I absolutely hate cleaning my oven.   I think part of the reason is that I always wait so long between cleanings that it becomes a real chore.  The other reason is that I hate using stinky, toxic chemicals to clean it.

So I’ve come up with a homemade oven cleaner that does a good job without all the harsh smells and chemicals.

So first, I thought I should show you some pictures of my dirty oven.

I may have mentioned that I don’t like cleaning my oven.  My primary motivation for cleaning it is when burned on food in the oven starts to make it smell bad.  I don’t like the smell of things burning.

And now on to the tutorial…

Homemade Oven Cleaner

This oven cleaner recipe is easy to make with ingredients you have in your pantry.

Ingredients:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, if you prefer)
• Water
• Dish soap (optional)
• Cleaning rags or towels

Directions:

Start with a cool oven.  Clean out all the big chunks of burnt food stuff in the bottom of your oven.  I used a plastic scraper to gently scrape up the stuff that was crusted on and then wiped all of it out.

Next, pull out the oven racks.   Put the oven racks in a clean bathtub (or a big laundry sink) with  hot water, baking soda and vinegar.   If the oven racks are really dirty, you may want to add a couple of drops of dish soup to the mix.  Let the oven racks soak for awhile.

To clean the oven, sprinkle baking soda liberally over the inside of your oven.

Then gently pour the white vinegar over the baking soda.  You could also use a spray bottle filled with vinegar and a bit of water to make it easier to apply.  The vinegar and baking soda will start bubbling.   Let it do its thing.  You can make a paste of baking soda, vinegar and a tiny bit of water to coat the sides and back of your oven.

Let the mixture sit for at least an hour – the longer the better.  Use some of your wait time to scrub down the oven racks and rinse them clean.

Once the oven has sat with the vinegar and baking soda mixture for a while, it’s time to get to work.  Using old cleaning rags, scrubbers or paper towels and some water, begin wiping all the gook out of your oven.  This is the part that will take a little bit of time and effort.  Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies.  If you have some really tough grease, use a bit of dish soap and water. You can also use a crumpled up piece of aluminum foil to do some more aggressive scrubbing.

Keep cleaning until you’re satisfied with the results and wipe all the surfaces with a clean damp cloth. Make sure you get all of the baking soda and vinegar wiped out.  That’s it!

I’m pleased with the results of this simple homemade oven cleaner.  It’s not perfect, but as you can see from the pictures, it’s a BIG improvement.

This homemade oven cleaner is easy to use, and I like it because I don’t have to worry about what chemicals are in my home and it only cost a few pennies to make.