Did you know that when you cook in your oven, the grease and food particles can drip down into the bottom of the oven? If these droppings are not removed regularly, they will harden and become almost impossible to remove. This is why it’s essential to clean out your oven after use. This article will discuss how to get grease out of an oven with some simple cleaning tips.
What Removes Oven Grease?
Grease is extremely stubborn and can be difficult to remove from ovens. Many people try everything, including harsh chemicals, scraping with a putty knife or ice scraper, etc. To get rid of the greasy oven mess, you need to know the right kind of cleaner that will remove it quickly. There are two types of cleaners: natural and chemical-based.
Natural Based
Using a natural cleaning product is always better than using chemicals as they do not contain any harmful compounds which can be hazardous for your health. The best way to clean your oven is by combining vinegar with baking soda and salt. Use this combination on every surface in the oven, including its racks and door seals, regardless of whether they have been previously cleaned or not.
This mixture works from both sides removing grease from those areas that become hard-to-reach when scrubbing them manually with a sponge or brush. Pour equal parts of each ingredient into an empty spray bottle, then fill it with water.
Shake the bottle well before using it to mix all ingredients properly. Spray the solution on grease areas and let it sit for 20 minutes to absorb fat, grime, or any other chemical spills that might have gotten stuck under your oven racks.
Now you can remove dried-up debris with a wet towel, after which use the rinse-and-dry method by wiping down every surface of your oven, leaving no trace of dirt behind. For extra cleaning power, add vinegar into an empty bowl, then place this bowl onto one of the burners inside the oven while running at full temperature.
Chemicals based
While using a chemical-based cleaning product is acceptable when necessary, it should be your last resort in getting rid of grease. When removing oven grease with chemicals, you need to know which ingredients can harm the environment and eventually result in water sources.
If any chemical spills accidentally get into the sewer system, they might affect wildlife or even people that drink from contaminated streams or rivers after rainfalls. To prevent such accidents, make sure you put on protective gloves before using harsh household cleaners like oven degreaser sprays as these products contain harmful components like propylene glycol n-propyl ether (which is a human carcinogenic), ammonia (can irritate), and ethyl alcohol (a skin irritant).
Oven cleaner spray contains sodium hydroxide, which forms hazardous gas when it comes in contact with water. If you accidentally spill some chemical cleaner on the bottom of your oven, make sure to leave the door open as long as possible after cleaning those areas so that any hazardous gas can escape from inside.
Remember that most chemicals used for household and commercial purposes can be harmful if inhaled or absorbed into the skin. When using such cleaners, protect yourself by wearing gloves and a respiratory mask – especially when working with ammonia that is colorless but has strong fumes.
It usually does not have an odor until mixed with other ingredients like propylene glycol n-propyl ether (which smells similar to paint thinner). Also, remember to use protective clothing, including goggles, aprons, and rubber boots, while dealing with harsh chemicals.
How to Get Grease Out of Oven?
It happens to everyone. You put the chicken in the oven and forget about it for a few hours, come back to find your whole house smells like fried chicken skin! Grease splatters are common accidents that happen all too easily because our ovens lack convenience. Here is how you can get grease out of your oven:
Heavy-duty Grease
Don’t use an oven cleaner. It’s possible to get grease out of your oven without using a harsh chemical-based cleaning product if you have baking soda and hydrogen peroxide on hand. Mix one tablespoon each into a paste, then slather it onto the greasy section before leaving it to sit for about 30 minutes.
Scrape off with something plastic or wooden (not metal) like a putty knife or spoon, then wipe down with hot water and dish soap as usual. If there are any remaining stubborn spots, sprinkle some more baking soda over them along with another teaspoonful of hydrogen peroxide; let dry overnight, then scrub clean in the morning.
Burnt-on Grease
Baking soda is a great way to remove grease from ovens. Sprinkle baking soda over the soiled areas in your oven, then spray with water and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until golden brown. The mixture will create heat that loosens dried-on food residue.
Next, wear gloves and wipe away the residues using paper towels before rinsing with warm water. Clean stains on the aluminum foil can be removed by sprinkling salt onto them while they are still wet after washing; it should dissolve easily when baked at 500 F for half an hour.
For tough grease buildups inside pans, soak overnight in hot water mixed with dish soap followed by scouring pads dipped in a vinegar solution to get rid of grime easier.
Tips on How to Get Grease Out of Oven
Tip #01: Remove all of the contents from your oven. If there are melted pans, aluminum foil, or other materials stuck to the bottom of your oven, remove them using a putty knife and heavy-duty gloves. Wipe down any surfaces with soap and water before continuing.
Tip #02: Put on rubber cleaning gloves to protect yourself against grease burns while working in a scorching environment. Fill one spray bottle with half vinegar and half dish detergent solution for best results; shake it up until combined thoroughly. Spray this mixture onto walls, racks, and inside the door area of your oven. Scrub off debris gently but firmly using a sponge mop (or thick cloth). Tip: if possible, wear a headlamp to make it easier to see inside your oven.
Tip #03: Use a pumice stone or scraper tool (such as the one at the end of this article) and place aluminum foil on top of any remaining grease and stains before putting it in your oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Afterward, let stand until cooled completely, then use an old toothbrush if needed to scrub away grime.
If you don’t have a pumice stone handy, try out baking soda instead. Make a thick paste with water and add just enough baking soda so that it’s not too runny and not dry either; apply it onto stained areas using a sponge mop or mildive cloth while wearing rubber gloves.
Another tip: if you choose the baking soda method, make sure that your oven isn’t hot and use a fan to circulate air while it’s drying out; this will prevent moisture from remaining inside the oven since we don’t want water getting into our electrical components!
Tip #04: After removing any leftover residue with either method (baking soda or pumice stone), spray down your entire oven once more with a vinegar solution, then using paper towels.
Leave the door open for at least an hour so that it can fully dry out before putting in new food items; let stand overnight would be best too, just in case there is some residual smell lingering around afterwords.
This step is optional but recommended as the humidity may cause bacteria to grow inside the oven if not allowed time to dry out completely.
Tip #05: If grease stains are still visible after trying out these cleaning tips, try applying baking soda followed by vinegar again, but this time with the oven on; you may need to do it multiple times for 100% results.
Tip #06: While this step is optional too when dealing with stubborn grease spots inside your oven, using steel wool (or even sandpaper if necessary) can work wonders when combined with soap and water! Use aluminum foil underneath while working, then wipe clean afterward; repeat until no more grime remains behind.
This method usually takes quite some effort, so be sure that you’re not rushing anything or else it will just make matters worse than before, which means wasted time and money spent doing over an hour of extra work!
Tip #07: If you’re not interested in spending so much time cleaning your oven, consider hiring professional cleaners instead! They can use chemicals and tools that are way too strong for us regular people to handle when trying to get rid of tough stains, which is why it’s best left up to the pros.
Related Posts:
- How to Keep Floors Clean?
- How to Do a Party Cleanup?
- How to Clean an Apartment?
- Signs of a Bad Cleaning Lady
← How to Do a Move Out Cleaning?
How to Do a Move In Cleaning? →
