Clean your oven without chemicals, use soda and vinegar!

You may have heard from relatives or online websites that your ovens self-cleaning function can be incredibly smelly. In all honesty, I too wouldn’t recommend running it either simply because there are easier or better ways. There is a very effective and safe method to clean your oven without the use of any harsh chemicals or professional cleaners.

The equipment required:

  • Baking soda

  • Rubber gloves

  • A Damp dish cloth

  • Plastic or silicone spatula

  • Spray bottle

  • White vinegar

How much does oven cleaning cost?

Standard Width 90cm width ranges or bigger End of Tenancy oven cleaning
Single oven, including two racks – £40.00 Single Wide Oven, including three racks – £55.00 Oven cleaning is included in the final price
Double oven, including three racks – £60.00 Range Half size Oven – £30.00 Microwave cleaning is included in the final price
Extractor – £15.00 Complete Range 90cm – £75.00 Hob cleaning is included in the final price
Gas Hob – £15.00 Complete Range 110cm – £90.00 Extractor cleaning is included in the final price
Complete Range – £75.00 Range Hood or Hob – £25.00 Splashback cleaning is included in the final price

How to clean oven?

You can do it in a simple way, no heavy-duty chemicals. It will take a bit longer, but the results will leave you impressed with its results. The little secret is that you’ll most likely be able to do this without popping off to the stores as everything required will already be inside your kitchen! Upon moving into my new home our oven will filthy, covered with black sticky grime, it was awful! As anyone else’s first instinct is to use the auto-cleaning setting (which would’ve definitely been a bad idea as our oven was literally ancient). It basically turns up the heat until everything inside it is burnt which can then be wiped off when cooled. You would think, what’s wrong with that? What’s the point of going through the hassle when you’ve already got that? Well the issue is that it actually makes your problems even worse and can also set off your smoke detectors, it just makes your life harder.

Instead of having the hassle of having to turn off smoke detectors just clean your oven with some baking soda, elbow grease and some vinegar. Here are the steps that I followed:

1. Before doing anything else, you must Empty out your oven: Get rid of your oven racks or even a thermometer as well as anything else you may have inside your oven.

2. Afterwards, you have to create a baking soda paste: Grab yourself a small bowl where you will then mix half a cup of baking soda with just a few tablespoons of water afterwards. You will be required to adjust the ratio of the 2 until you have achieved a paste that is spreadable. It usually will take around 3-4 tablespoons of water to get the most accurate consistency.

3. You will then have to coat your oven: With whatever you can find spread your paste on the interior of the oven whilst getting away of the heating elements. It is recommended to utilize your gloves wisely here especially if you have a pretty dirty oven. It really allowed me to get into every piece of gunk without getting it into my nails. As you coat your oven with the baking soda the soda will turn a brownish colour when rubbed in. Your goal is to try and coat the whole entirety of your oven especially among the greasier areas.

4. Allow it to stay overnight: Let the baking soda stay for around 12 hours before doing anything to it or let it stay overnight.

5. After letting it sit for the required time make sure to wipe out your oven: Get yourself a damp dish cloth and wipe the dried baking soda. To do this you could use a plastic or a silicone spatula. However, some people would prefer to use a damp cloth, but it is a bit harder with a cloth to get into harder to reach areas.

6. Add a bit of vinegar: Place some vinegar in a spray bottle and spray everywhere on left over residue from the baking soda as the vinegar has a reaction with the baking soda

7. Do a wipe-down with your cloth. You should repeat until all the baking soda residue is gone.

8. Place your oven racks back: Replace the oven racks and anything else you keep in your oven, and you’re finally finished with a squeaky clean, new oven all done in the comfort of your home.

Does alternative solution for oven cleaning works?

So, you may ask, what is the alternative solution? Of course, you can buy chemicals that are incredibly harsh but will go through and eat the remaining debris but unfortunately, the fumes are very strong, using them is recommended only for end of tenancy cleaning.

Tip: You don’t need to go all fancy for oven-cleaning gloves, in reality the best ones are only £5 for a pack. Not only are they long-lasting but they are able to dry off very quickly. Make sure to get some before cleaning your oven.