Cleaning the knobs, control panel and oven front

Finish with the parts you touch every day, with every control off and the oven cool.

Whirlpool’s range care steps say to pull the knobs straight off, wash them with mild soap and warm water on a soft cloth, and not soak them. Steel wool, abrasive cleansers and oven cleaner can damage the controls. Refit each knob in the Off position, and on models with a seal under the knob, leave the seal in place. For the control panel, use soap and water first, then glass cleaner or mild detergent if needed, and dry it with a lint-free cloth. Spray the cloth, not the panel, so liquid does not seep behind a touch pad.

For a stainless steel oven front, follow our guide on cleaning stainless steel appliances, and for the burners and grates on top, see how to clean a stove top.

How to keep an oven clean longer

Catch drips before they bake on, and wipe spills once the oven is cool. Small habits can stretch a deep clean from every three months to twice a year.

• Put a sheet pan on the rack below pies, casseroles and roasts to catch drips. Do not line the oven floor with foil unless your manual allows it.
• Wipe fresh spills with a damp cloth when the oven is cool, before the next bake carbonizes them.
• If your oven has a steam or EasyClean setting, use it for light messes; LG’s instructions describe adding water to the oven floor and running the short cycle before wiping.
• Add the oven to a seasonal routine, like the one in our deep cleaning checklist.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spraying oven cleaner into a self-cleaning oven when the manual says not to.
• Getting paste or spray on the heating elements, gas ports or door gasket.
• Leaving the baking soda on for only an hour; it needs most of a day to soften old grease.
• Running the self-clean cycle right before a holiday meal, when a fault would leave you without an oven.
• Using steel wool on the enamel or the door glass, which scratches both.
• Spraying glass cleaner straight onto the door, so it runs into the vents and streaks between the panes.