There are several different oven cleaners to choose from. I usually use Easy Off; however, I am sure they are all good. There are even organic ones, although I have never used them. I do recommend using a mask; oven cleaners are very strong and can make breathing difficult for people who are sensitive to it. I always wear gloves to protect my hands as well. Some oven cleaning products can be used for immediate cleaning and there are overnight ones. When I finally decide to clean my oven, I don’t want to wait until the next day.
The first thing I do is take out my oven racks. They can be soaked for awhile in hot sudsy water or you can spray them with the oven cleaner and scrub them with a brush. I spray my oven with the cleaner and then heat the oven to about 200 degrees. This loosens some of the really bad spills and helps the oven cleaner to work more efficiently. Turn the oven off and let it cool long enough to be able to touch the inside without getting burned.
The actually cleaning is simply a matter of using a lot of elbow grease. A plastic spatula works well on the really tough spills. Don’t use a metal one, it can scratch the oven. I use cool water and a sponge after I have removed all the spills. When I am done with the cleaning, I turn the oven back on just to burn off any cleaner that is left over. Another tip I learned is to put some foil in the bottom of the oven when baking. It will catch some of the spills and then I just throw it out.
Obviously, self cleaning ovens are easier. You remove the racks and just push a few buttons and set a timer for about three hours. Then you just wipe it clean. Unfortunately, not all of us have self-cleaning ovens and so we have to use elbow grease. Don’t be daunted by cleaning your oven. It is simply a matter of getting started.
