You may be cooking bubbly, cheesy lasagna and when you peek in to check on it you see it has begun to bubble over, spilling to the bottom of your oven. You watch, helplessly, unable to do anything about that food sizzling on the bottom of your oven until it cools off completely. An oven is a wonderful appliance that allows you to conveniently cook meals in your home but, like every appliance, requires routine cleaning and maintenance to keep it safe and in working order.
If you have chosen to purchase a home warranty, then you have the peace of mind because you know that should an appliance like an oven stop working the home maintenance company will promptly send out a repairman. But, you can also avoid problems by simply regularly cleaning and maintaining your home appliances. As with any appliance, it is always wise to thoroughly read the instruction manual. When cleaning your oven, you will first want to determine what type of oven you have.
Do you have an electric oven, gas oven, self-cleaning electric oven, or continuous-cleaning oven? If you have a self-cleaning oven, you will want to open your windows and ventilate as much as possible. A self cleaning oven cycle operates at 850-900 degrees Fahrenheit and basically incinerates any food or grease inside. It is effective but causes a lot of smoke and has an unpleasant smell. You should remove oven racks before turning the self-cleaning cycle on.
For non-self-cleaning ovens, you will want to first try to wipe any spills and food up once the oven has completely cooled. Remove the oven racks and try to soak them in a sink, basin or tub full of warm water and a few drops of dish soap. You can use an oven cleaner product while wearing gloves and scrub down the inside of the oven with a scrub brush.
There are also some homemade cleaning solutions using baking soda or ammonia that can be used and are free of harsh chemicals. If you have a continuous cleaning oven, or textured oven, the porcelain layer on the interior of the oven burn food off over time and only need to be wiped down on the inside every now and then. The easiest way to avoid major cleaning is to prevent big spills. You can place a casserole dish on a larger sheet pan to catch any spills. You could also put aluminum foil on the lower rack to catch any droppings.
Even with our best efforts, spills can still happen but with these simple tips you can keep your oven clean and properly functioning.