Hidden Springs Homestead may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking links on this page. Learn More.
Would you like to know how to clean an oven naturally? Let’s be honest. Do you enjoy cleaning the oven? I don’t!
Since we are friends and friends are honest with each other, I’ll tell ya this…embarrassingly. I have lived in this house for 5 years and have never cleaned the oven. There, I said it. It’s true!
I despise needing to put on a gas mask to clean anything. Using harsh chemicals, of any sort, in any room of the house is not on my agenda. And I especially don’t like using them around my food! So harsh cleaning chemicals are off limits in our kitchen for sure!
Due to this, my oven is one of the last places to ever be cleaned. And with the holidays coming up, I decided it needed to be done!
When it gets to the point that I can’t turn on the oven without being forced to open the windows, due to smoke, it’s time to finally clean it. The family joke is when the smoke alarm goes off – “dinner is ready.” It’s just all in good fun, …sometimes.
My oven has a self cleaning program, but in the 20+ years that I have owned it, I have used it only one time and told myself never again. The chemical smell was over powering and the house heated up like a furnace.
Another alternative is the buy caustic oven cleaner from the market. Again, put on the gas mask so you can breathe. The way I see it, if I have to gasp for breathe when using these items, then they’re not safe to be used. Do you agree?
But finally, I figured it out. How to clean an oven naturally using baking soda, vinegar and water. This is a completely safe all natural way to clean an oven. It does take some time and a bit of effort, but the results are well worth it.
A word of advice though, make sure you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from getting all black and nasty. Take my advice please!
These are the Best Rubber Gloves Ever Made!
Before we start cleaning the oven, I need to tell you about the rubber gloves I choose to use. I know, I know, you say all rubber gloves are the same. But truthfully they are not.
Don’t laugh at me, but I swore off those pretty rubber Platex gloves, found in the clean section, a long time ago. They never fit my hand correctly and I had a hard time working in them as a result. My husband introduced to me these Ammex Nitrile Gloves. They are thick, fit your hands really well and can be reused. Yep, reused.
Whatever I’m work in, if they don’t get too worn or nasty, I will wash my hands with them on and then take them off to dry and reuse them again. The box comes with 100 in the pack and if one gets torn, toss it out and put on another. They are ambidextrous so you don’t end up tossing out the pair if one rips.
I just keep a box on the shelf and snatch them out when needed. Ok, so lets clean the oven now…
How to Clean An Oven Naturally
Supplies Needed:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 2-4 tbsp water
- a small mixing bowl
- spray bottle
- white vinegar
Instructions:
Remove oven racks and any other items you keep in the oven. I keep my iron skillets or pizza stones in the oven all the time. This saves me storage space in the cabinets.
In a small mixing bowl, pour in 1 cup of baking soda and add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Stir each time – to make a thick paste.
Wearing rubber gloves, put a thick coat of paste over the entire oven area. (Note – do your best to keep it off the heating element).
Then close oven door and allow to sit overnight.
In the meantime, clean oven racks.
Next day or at least 12-14 hours later. Using a damp cloth, wipe off excess baking soda mixture. Warning! If yours is like mine, don’t forget your gloves!
Fill a spray bottle with pure white vinegar and working in sections, spray inside oven – wiping with clean cloth. The Baking Soda will react with the vinegar and make a foam. This helps to loosen the stuck on or baked on gunk.
If you have some really tough gunk spots, apply more baking soda and vinegar directly on it. If this still doesn’t work, I will use a scouring pad like this one and get those really tough spot.
After a good wipe down with vinegar, go back over entire oven with a clean damp cloth to remove any last remnants of baking soda or gunk.
The results are so worth it.
By the way, if you enjoy using all-natural cleaning products in your home, take a look at my Homemade Citrus Cleaner. It is my “go to” cleaner for counter tops, sinks, stove top and more in the house.
Hey and if you have animals in the house, it is great for cleaning up their accidents. The citrus/vinegar solution kills the bacteria that cause the odor so your house stays fresh.
Connect with Hidden Springs Homestead!
Be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post!
Dianne Hadorn is the owner of Hidden Springs Homestead nestled in the hills of East Tennessee. She is a Master Gardener and enjoys helping others learn how to grow and preserve their own food and sharing tips for living a more self-sufficient lifestyle.
I see Amazon is out of the nitrile gloves. Any suggestions as to who else supplies them?
Hi Toni,
Goodness, so many things are in short supply. If you shop locally in your area – we are still finding them in smaller boxes at the parts stores. Mechanics use them for keeping grease off their hands. My husband just bought 4 boxes with 30 pairs in each from Advance Auto.
Do you use the same mixture to clean the racks?
Hi Elaine,
Yes, I do. I use the same mixture on the whole thing. I don’t let it get on the burners though. Do your best to keep it off them.
I’m guilty of not cleaning my oven for years also! Another problem with the self cleaning oven feature is that it can kill pet birds in the house. The fumes are toxic to them, so I can only imagine what it does to us!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness Lisa. I had no idea it was toxic to birds. My friend has birds, I’ll be sure to make sure she knows. Thank you for letting me know. And no, I’ll never use the self-cleaning again. Not taking chances.