How to clean an oven and oven racks, step by step
A safe, low-cost way to clean an oven, its glass door and the racks at home, what to avoid, and when baked-on carbon is worth handing to a professional.
Most ovens can be cleaned at home with bicarbonate of soda, water and time: spread a paste inside, leave it overnight, then wipe it out. Racks are easier to soak than to scrub. The method below is cheap and avoids harsh fumes. It works best on grease and light build-up. Thick, black, baked-on carbon that survives two rounds is where a professional clean starts to make sense.
What do you need to clean an oven?
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Water and a small bowl
- White vinegar in a spray bottle
- A spatula or plastic scraper
- Non-scratch scouring pads and a few microfibre cloths
- Rubber gloves
- Old towels, if you will be soaking the racks in the bath
What should you check before you start?
- Switch the oven off at the wall and let it cool completely. Never apply anything to a warm surface.
- Read the manual. Self-cleaning (pyrolytic) and catalytic ovens have rules of their own. Catalytic liners in particular are usually damaged by sprays and scrubbing, so check before using anything on them.
- Open a window. Even gentle cleaners are unpleasant in a closed kitchen.
- Take out the racks, trays and any removable shelf supports. You will clean these separately.
- Do not mix cleaning products. Use the bicarbonate paste, then the vinegar, as separate steps and wipe in between. Never combine shop-bought cleaners with each other.
How do you clean the inside of an oven?
- Make a paste. Mix about three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda with a little water until it spreads like thick cream.
- Spread it inside. Coat the base, walls, roof and the inside of the door. Keep it off the heating elements, the fan and any rubber seals.
- Leave it. Overnight is best, and at least a few hours. The paste loosens grease while you do nothing.
- Scrape and wipe. Use a plastic spatula for the heavier patches and a damp cloth for the rest. Do not use a metal scraper on enamel or glass.
- Spray with vinegar. Spray any white residue and it will fizz. Wipe again with a clean damp cloth.
- Rinse by wiping. Go over every surface with a fresh damp cloth until nothing is left, because residue can smoke or smell the next time the oven is on.
- Dry and refit. Leave the door open for a while, then put the shelf supports and racks back.
How do you clean oven racks?
Racks are the part most people dread, and soaking does most of the work.
- Line the bath or a large sink with an old towel so the racks do not mark the surface.
- Fill it with hot water and add a dishwasher tablet, or a scoop of biological washing powder.
- Lay the racks and trays in the water so they are fully covered and leave them for several hours or overnight.
- Scrub with a non-scratch pad. Most of the baked-on grease should lift off easily by now.
- Rinse well and dry them before they go back in.
Some racks have a coating that should not be soaked in strong solutions. If yours are coated, check the manual first.
How do you clean the oven door glass?
Use the same bicarbonate paste on the inside of the glass, leave it, then wipe it off with a damp cloth and finish with vinegar. The space between the panes of glass is a different problem. Many doors can be unscrewed or unhooked so the inner panels can be cleaned. Check the manual before taking a door apart, and do not force anything.
What should you avoid?
- Metal scourers and abrasive powders on glass or enamel. They scratch and make the next clean harder.
- Spray-on oven cleaners in a catalytic oven. Check the manual first.
- Strong chemical cleaners without ventilation. The fumes are the main hazard.
- Switching the oven on with cleaner still inside. Wipe everything out first.
- Soaking anything the manual says should not get wet, such as fan housings or electrical parts.
Is it worth getting your oven professionally cleaned?
Sometimes. Home cleaning is a good first step for grease and everyday build-up. A professional clean makes sense when:
- The carbon is thick and black and still there after two rounds of paste.
- You are moving out of a rental. The oven is one of the first things checked, and our end of tenancy checklist covers what else to look at before handing back the keys.
- You cannot remove the door or the fan cover to reach the awkward places.
- You would rather spend the weekend on something else.
If you are in Brighton or Hove, our oven cleaning page explains what is included and how to ask for a quote. For an idea of what affects the price, read how much oven cleaning costs.
How often should you clean an oven?
There is no fixed rule. A quick wipe after spills while the oven is cool stops build-up from baking on, and a proper clean every few months keeps it from turning into a bigger job. If the oven smokes when you use it, or food tastes of old grease, it is overdue.