How to Clean an Oven Without a Self-Clean Setting
With these expert tips, it’s easier than you think
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If you’re staring down a dirty oven, running the self-cleaning cycle might seem like a no-brainer. In the best ranges, there really isn’t anything quite like it, which locks the oven door shut and blasts temperatures in excess of 800° F, converting years of baked-on grime into fine ash in a matter of hours.
But there are plenty of ranges, including some newer models, that lack a self-clean cycle. And even if your range has one, there’s often some degree of distrust about it. The internet is filled with horror stories of ovens breaking down after running the self-clean cycle. While door latches, electrical components, and bake or broil elements can certainly malfunction, we’ve found that it’s actually pretty rare, occurring in less than 1 percent of the ranges, according to CR’s member surveys.
How Consumer Reports Tests Oven Self-Clean Cycles
Our lab technicians blend a proprietary mixture of foods, forming a disgusting slurry of things that should never be found together, including lard, tapioca, and cherry pie filling, to name a few. We paint this mixture (colloquially referred to as “the mash” at CR) on the surfaces of every oven cavity we test. Then we bake the mixture at high temperatures to simulate years of oven spills and splatter before running the self-clean cycle. “The best-scoring models end up with completely clean ovens. The worst barely make a dent in the grime,” says Tara Casaregola, CR’s project leader for ranges.
The Best Way to Deep-Clean an Oven That Doesn't Self-Clean
The best way to keep your oven looking good is to not let messes build up in the first place. And a clean oven will also help you avoid excess smoking, accidental flavor transfer, and the poor performance that can happen when the crud is so bad that it affects temperature management. So scrub your oven with a sponge and water mixed with mild dishwashing liquid at least once a month and definitely after cooking fatty meats or a spill. You can also use a scouring pad and soapy water for stickier messes.
If you find that your oven needs a deeper clean, use ammonia, and follow these steps:
- Make sure there’s no residual bleach from a recent cleaning on either the oven or any of the surfaces the ammonia might touch (such as a kitchen sink). The combination results in dangerous chloramine fumes.
- Crack open a window. Wearing chemical-safe gloves, pour a half-cup of household ammonia (5 to 10 percent concentration) into a bowl. (Use a glass or ceramic one as opposed to aluminum or cast iron, which can react with ammonia. Stainless steel is technically safe to use, but ammonia can damage the glossy finish.)
- With the oven cool, place the bowl of ammonia on the bottom rack or the bottom of the oven if you’ve removed the racks. Allow it to sit for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. The fumes from the ammonia will work to loosen baked-on grime. Keep the windows cracked overnight to allow any fumes to escape. It’s also a good idea to alert family members by placing a “cleaning in progress” sign on the oven door, warning them not to use the appliance.
- Wearing the same gloves (assuming they’re still clean), remove the ammonia from the oven and flush it down the sink with the water running to dilute it and protect pipes or a septic system. Keep your oven door cracked, and allow the residual fumes to dissipate for about an hour with the windows still open.
- Wearing a protective face mask (such as an R95 mask or other odor-blocking respirator mask) and chemical-safe gloves, scrub the inside of your oven, working from top to bottom using a wet sponge and dish soap. Follow package directions for diluting soap in water, or if none is listed, start with 2 fluid ounces of dish soap in a gallon of water. For stubborn stains, try using an abrasive scouring pad; you can use special scratch-free glass scouring pads on the glass of the oven door. Thoroughly wipe down the oven with a wet, soapy sponge before cooking. If you smell any residual ammonia, clean it once more with soapy water, then finish with water and paper towels or cleaning rags to get rid of any soapy residue. The oven is safe to use when it’s dry and there’s no lingering odor. Throw out the sponge and gloves.
When to Consider a Commercial Oven Cleaner
For anything that won’t come off with a light scrubbing or the ammonia method above, consider a commercial oven cleaner such as Easy-Off, Goo Gone, or Method, Casaregola says. The cleaners can be very harsh, causing burns on your skin. And if you breathe in excessive fumes, they can lead to damage to your respiratory system. For that reason, it’s important that you follow package directions closely and avoid direct contact with the products by wearing rubber gloves, a face mask, and goggles. Poison-control centers also advise people to open windows and doors to promote circulation, because these cleaners can cause respiratory irritation.
To clean oven racks, look for dedicated products from brands like Carbona and Oven Pride. These cleaners include a large plastic bag in which you soak the racks for several hours. The bag helps ensure constant contact between the cleaner and the racks for more effective cleaning.
Best Self-Cleaning Ranges
If you find yourself in the market for a new range and want to avoid cleaning the oven manually, the options below are all stellar performers in our tests, and each earns the top rating of Excellent in our self-cleaning test, too.
