A clean oven isn’t only more pleasant to use, but also better for the lifespan of the appliance and the quality of your dishes. In this article, you’ll read why it’s important to clean your oven, how often it’s best to do so, and which methods you can use to get it fresh and clean again.
You should clean your oven regularly to extend the appliance’s lifespan, improve the quality of your dishes, and prevent baked-on and burnt-in dirt. Grease, crumbs, and food residue build up in the oven over time. If you don’t remove them in time, they can burn in and become increasingly difficult to get rid of. A clean oven isn’t just nicer to use; it also helps dishes cook more evenly and keeps their flavour better.
How often should you clean your oven?
You can clean your oven using these methods:
This is how to clean an oven with baking soda:
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| For stubborn, burnt-on stains and baked-on grease. | Not on aluminium parts, in self-cleaning ovens, or in gaps and ventilation openings. |
You can also clean your oven with lemon. This is useful for loosening splatters or removing light dirt:
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| For loosening grease splatters, neutralising smells, and light dirt. | Not for heavily burnt-on dirt or black marks, as it only works on light soiling. |
Another natural cleaning product for your oven is vinegar. This is how to clean an oven with vinegar:
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| For baked-on food residue. | Not for heavy, thick layers of grease or on rubber seals, painted surfaces, and enamelled bases. |
Of course, you can also clean your oven easily with an oven cleaner. To clean your oven thoroughly, follow these steps:
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| For black, baked-on spots on the base and walls of the oven, as well as on racks and baking trays. | Not on catalytic walls. You can recognise catalytic walls by their rough surface texture. |
Some ovens have a self-cleaning programme. Depending on the type of oven, this cleaning cycle works through pyrolytic [Sv1] or hydrolytic cleaning. This is how to use a self-cleaning oven:
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| When your oven has a self-cleaning programme and in cases of heavy soiling. | Not just before cooking and not for light dirt. |
A dishwasher tablet isn’t just for your dishwasher. It contains a range of cleaning agents and soap that can also be useful for cleaning your oven:
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| For stubborn, burnt-on dirt and baked-on grease. | Not on catalytic or self-cleaning walls. |
You can also use ammonia to clean your oven. Ammonia is a strong, acidic product that removes stubborn grease very effectively. Do keep in mind that ammonia can damage a natural stone worktop, especially with built-in ovens.
| Use this method | Do not use this method |
|---|---|
| For stubborn and burnt-on grease. | Not in a switched-on or hot oven. Don’t mix ammonia with other chemical cleaning products, such as chlorine bleach. Don’t use it on aluminium or natural stone. |
After a thorough clean, you’ll naturally want to keep your oven clean for as long as possible. Baked-on food residue and splattering grease can make your oven dirty quite quickly, but these tips will help keep it cleaner for longer:
Cleaning your oven is important to prevent burnt-on dirt, extend the appliance’s lifespan, and maintain the quality of your dishes. How often you should do it depends on how heavily you use the oven. With simple cleaning methods, such as baking soda, lemon, ammonia, or a dishwasher tablet, you can effectively loosen grease and baked-on residue. By also removing crumbs and splatters straight after each use, you’ll keep your oven cleaner for longer and make future maintenance much easier.
