How to Clean an Oven Fast

Even when you love cooking, cleaning the mess after is a hassle. 

The food spillage, grease, burnt particles and the sludge-like remnants after a bash of preparing that wonderful and sumptuous feast.

Eww…

Cleaning dirty ovens and heating elements are still an age-old problem that everyone’s trying to avoid as much as possible.

If you are still wondering how to clean your dirty oven (or what’s the best oven cleaner) after a messy preparation and clean it fast, then you’ve come to the right place. 

Get all the tips and tricks on how to clean an oven fast to save you a lot of time. 

Parts Of The Oven That Needs Cleaning

• Stovetop
• Inside of the oven
• Oven shelves
• Racks
• Door
• knobs

Most people only clean two parts of the oven: the stovetop and the inside of the oven.

But there are also other parts that you need to check for food spillage like the door, the knob, the racks, and the shelves. 

These parts often get neglected. But cleaning needs to extend to them as they often get tangled up with residues of your cooking.

Stovetop, Doors, And Knobs

Use The Crown Choice Multi Cleanser and The Crown Choice non-scratch Scouring Dishcloth to wipe grease, grime and food particles. This is non-abrasive to the stovetop finish.

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Then use a damp cloth to remove remaining residues of the solution. 

Electrocution warning: For knobs, make sure not to let water get directly behind the knob to prevent shorts. 

You can simply spray the solution on a cloth and wipe the knobs. Gently clean it with a damp, clean cloth after.

A natural all purpose spray is also good to clean these areas.

For doors, most are made of glass so skip abrasive cleaning solutions. Use gentle cleaners to prevent scratches and keep it looking shiny.

Oven Racks And Tray

You can use dish detergent and hot water to soak the racks. Leave it for around 10-15 minutes then clean it with a soft-bristled brush or scouring dishcloth. 

You can also place this in a dishwasher. Heat from the dishwasher softens burnt parts and can easily remove the remaining food particles. 

Inside Oven And Shelves

Use a mixture of baking soda and water to make a paste (simply sprinkle baking soda in some water) and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Wipe it and then clean with a damp cloth to remove the remaining residues.

Again, Bar Keepers Friend does an amazing job with this.

How Often Do You Need To Clean Your Oven?

Dr. Philip Tierno Jr., NYU’s topmost clinical professor on Microbiology and Pathology says you should clean your dirty oven after each use.

You may not see any spills but if your oven is neglected over time, it becomes a breeding ground for microbes and bacteria.

Consequently, your food spoils over a short period and any spillage can be difficult to remove over time.

Also, there are days when you don’t clean your oven basically because you are not using it.

So if you are not baking or grilling, how often do you need to clean the inside of the oven or its shelves? 

Cleaning aficionados like CleanMama suggest cleaning it every 3 months, even if you are not using it. 

But remember if something smells burnt or smoked while using the stovetop, then you need to clean it as often as you use it. 

How To Clean A Non-Self Cleaning Oven

Heard of self-cleaning ovens? Well, they are a thing.

Self-cleaning oven heats up to a certain degree to incinerate whatever food is left inside. Then you can simply wipe it off with a damp dishcloth to remove the ashes and leave your oven sparkling. 

It takes around 3-5 hours. If you’re not in a rush this might be for you. But most of the time, it’s not used much as you have to sit around and wait because you shouldn’t leave your home while the oven is on.

What if your oven is non-self cleaning?

You DO have alternatives. 

You can DIY a cleaning solution to get rid of the residues or you can simply get an oven-cleaning solution from stores.

The process doesn’t take long as self-cleaning ovens. You just need to let the degreaser or any solution you use to sit for 15-20 minutes. 

How To Create A DIY Solution To Clean Dirty Ovens

Instead of using a commercial oven cleaner or a chemical cleaner, opt for a DIY solution instead. For a DIY natural oven cleaner, you need the following:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Hot water
• Dish Detergent

Guide A

Step 1: Combine the baking soda and water to make a cleaning paste.
Step 2: Apply the paste liberally over the parts where there are food particles (i.e., dirty oven racks, oven door glass, oven floor, walls, etc.). 
Step 3: Wait for about 15-20 minutes
Step 4: Wipe the parts where you put the cleaning paste.
Step 5: Use a clean, damp washcloth to further clean the residues of the paste.
Step 6: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry.

