Clean your oven with ingredients you already have at home

Some simple household items and a little bit of time are all you need.

Ashlee Clark Thompson Associate Editor

Ashlee spent time as a newspaper reporter, AmeriCorps VISTA and an employee at a healthcare company before she landed at CNET. She loves to eat, write and watch "Golden Girls" (preferably all three at the same time). The first two hobbies help her out as an appliance reviewer. The last one makes her an asset to trivia teams. Ashlee also created the blog, AshleeEats.com, where she writes about casual dining in Louisville, Kentucky.

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Megan Wollerton

Ashlee Clark Thompson

March 30, 2020 6:00 a.m. PT

2 min read

The inside of your oven is probably a lot dirtier than you'd like to admit. Fortunately, it's easy to clean. The following method works well if your oven doesn't have a self-clean cycle, or if you simply want to spot-clean it without using harsh cleaning products. And since you're probably self-isolating at home right now, now is as good a time as any for some spring cleaning.

Supplies

Dish gloves
Baking soda
Vinegar
Dish soap
A spray bottle
A sponge or cloth

It just takes baking soda, vinegar and some elbow grease to clean your oven.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Step 1: Remove your oven racks

Remove the racks from your oven and wash them in warm, soapy water. Some oven racks are dishwasher-safe, but check your oven manual first to make sure they won't be damaged in the dishwasher. Dry the racks and set them aside.

Step 2: Clean out food particles

Wipe away any loose food particles in your oven.

Step 3: Make your oven cleaner

Make a paste using three parts baking soda and one part water. You can "ballpark" this measurement and adjust as needed to achieve a pasty consistency.

Step 4: Apply the paste to your oven

Spread the baking soda paste around the inside of your oven. If there are really tough, burnt-on spots, put a little extra paste on them. Avoid putting the paste on heating elements inside the oven.

Step 5: Let it sit

Close your oven, and let the paste sit overnight.

Step 6: Clean out the baking soda

Moisten your sponge or cleaning cloth with warm water and wipe away the baking soda paste. You may need to rinse the sponge as you go to clean off bits of paste. For any stubborn messes, use a scraper or a spatula.