Let’s be real: cleaning crumbs and baked-on grime out of an oven isn’t fun. It’s tedious, time consuming, and involves products with harsh chemicals— until now.
Well, to clarify… Cleaning your oven will probably never be fun, but it can be done without using toxic cleaners that leave you feeling dizzy.
Learn how to clean your oven using baking soda and vinegar in less than 10 steps.
Remove the racks
Take out the racks and anything else you have inside, like foil or a pizza stone.
Make a baking soda paste
Mix a half cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water, and adjust as needed until you have a spreadable paste.
Spread the paste all over the interior
Use an old sponge with an abrasive pad, and avoid the oven’s heating elements.
Let it sit for awhile
Once the oven is coated, close the door and let the paste sit for at least 4 hours. If that doesn’t seem like enough time, you can let it sit overnight.
Clean your racks
While the paste sits, get to work on the racks.
Wipe out the oven
Use a sponge or damp cloth to wipe up the paste.
Follow up with vinegar
Pour or spritz vinegar wherever you see baking soda residue. The chemical reaction will create a foam that’s easy to wipe away.
Wipe again
Wipe down the interior until it’s spotless.
Put your racks back
Once the interior is clean, replace your oven racks and anything else you keep in it.
If your oven is less than 50 years old —like the ovens at Cayce Cove in Cayce, South Carolina— it probably has a built-in self-cleaning option. (Basically your oven will heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 2.5-4 hours, and burn the debris inside to white ash.)
If you want, use the self cleaning option before following the steps above. Just make sure to take out the racks and anything else removable first.
To learn how to make more non-toxic cleaners, read 5 Green Cleaning Recipes To Use Today.