Your oven goes through a lot of wear and tear from one spring to the next, especially if you enjoy cooking. Why should it not get at least as much attention as your area rugs or your furniture? Not only is a clean oven free of bad odors and other mishaps that come with cooking, but it lasts longer than an oven that’s never cleaned.

Safety First

First, unplug your oven, and if it’s hot, wait till it cools down. Pull out the racks and wash them separately. If you’re going to use strong cleansers to clean your oven, you need to use them safely. You must read and understand the instructions that come with the cleanser. Put on rubber gloves and clothes that protect you. It may even be a good idea to put on protective eye goggles. Open the window, and spread newspaper on the floor to protect it. Keep kids and pets away from the kitchen, and use cleaning cloths that you feel comfortable throwing out when the job is done. When to finish cleaning, be sure to remove all traces of the cleanser. Do this using a cloth soaked in warm water, and keep using it until you’re satisfied that the cleanser is gone.

Take Out and Clean the Racks

Fill your sink with hot water and detergent. If the racks are really filthy with baked on grime, you may need to use a scourer to get them at least halfway clean. Toss the grime in the garbage, then put the racks one at a time in the sink. Since racks tend to be larger than sinks, put the rack in at an angle, and let the bottom half soak for about 15 minutes. Then turn the rack, and let the other half soak for 15 minutes. Use the scourer again to get rid of any residual grime. Make sure to clean both sides of the rack. After that, drain the sink, rinse the rack, and let it dry. Fill the sink with hot soapy water again for the next rack, and repeat. If it’s more convenient, you could wash the racks in your bathtub instead.

If the racks are in truly bad shape, take them outdoors, spray them with oven cleaner, put them in a black trash bag, and leave them for a few hours. Then, wash them off with a garden hose, and bring them back into the house to wash them in the sink.

Call Us to Learn More About Oven Maintenance

Cleaning your oven may be a job of work, but it is well worth it in the long run. An oven whose owner lets grime build up year after year simply won’t work as efficiently or last for its anticipated lifespan of around 16 years. For more information about your stove and oven, get in touch with our professionals at Hotshot Appliance, Heating & Cooling of Olathe, KS.