I’ve created a simple guide to cleaning your oven the non-toxic way, so you can avoid using commercial oven cleaners. Have you ever looked into the ingredients in some commercial oven cleaners?
A few of the common and worst offenders, found to be detrimental to our health and the health of the environment include:
〉Sodium Hydroxide
〉Potassium Hydroxide
〉Butoxyethanol
〉Ethanolamine
〉Fragrance
〉Butane . . . and the list goes on.
It can be hard to even find complete ingredients listings on packaging (Australian law doesn’t enforce it), or online.
I believe this needs to change, and I’d love for you to sign my petition.
I respect companies that are transparent and list all ingredients on packaging (even if sometimes there are a few less than desirable ones). It shows us they have nothing to hide, allowing consumers to make educated choices.
So, let’s clean our ovens with a few simple ingredients and, wait for it… elbow grease!! Come on – don’t be lazy 😉
Steps to Clean Your Oven the Non-Toxic Way
Step 1: Find a time to clean your oven when you can afford to have it out of action for around 6-8 hours.
Step 2: Remove oven racks and pop them into your laundry sink (or the bath tub). First sprinkle ½ cup of sodium bicarbonate over racks, then pour ½ cup of white vinegar over the top (the fizzing reaction helps to soften build-up). Cover with boiling water, and leave them overnight (we’ll get to them later).
Step 3: Heat oven first for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius then switch off, or wait until you have used it and it is hot (save on your energy bill this way).
Step 4: Add 1 litre of boiling water, 2 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate and one lemon (halved, squished and squeezed) into an ovenproof dish. Make sure oven is off.
Step 5: Place dish on floor of oven, then shut the door for at least an hour. The steam will help to soften any build-up.
Step 6: Wipe down walls and door with a cleaning cloth (you may need to use a scouring sponge if you cook roasts and fatty meats often), rinsing well between wipes in a bucket or sink of hot water.
Step 7: If you find your oven needs more work, you could repeat these steps. Another option would be to smear the interior of your oven with the Cleaning Paste (page 173), leave it overnight, and spray with white vinegar before wiping and rinsing.
Step 8: Don’t forget the racks! After they’ve had a good soaking overnight, attack them with a scouring sponge or a scrubbing brush. It shouldn’t take long for them to sparkle again.
It’s important you wipe down your oven thoroughly before using it – the smell of burning bicarb isn’t very appealing, trust me. The best advice I have when it comes to cleaning your oven is to stay on top of it rather than try to deal with months of build-up.
3 Comments
At last I can breathe while cleaning the oven! No more fumes for me?. So much better using things that I keep in the pantry and smell so good?
Hi Krissy, attempting my very first soap which I ordered through Blooming Mandala. I was wondering if you also had any recipe for cleaning the inside of a washing machine?
Live your work and thank you!
Hi Srij, I would just run a hot wash with a cup of borax or sodium percarbonate. Don’t underestimate the power of a good ‘pull apart and scrub’ though!