What you need
- Rubber gloves
- Baking soda and white vinegar, or an oven cleaner
- A plastic scraper and non-scratch sponge
- Microfibre cloths
- A bin bag or bath for soaking racks
Step 1: Remove the racks
Take out racks and trays and soak them in hot water with washing-up liquid, or in a bag with oven cleaner following the label.
Step 2: Clean the interior
Mix baking soda with a little water into a spreadable paste. Coat the inside of the oven, avoiding heating elements and the fan, and leave it to work. Heavy grease may need an oven cleaner instead.
Step 3: Wipe and rinse
Scrape away loosened grease with a plastic scraper, then wipe with a damp cloth. Spray a little vinegar on any remaining baking soda to lift the residue, then wipe again.
Step 4: Clean the door glass
Apply paste to the inside of the glass, leave it, then wipe clean. Some doors come apart for cleaning between the panes; check your manual before removing anything.
Step 5: Scrub the racks and hob
Scrub the soaked racks, rinse and dry them. Clean the hob with a suitable cleaner for its surface.
Keeping your oven clean
- Wipe spills once the oven has cooled.
- Use a tray under dishes that may bubble over.
- Clean little and often so grease never gets baked on.
Professional oven cleaning
If your oven has years of baked-on grease, a professional clean saves time. Our oven and appliance cleaning is priced per item. Typical job £165 — based on 226 completed jobs in the last 12 months.
Natural or chemical cleaners?
Baking soda and vinegar are cheap, low-odour and fine for regular cleaning. They take longer to work on thick, carbonised grease. Commercial oven cleaners are much stronger and faster, but need gloves, good ventilation and careful use away from seals, fans and heating elements. Whichever you choose, read the label and never mix products.
Cleaning an oven with a self-cleaning setting
Some ovens have pyrolytic or catalytic cleaning. Pyrolytic ovens heat to burn residue to ash, which you then wipe away. Catalytic liners absorb grease and should not be scrubbed or sprayed with oven cleaner. Check your manual before cleaning so you do not damage the liners.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting on a warm oven. Cleaners dry out too fast on hot enamel and can burn skin. Wait until it is fully cool.
- Spraying the fan or elements. Chemicals left on the fan cover or elements smoke the next time you cook. Keep product to the enamel and wipe the fan cover by hand.
- Using wire wool or metal scrapers. They scratch enamel and glass, and scratches hold grease. Use a plastic scraper and a non-scratch pad.
- Not rinsing properly. Residue of baking soda or cleaner leaves a white film and a smell. Wipe with clean water at least twice.
- Forgetting the seal and hinges. Grease collects around the door seal and hinges. Wipe them gently with warm soapy water.
Oven cleaning when you move out
Landlords and letting agents often check the oven closely at checkout, because baked-on grease is easy to spot and slow to remove. Clean it a day or two before the inspection, run it briefly to make sure no smell remains, and leave the racks and trays back in place. If you are booking an end of tenancy clean, add oven cleaning at the same time so the whole kitchen is finished in one visit.