How to Self Clean Your Oven in 5 Easy Steps

Self-cleaning ovens should be easy to clean, right? Sometimes they're not. Learn how to self-clean your oven safely.

Cleaning your oven is a crucial aspect of kitchen upkeep. A clean oven looks fabulous and keeps smoke and burning odors out of your house and away from your meals.

While you have to clean some ovens manually, others have a self-cleaning feature to save time and energy. For those with a self-cleaning oven, this article explains how to clean it safely in 5 steps.

If you need assistance keeping your oven or other parts of your home clean, consider booking a professional, reasonably priced cleaner with Homeaglow.

How to clean a self-cleaning oven

Self-cleaning ovens contain a pyrolytic layer that enables the oven to function as its cleaner. It allows the oven to reach high temperatures quickly and burns off any caked-on food residue, making cleanup afterward simple. What you'll need and how to clean a self-cleaning oven are listed below.

What you’ll need to clean a self-cleaning oven

  • Baking soda
  • Water 
  • Microfiber towel or clean cotton cloth
  • A soft sponge or fine steel wool pad
  • White vinegar
  • A spray bottle

Steps to clean a self-cleaning oven

Step 1: Read the manufacturer's manual, then ventilate the space

Considering that each appliance is unique. Self-cleaning ovens come with a variety of safety warnings and are constructed from a variety of materials. Reading the oven's manual is a smart place to start. Try searching online for a manual if you don't have one.

Next, open any windows, and run your overhead fan. Depending on the dirtiness of your oven’s interior, you might have some smoke and smell as it gets heated. You don't want the smoke to stick to your walls or other objects within your home. Lastly, keep pets far away from the kitchen.

Step 2: Remove all cookware and clean the oven's interior

Start by emptying the oven of all its contents, including the oven's racks, grid, broiler pan, cookware, bakeware, and any foil or oven liners. 

Use a dampened microfiber towel to hand-clean the inside of the door edge and the region surrounding the inside oven cavity frame. You can use a clean cotton cloth if you don’t have a microfiber cloth at home. Take care not to twist or bend the gasket in these areas, as they do not get enough heat from the self-cleaning process to remove grime. 

Wipe away loose crumbs and grit to decrease smoke and prevent damage, but do not allow water, cleanser, or any other liquid to enter slots on the door frame.

Step 3: Clean any stuck-on food

Cleaning the glass oven door before self-cleaning will help reduce unattractive burned-on residue and black streaks. Next, clean up any food leftovers from the oven's bottom or sides. Use a gentle sponge or a steel wool pad that won't harm the pyrolytic coating of the oven. 

Step 4: Close the door completely and start the self-clean cycle

The door will lock when you initiate the self-cleaning process, making it impossible to open it while running. Be rest assured that it is acting appropriately for your safety. 

During this cycle, the oven will reach temperatures between 800 and 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit turning everything within to greyish-white ash. Once the process is finished and the oven is cooled enough, the door will unlock. 

The self-cleaning process typically takes between 3 to 4 hours. 

When the self-clean process is done, wipe out the ash residue. Wipe the oven from top to bottom with a moist microfiber towel. Your oven is now ready to use. Reinstall the oven racks and the drawer underneath.

Step 5: Clean the glass panel

You'll need to put in a little extra work if the glass panel on the interior of your oven door is still dirty after the self-cleaning cycle.

  • Mix ½ cup baking soda with three tablespoons of water to make a thin paste. 
  • Apply this paste to the glass panel and set it for 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Spray white vinegar over the paste before wiping it away with a moist towel. 

Baking soda and vinegar are magical cleaning agents in every kitchen with various applications, such as cleaning glass stovetops, electric stovetops, or smelly and blocked sink drains. In addition, they aid in removing any accumulation, grease, or marks still present on the oven door. Just be aware that vigorous scrubbing can wear away painted markings on your oven glass door. 

How to self clean a Frigidaire oven

Follow these easy steps to self-clean your Frigidaire oven:

  • First, take the oven racks out.
  • Clean out any noticeable food chunks
  • Open all windows and turn on the exhaust fan.
  • Switch the oven's control to clean.
  • Choose a cleaning duration and level of cleaning (light, medium, or heavy). Then select “start.”

How to self clean a Whirlpool oven

  • Remove everything from the oven, including the racks and stored pans.
  • Use a sponge or soapy steel wool pad and mild dish detergent to wash the oven door and front frame.
  • Clean any obvious debris or spills.
  • Open all windows or use the exhaust fan over the stove to ventilate the space.
  • Click the "Auto Clean" or "Precise Clean" button, depending on the Whirlpool oven model.
  • For Whirlpool models with two ovens, select "1" to clean the upper oven or "2" to clean the bottom oven. You can only clean one oven at once using the self-cleaning feature, and you must wait 12 hours before cleaning the other.
  • Click the "Start" button.
  • Wipe the insides with a dampened towel when the oven completes its self-cleaning cycle.
  • Reinstall the oven racks.

How to self clean a Samsung oven

  • Remove all the oven's components, including the racks and other oven add-ons.
  • Clean up all spills and possible debris. Use self clean to remove any leftovers you cannot clear on your own.
  • Open all windows or run the exhaust fan to ventilate the space.
  • Choose “Self Clean,” and then select “Start” to begin the cycle.
  • Use a moist towel to remove leftover ash.
  • Reinstall the oven racks.

How to clean a self-cleaning oven manually

  • Take out the oven's racks.
  • Scrape away food chunks using a rubber spatula. Clean with paper towels or a damp microfiber cloth.
  • Choose a cleaning product to use.
  1. Ammonia
  • Place a basin with equal parts water and ammonia inside the oven. Ensure you turn off the oven. The mixture needs time to evaporate and interact with the oven’s dirt, so leave it overnight. You'll be able to easily clean the oven in the morning once it softens.
  • Open the door gradually the next day.  Run the range hood ventilation fan to get rid of the fumes. Remove the ammonia and let the oven air out.
  • Dip a microfiber cloth in the remaining ammonia mixture and use it to wipe the oven clean. Be sure to wear gloves and eye protection.
  1. Lemon juice
  • In an oven-safe ceramic bowl, combine two tablespoons of lemon juice with 1/2 cup of water.
  • Turn on the oven and place the bowl with the mixture inside. The combination has to be vaporized in the oven, so it should be hot enough to do the trick.
  • After evaporating, turn off the oven and give it some time to cool.
  • Scrub the surface using a soft material, such as a scouring pad. Everything will readily wash clean.
  1. Baking soda and vinegar
  • Combine 1/4 cup of baking soda with equal parts vinegar. Then pour in 3/4 cup of water and stir.
  • Use the resultant paste to coat the greased surfaces. No heat or scrubbing is necessary for this process.
  • Wait for 30 minutes.
  • Wipe clean with a microfiber towel.

How long does it take an oven to self clean

It typically takes 2 to 3 hours for an oven to self-clean. When the cleaning cycle is over, the oven will automatically shut off, but you won't be able to open it until it has cooled.

How to stop a self clean oven

Press the “cancel,” “clear,” or “off” buttons on models with electronic controls. While on versions with mechanical timer controls, move the knob to the correct position to halt the self-clean cycle. Then turn the oven temperature dial away from "clean" and the oven set knob to "off." If the self-clean process does not stop after doing this, turn off the electricity to the oven.

Self-clean your oven with ease

When cleaning your oven, remember to air the space, adhere to any safety measures advised in the manufacturer’s manual, and keep your pets out of the kitchen.

If you’d like some help with keeping your oven and kitchen clean, book a 5-star, reasonably priced cleaner in your area on Homeaglow

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