Do Not Use the Oven Self-Cleaning Function
Ovens are typically used frequently during the holidays and between drips, drips, and spills of turkey, they can get very dirty. Plus, they may not be cleaned very often – in a poll by the American Cleaning Institute, 69% of participants agreed that there are areas of the house they don’t clean but should, and I believe ovens are at the bottom of most of our cleanup lists. … While technology has made cleaning easier these days, beware of one great feature: Your oven’s “self-cleaning” function can be confusing.
Self-cleaning function is harder than you think
While the phrase “self-cleaning” may sound like bubbles filling the oven and water jets washing away dirt, your oven doesn’t have water hoses or cleaning fluid to clean up the clutter. The self-cleaning option actually uses tremendous heat – well above normal cooking temperatures – to decompose food solids into ash for easy removal.
The oven heats up to 880 degrees Fahrenheit , turning food particles into dust. As a safety measure, the oven can be mechanically locked until it cools down to below 600 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are not ready for this, it can wreak havoc in the kitchen.
Twitter user @ 0mwac shared this experience:
Manasa Reddigari , writer at BobVila.com , explains:
These fumes come from both food particles and the enamel lining that covers the inside of the oven. The fumes circulating in the kitchen can irritate pets, children and adults, especially those with respiratory problems.
How to use the self-cleaning function correctly
If you are going to use it, there are a few things to consider to make the process easier. Clean the oven regularly after cooking and baking – of course, there is no need for a deep clean after each bake, but wiping the oven will result in less build-up, which can reduce smoke levels when using the self-cleaning function. If you haven’t cleaned your oven regularly, quickly wipe off excess crumbs and droppings beforehand.
Be sure to remove the stainless steel grates before self-cleaning. Excessive heat can damage or warp the oven grates , causing more headaches than cleaning costs.
I spoke with Juan Rivera, the manager of Lowe’s department, who sets his own steam cleaning settings by pouring a cup of water into the bottom of the stove before activating the self-cleaning function. “This helps keep the ash from sticking to the bottom of the oven at high temperatures and adds moisture,” he says, combining the steam with the oven’s self-cleaning heat.
Consider steam cleaning instead.
See if you have an oven with a steam cleaning option , as steam uses lower temperatures to break down particulate matter and provides a less abrasive option for cleaning your oven. “Because Steam Clean uses a lower temperature, the oven door does not automatically lock like it would in self-cleaning mode,” says GE Appliances . This is one option less smokiness for cleaning the oven.
Or just clean the oven by hand
Spruce recommends cleaning your oven every three months, and even if you don’t use harsh chemicals, there are other, simpler methods. Scrubbing with vinegar and baking soda is an environmentally friendly way to get rid of odor and grease.
Sprinkle baking soda over the bottom of the oven. “Spray vinegar over the soda until it forms a light foam,” USA greenery coach Leslie Reichert said today . Reichert suggests turning the baking soda into a paste and leaving it on hard stains overnight. The oven can be easily wiped clean in the morning. This takes a little longer, but it is perhaps a less disturbing option than heating the oven to over 800 degrees. Regardless of how it’s done, your oven won’t clean itself on its own. It takes a little work.