By Wondering how to clean an oven without using any harsh chemicals or high heat? Even if you have a self-cleaning oven, you may not want to deal with the fumes as the oven burns off grease and residue at 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, donning rubber gloves to use a highly toxic oven cleaner with harsh chemicals to get rid of buildup may not be a desired solution either.
Fortunately, baking soda and white vinegar—known kitchen heroes—can tackle a dirty oven covered in buildup and transform it into a sparkling clean appliance. Make a chemical-free cleaning paste with these natural products for a safe cleaning method that fights the ickiest grime.
Here, a step-by-step guide for a clean oven you’ll be proud of.
Remove the oven racks
Take out the oven racks and set them aside, preferably on old newspaper or towels. You don’t want to transfer the grime to your kitchen floor. Be sure to remove any other items in the oven, such as thermometers or pans.
Make the baking soda paste
To make your DIY cleaner, mix equal parts baking soda and water until it makes a spreadable paste. Start with half a cup of both ingredients, and double the recipe if you need more. You’ll be coating the entire oven with the baking soda paste, so make enough to cover the entire interior surface.
Apply the cleaning paste
Spread the baking soda paste all over the interior of the oven (you may want to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands—it’s a pretty dirty job, and the grime will get under your fingernails if you go gloveless). Stay clear of the heating elements as you apply the paste. Be sure to cover extra greasy spots and don’t worry if the paste is thicker in some areas. The paste will begin to turn brown as it comes in contact with the grease.
Wait at least 12 hours
Once you’ve completely covered the inside of the oven with the baking soda paste, let it sit for at least 12 hours.
Tackle dirty oven racks
The best way to clean oven racks is to give them a soak in hot water for at least two hours. (Use this time for stovetop cleaning.) . Place old towels on the bottom to keep the dirt from transferring onto your tub. Once time is up, the residue should come off pretty easily with a scrub brush. Rinse.
Wipe off the baking soda paste
After 12 hours, use a damp cloth to wipe away the baking soda paste and oven residue from the oven’s interior. A spatula or scraper may be necessary if elbow grease isn’t enough to deal with stubborn areas. Loosen the residue gently so as not to scratch the surface. Avoid scouring pads as they can damage the oven.
Spray vinegar inside the oven
Add white vinegar to a plastic spray bottle and spritz it all over the interior of the oven. White vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent. It will cause any residual baking soda paste to foam up and loosen any extra sticky bits.
Clean the interior of the oven glass
A clean oven interior will go unnoticed if the glass door is murky with grease. To clean the glass, make another batch of baking soda paste, spread it all over the window. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Wipe off the paste with a damp rag or paper towel.
Wipe down oven doors and knobs
For the final oven-cleaning step, give the exterior of the oven door a vigorous wipe down. Use a natural vinegar cleaner: Mixture equal parts of water and white vinegar. Spray onto a rag, and clean the exterior. (If you spray it right onto knobs and panels, you risk getting the cleaner into a control panel, which could make it short-circuit.) Buff the outside of the oven until spots and streaks disappear. Use a microfiber cloth to clean a stainless steel oven.
