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Whether you use a big oven or a small one, you cook a lot or you use it on occasion - all ovens eventually get grime and fat stuck to the bottom, sides and door. These stains can be incredibly hard to get rid of, even with the variety of chemical solutions we have. But there ARE faster and easier ways to clean an oven than just scrubbing hard enough. Here is some excellent advice to clean your oven! Tip: Remember to use gloves in whatever you do; protect those hands! |
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First, use protective measures: Baking paper or tin foil.
The first step of keeping an oven clean over time is in taking precautions. For instance, put casseroles on baking paper while you cook them to keep any liquids from reaching the oven. Also, you should put a tray wrapped in tin foil at the bottom place of the oven, so whatever makes it past the paper will end up there and won't have to be scraped later on.
Strike the iron while it's still hot - with salt.
Next time you witness a spill in your oven, don't just watch it and mumble to yourselves that you'll clean it later, but spread a little salt on the still liquid stain. When the oven cools, you'll be able to wipe off the stain with a cloth (without any left behind). By the way, this trick works well for a stove as well.
Let steam do your dirty work
Before you roll up your sleeves and get to work rubbing at those stubborn stains, put a heat-proof bowl filled with water in the oven, and put it on high heat for about 30 minutes. The steam will soften the fat and dirt and will make removing them that much easier.
The secret to fighting stubborn stains
Drinking soda is a user-friendly way to clean fat and dirt stains. How does it work? Spread a generous layer of drinking soda on the stain (at the bottom of the oven) and cover with a damp cloth for a few hours. Then use a vacuum cleaner to suck away the soda (be sure to empty the vacuum cleaner immediately after) and wash the area well with cloth and water.
Use the glass scraper
Instead of scrubbing and scrubbing at the hard stains at the bottom of the oven and on its door. Use a glass scraper, and gently use with some hot water to scrape off the stains you thought you wouldn't be able to get rid of. You can get a glass scraper in most home improvement shops etc.
The oven is clean? Now it's time for the shelves and trays!
The simplest and most effective way to do these is just to put them in the dish washer and let it take care of the hard stains with hot rinsing. If you don't have one, just soak them in vinegar over night and then wash them.
And as a finale, introduce a good smell to your oven with a lemon!
If your oven has a bad odor, even after being cleaned, it's time to refresh it. Squeeze two lemons worth of juice, and put it in a heat-resistant bowl. Add some water. Throw in what's left of the 2 lemons as well, and put the oven on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Believe you us, not only will a lemony, refreshing smell spread through the kitchen, but the process also helps in getting rid of more stubborn stains.
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Image courtesy of: Stockimages / freedigitalphotos.net