Guide B

Step 1: Combine the baking soda and water to make a paste.
Step 2: Apply the paste liberally over the parts where there are food particles.
Step 3: Spray vinegar on top of the paste.
Step 4: Let it bubble and set for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Use a non-abrasive dishcloth to clean the surface.
Step 6: Follow up with a clean, damp cloth or damp sponge to further clean the surface
Step 7: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry.

Guide C

This guide is for removables like shelves, trays or oven racks.

Step 1: Mix dish detergent with hot water. 
Step 2: Soak racks on the mixture for about 15-20 minutes. For tougher stains, you may have to let it sit overnight.
Step 3: Rinse with clean water then you can leave it to dry or wipe with dry cloth to remove excess water and leave your oven clean. 

How To Clean Greasy Ovens

Grease is common when you are cooking and baking. Luckily, you can clean them off easily with homemade or store-bought solutions. 

These are quick solutions and the best way to clean greasy oven in no time. Follow the guide below for the step-by-step process:

This is how to clean grease out of oven without scratching.

Guide A

Step 1: Run a damp rag over the greasy area.
Step 2: Pour baking soda and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Clean it with water using a damp, clean cloth.
Step 4: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry.

Guide B

Step 1: On a spray bottle, mix 1 part lemon juice and 1 part vinegar.
Step 2: Spray the mixture over the grease.
Step 3: Leave it for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Scrub with damp cloth to clean. 
Step 5: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry.

Guide C

Step 1: Pour coca-cola on burnt-on grease.
Step 2: Leave on for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Scrub with scouring dishcloth or soft-bristled brush.
Step 4: Wipe it with clean, damp cloth to remove remaining solutions.
Step 5: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry.

How To Clean Burnt Oven Bottom

Cleaning burnt oven bottoms are oftentimes the hardest to clean because of the mixture of liquid residues coupled with food particles that hardens because of the heat. 

You can either use homemade remedies or store-bought solutions like The Crown choice Multicleanser.

Your home cleaning solutions may not work as fast as some process could take a day, but these are simply quite effective.

This is how to clean greasy oven and keep it sanitized.

Guide A

Step 1: Wipe any pieces of food on the oven bottom
Step 2: Combine one-half cup of baking soda with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to make a paste
Step 3: Spread the paste all over the burnt oven bottom. 
Step 4: Leave it on for a day
Step 5: After sitting for a day, clean it with a brush or scouring cloth.
Step 6: Clean further with water using a damp cloth to remove remaining residues.
Step 7: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry

Guide B

Step 1: Get two lemons and and cut them into half.
Step 2: Squeeze the juice in an oven-safe bowl.
Step 3: Add the lemon peels, then fill the bowl with water at about one-third of the way.
Step 4: Place the bowl on the rack at the center of the oven. 
Step 5: Bake it for about 30 minutes and let the vapor from the lemon juice and water seep through the burnt particles inside the oven. This will soften it and make it easier to remove. 
Step 6: Let it cool down then remove the rack.
Step 7: Wipe the oven bottom to remove the burnt particles and other residues.
Step 8: Use dry cloth to wipe excess water or air dry.

Guide C

If your oven is totally covered in dirt and hard-to-remove burnt food particles, then using store bought cleaners is probably the most effective method. 

Use The Crown Choice Kitchen Cleaner Spray with The Crown Choice Scouring Dishcloth. It will keep your oven clean and looking like new with its non-abrasive properties.

Follow the guide below if you are using any store-bought cleaners.

Step 1: Read the instructions. Store-bought cleaners have mixing guides. Whether it is powder-based or liquid, it will give you the exact measurement.
Step 2: Use a damp cloth and wipe the burnt area or if you are using a spray bottle, spray on the affected area.
Step 3: Check how long it needs to soak on package instruction.
Step 4: Clean the burnt area thoroughly with clean, damp cloth.
Step 5: Wipe it off with a dry cloth or let it air dry.

Warning:  Avoid getting the solution on the heating parts of the oven. The heating elements can cause fumes that can alter the taste of your food. 

How To Clean An Oven Fast

Now that you know how to clean an oven fast, you’ll have more free time to do other things in your home.

Try these guides along with The Crown Choice non scratch scouring dish cloth and you’ll be done in no time.