You’ve probably heard about self-cleaning ovens. As the name implies, these kitchen appliances are meant to take the mess, fuss, and hassle out of cooking. You don’t have to clean them at all — or so you’d think. But the truth is a little more complicated.
Why Clean a Self-Cleaning Oven?
There are a number of self-cleaning ovens on the market that have hidden filaments in the ceiling and under the floor. This help to avoid smoking and scorching if anything burns. However, the filaments have heating vents that might get clogged without your knowledge.
Improper heat ventilation can lead to heat pockets several hundred degrees hotter than the actual oven setting. This can lead to popping fuses and burning control panels.
One of the most helpful preventative measures you can take is a gentle treatment with oven cleaner. This saves you an unbelievable amount of hassle down the road.
Comparison Table
| Brand Name | Features | Fumes | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1. Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner Our Best Pick  Check Price | Reacts with cold ovens | Lemon scent | 14 pounds |
#2. Baking Soda Check Price | Traditional grime-scrubbing remedy | Fume free | 5 pounds |
#3. Mr. Muscle Oven and Grill Check Price | Specially formulated for ovens | Fume free | 19 pounds |
#4. Krud Kutter Check Price | Foams to penetrate deep | Fume free | 12 pounds |
#5. Carbona Bio Oven Cleaner Check Price | All-natural ingredients | Fume free | 16.8 ounces |
Self Cleaning Oven Types
There are a few types of self-cleaning oven. Most commonly, you’ll find ovens that incinerate everything inside. Once it’s turned to ash, you can easily wipe it away.
A less typical design might use steam power to clean the oven. If you’re looking at particularly expensive units, you might have both options available at once.
High Temperature
With high temperature cleaning, it’s vital that nothing be left on the stove top. The oven has the potential to reach temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees.
It’s also essential that you make sure the cleaning area has proper ventilation. Grease and food produce smoke before they turn into ash, which can harm your air quality and set off your smoke alarm.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is a faster, more energy-efficient process. Before you turn the feature on, your only responsibilities are to remove large debris from the oven and add water to the bottom.
Once the steam cleaning is finished, you simply wipe the debris and moisture out of the oven.
Best Oven Cleaners to Use for Self Cleaning Ovens
#1. Carbona Bio Oven Cleaner
The Carbona cleaner is made entirely of natural, biodegradable ingredients. It’s a great option if you’re looking to be eco-friendly or make healthy choices about your cleaning products. In addition, it’s scent free, so it’s a friendly option for people with sensory issues.
This cleaner is both affordable and powerful. Because it doesn’t use harsh chemicals, you’ll need to scrub a little more vigorously than with some other options. But it’s completely safe to use in the home.
#2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a great option in a pinch. People have been using it for decades. There’s a good chance you already have some tucked in the back of a cupboard.
All you have to do is mix a little water into the powder until you have a paste. Spread it over every area that needs cleaning and let it sit. After an hour, you can wipe the paste away, along with all the nasty sludge it’s pulled up.
#3. Mr. Muscle Oven and Grill
Mr. Muscle has been a cleaning staple for a long time. The special oven and grill formula is designed to work on industrial, commercial, and institutional surfaces. It works right away whether the oven is hot or cold.
The cleaner’s secret is the ability to self-scour and bind to the grime. This allows it to break down even the toughest grease. Broken-down grease means a lot less scrubbing.
#4. Krud Kutter
Unlike many of the other cleaners, Krud Kutter works through foaming action. As soon as it’s sprayed, it foams. Then you just wipe it away with the residue underneath.
Krud Kutter’s specially formulated oven and grill cleaner is unscented, so you don’t have to worry about your oven smelling strange. The formula clings to grease and breaks it up, penetrating deep into the messes.
All you have to do is spray, wait a few minutes, and wipe with a damp paper towel. It works magic on your oven door, oven rack, and any baked-on substances anywhere else. At the same time, though, there aren’t any harsh chemicals involved.
#5. Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner
Easy-Off is famous for cleaning up tough messes, and their oven cleaner powers through grease. There’s also a pleasant lemon scent.
As the name implies, Easy-Off makes it easy to get rid of messes. Even the most stubborn burned-on stains fall before its glory.
You can leave the product for just a few minutes. Or, if you’re dealing with a truly stubborn mess, Easy-Off can work overnight to react with caked-on grease.
This one is a go-to if you’re dealing with a particularly dirty oven. If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned it, you probably want Easy-Off. It digs through the grime so you can remove it with minimal scrubbing.
Final Thoughts
If you’re dealing with a situation that looks like it’ll involve endless scrubbing, Easy-Off is by far the best solution. It loosens and lifts even the toughest grease, so cleaning is simple.
Krud Kutter is ideal if you’re a fan of foaming cleaners. It’ll serve you best if you’re just tackling a few problem spots, rather than scouring the entire oven.
Mr. Muscle is another affordable option that powers through grease and dirt. If you’re put off by the lemon scent of Easy-Off, this might be a solution.
For people wanting an all-natural approach to oven cleaning, the Carbona will be for you. All the ingredients are completely biodegradable. However, since there aren’t heavy chemicals, you will need to scrub a little harder.
And for a traditional remedy, baking soda will improve almost all kitchen messes. Just make a paste and let it work its magic.
