Spring Cleaning - Top Cleaning Tips For Ovens

"By now, you’ll be cooking up all sorts of great grub in your new oven. Now comes the worst bit – giving it a good scrub! To keep your oven working perfectly and increase its lifespan, regular cleaning and maintenance is vital. We share our top tips to make oven cleaning simple."

Make your own cleaner

Save yourself time and money by making your own oven cleaner. A simple mixture of white vinegar and baking soda is really effective for getting rid of grime and grease. Simply rub the paste on, leave for half an hour or so, then wipe off. Adding essential oils or citrus juice to your mixture can get rid of nasty smells and help cut through more stubborn stains.

Steam with lemon juice for an easy clean

Dreading the big scrub down? The night before you clean, fill a heatproof bowl with water and lemon juice and gently warm it in your oven, leaving it to steam overnight at a low temperature. This will loosen tough patches of dirt before you clean, making it easier to scrape off those stubborn stains.

Make your hob shine

To keep your ceramic or induction hob sparkling, simply sprinkle it with baking soda and a few drops of water before gently wiping with a soft cloth. If you have steel burners that need cleaning, leave them in a zipped plastic bag overnight with a drop of bleach and some water. Give them a wipe and a rinse with soapy water in the morning and they’ll be good as new.

Clean regularly

Just like your kitchen’s work surfaces, your oven’s exterior needs a regular wipe down after use to keep it clean and free of germs. To keep your oven in tip top condition, experts recommend that you should give it a deep clean inside and out at least once a month.

Banish nasty smells

If you’ve been cooking fish or something particularly pungent, pop a few drops of vanilla or orange essence in some water and slowly heat in the oven for an hour or so. Not only does this cleanse the inside of your oven, but it’ll freshen the air throughout your home, too.

Prevent spills and stains

Cleaning your oven can be made much easier if you plan ahead when cooking. If you think your dish is likely to drip or overflow, place a baking tray lined with foil underneath the shelf – the dirty foil can simply be thrown away when done. Any spillages on your hob during cooking can be sprinkled with salt and then easily wiped away when the hob has cooled.

Clean around your catalytic liners

Ovens with catalytic liners are great for reducing scrubbing time. Liners placed inside your oven gather any grease and food spillages, which is then burnt off when the oven heats up. Grease and fat can also build-up in the areas that your oven liners don’t cover, so it’s important to wipe around them to keep your oven in perfect condition.

Even self-cleaning ovens need cleaning

Don’t ditch the rubber gloves just yet – self-cleaning ovens need a little looking after too. The self-cleaning cycle works by burning dirt at an extremely high heat. This means that ashes will need to be removed with a damp cloth; whilst the outside of your oven will benefit from a sponge down every now and then to keep it shiny and free of stains.

Show off your oven

It might be convenient to hang towels, oven gloves and aprons over your oven’s handle, but it’s much better to show off your oven’s sleek design. Invest in a towel hook and get rid of the clutter covering your oven’s exterior. Not only will your oven look great, but any nasty germs hiding in your tea towels will be kept well away from your cooking space.

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