Wondering how to clean the oven with baking soda? Our quick and effective guide will walk you through the steps!
Whether it’s the holiday season or any time of the year, the oven is one of the most used equipment in the kitchen. As much as we use it in preparing delicious meals for the family, the oven also needs regular cleaning.
Keeping the oven clean is, of course, essential for creating delicious meals. Over time, however, ovens accumulate grime, grease, and baked-on residue that can compromise their efficiency and affect the flavor of your dishes.
Say goodbye to harsh chemical cleaners and hello to a natural, eco-friendly solution that will leave your oven sparkling. Follow our step-by-step guide to discover how easy it is to achieve a spotless oven using a simple pantry staple – baking soda.
Jump to:
Why Use Baking Soda to Clean Your Oven?
Baking soda is one of the top household items that you can use to keep various parts of the home clean and well-maintained. It’s right up there with distilled white vinegar and dishwashing liquid.
These cleaning materials are not just easily accessible; they also make it very easy to avoid using harsh chemicals when cleaning around the house.
But what makes baking soda a very effective DIY cleaner?
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which is an alkaline solution, so it can act as a neutralizing agent for acid. When combined with water or acidic solutions like distilled vinegar, it undergoes a chemical reaction that lifts hard stains, dirt, and grime.
It also acts as an abrasive cleaning agent, making it easier to scrub stains and dirt without being too forceful. So, you’re less likely to cause deep scratches on surfaces.
Over time, a well-used oven can also smell funky. Well, that’s just expected, considering the variety of foods cooked in it. Luckily, baking soda also has deodorizing properties. It doesn’t just clean the oven, but it also leaves it smelling fresh.
Baking soda is also non-toxic, and this is one of the best reasons to use it as a household cleaner. It allows you to clean many parts of the house and various kitchen equipment without exposing yourself and your family to harmful chemicals.
How to Clean the Oven With Baking Soda: Supplies You’ll Need
Whenever there’s a deep cleaning task, I prepare all the materials I need first. This makes the entire process more efficient and faster. Don’t worry, you likely have all the materials needed to clean the oven using baking soda. The list includes:
- Baking soda
- Warm water
- White vinegar
- Mixing bowl
- Microfiber cloth
- Spray bottle
- Cleaning rubber gloves
Preparations Needed to Clean an Oven
Before proceeding to the actual cleaning process, there are a few quick steps to prepare your oven for cleaning.
- Ensure the oven is turned off and cool to the touch to avoid accidents.
- Take out the oven racks and other detachable parts inside the oven, including baking sheets and liners.
- Using a clean cloth, give the oven interior a quick wipe. The goal is to remove any loose dirt, crumbs, and debris that can get in the way of cleaning.
- Wipe any removable stains from the oven door.
- For ovens with exposed heating parts, it’s best to cover them with aluminum foil before applying the baking soda cleaner. If the baking soda paste gets stuck in these parts, they could produce unpleasant odors or smoke the next time you use the oven for baking or cooking.
How to Clean Your Oven With Baking Soda
It’s easier than you think. Follow these quick and easy steps to clean your oven.
Step 1: Make the Baking Soda Paste
Once the oven is prepped for a deep clean, it’s time to make the paste with baking soda.
A 3:1 ratio of baking soda and water is a good place to start. For example, you can combine 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water (preferably warm) in a mixing bowl.
You might need a larger amount of baking soda paste, depending on the oven size, so adjust accordingly while following the 3:1 ratio.
Remember, the mixture has to form the consistency of a spreadable paste. Adding too much water might dilute the baking soda, and it will be tougher to apply in the oven interior.
The baking soda and warm water combination effectively removes grime and stains inside the oven. But you can add other cleaning materials to the mix, such as dish soap. You can mix equal parts of baking soda and dish soap with a few drops of warm water until it forms a paste.
Step 2: Apply the Baking Soda Paste Inside the Oven
After making the baking soda paste, wear your cleaning gloves and prepare to apply the paste in the interior of the oven.
Using a sponge or a cleaning brush, apply the baking soda onto the surface inside the oven. Make sure to apply an ample amount in every part, including the inside of the oven door, but not the heating elements.
You can add more baking soda paste when you notice spots with thicker grime and larger stains.
Step 3: Let the Baking Soda Sit to Clean an Oven
This is a crucial part of the oven cleaning process. Once you have spread the paste all over the oven interior, let it sit.
When doing a quick clean, leaving the paste on for about 20 minutes should be enough. But it’s best to do a deep clean to ensure that all food stains, grease, and grime will be removed. Leave the paste on overnight or at least 12 hours.
The important thing here is to be patient. The baking soda paste will need some time to do its job, and it will be easier for you to scrub and wipe the oven clean.
Step 4: Clean the Oven Racks
While the baking soda paste works its magic, it’s time to clean the oven racks and other removable parts of the oven.
The easiest way to clean oven racks is by soaking them in hot water for a few hours. You can also add a few drops of dish soap to the water. Then, scrub the racks and other oven parts to remove stuck-on grease and other debris.
Rinse thoroughly and let them dry completely.
Step 5: Scrub the Interior of the Oven
After letting the baking soda paste sit, you will need a bit of elbow grease to scrub the oven interior. Wipe off the dried baking soda paste from the oven using a damp cloth.
You might need a plastic scraper in parts where you applied thicker baking soda paste. A plastic or silicone spatula will also get the job done.
You can use the same damp cloth to scrub the oven interior and use the baking soda residue as a mild abrasive to clean the oven.
Step 6: Wipe the Oven Clean — Don’t Forget the Oven Door!
At this point, grime and larger stains should have been removed from the oven interior. As a final touch, you’ll have to wipe off the baking soda paste.
You can use a clean, damp microfiber cloth to wipe off any remaining baking soda particles in the oven. But for an extra cleaning measure, you can also dilute white vinegar in warm water and place it in a spray bottle.
Spray all over the oven interior, avoiding all heating elements. The reaction between the baking soda and vinegar will remove any stubborn and leftover grime and debris.
You can also easily clean the oven door with the diluted vinegar in a spray bottle. Then, use a damp cloth to wipe the oven interior and door to remove any residue from the DIY oven cleaners.
Don’t forget to wipe other parts on the exterior of the oven, including the knobs and door handles. Then all that’s left to do is return the racks and pans inside the oven.
FAQs
Absolutely! After soaking the oven racks, you can prepare another batch of baking soda paste and use it as an abrasive in scrubbing them clean.
Yes. You can follow the same method on how to clean the oven using baking soda, even if the one you have is self-cleaning.
Yes. Using baking soda as a DIY cleaner is safe for both gas and electric ovens. However, always make sure that the baking soda paste doesn’t come in contact with the heating elements while cleaning.
Keep Your Oven Sparkling Clean Without Harsh Chemicals
Cleaning around the house, even when dealing with stubborn grime and dirt, doesn’t always have to involve the use of harsh chemicals. That’s especially important when it comes to maintaining equipment that comes in contact with the food that your family eats.
Luckily, baking soda is just one of the effective household cleaning agents you can use to keep your oven sparkling clean and functioning well.
However, remember that consistency is key, even with the right cleaning supplies and methods. So whenever you have a house deep clean scheduled, don’t forget to give your oven some TLC!