How To Clean An Oven Quickly - 5 Min Cleaning Guide

Oven Cleaning The Easy Way Posted

Oven cleaning is one of those jobs around the home everyone hates doing. Thanks to modern technology, many ovens are 'self-cleaning', but even that has its drawbacks.

We'd all rather be baking than cleaning our oven. Invariably though, the odd drip, spill or overflow finds its way onto your oven racks or stuck to the interior of your oven. But it isn't that difficult to keep your oven sparkling clean naturally, using a few household cleaning items you'll probably find in your kitchen.

So what is the best and safest way to clean your oven without resorting to nasty spray cans of caustic oven cleaner? These tips and tricks will give your oven a safe, non-toxic, clean inside and out and mean less 'deep cleans' to save you more time in the kitchen.

The critical thing to remember about your oven is regular light cleaning is a must. And always make sure any of those drips or spills are cleaned up straight away. The more they get baked on, the more difficult they are to remove down the track.

The natural way to clean an oven

The simplest and most natural way to clean your oven is using the oven itself to help you.

Step 1
Place a pan of water in the oven. Turn the oven up to 100°C for at least 15 minutes.

Step 2
When the water has cooled, add some dishwashing soap to the pan of water and mix well. 

Step 3
Take a non-scratch scourer and scrub the loosened-up grime, and wipe down the entire oven interior.

Euroscrubby Multi Scrubbies will cut through the grime in your oven and are safe to use on most surfaces. You'll find them at Minimax.

Removing baked on oven grime

Occasionally you might find baked-on stains and black spots in the oven that are difficult to remove - Baking soda and vinegar to the rescue.

Step 1
If there's baked-on food stuck to the bottom of the oven, simply sprinkle it with baking soda.

Step 2
If there's baked-on food stuck to the sides of the oven, mix baking soda with water to form a paste. Paint that onto the problem areas.

Step 3
Spray the baking soda with white vinegar. You'll see it foam as it works to dislodge the stains. For best results, leave overnight.

Step 4
Wipe clean with a warm, wet rag.

Rag Recommendation: Full Circle Super Absorbent Cleaning Cloths are some of the best we’ve used. Which is great because they can be reused again and again. Featuring 95% post-production recycled fibres, they’re great for the environment too.

Cleaning oven glass

The glass in your oven door can end up just as stained as the other parts of your oven. How you get it clean depends on how dirty it is in the first place.

Here are two ways to get it as clean as new.

For a regular clean

Step 1
Spray the glass with a regular household cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes.

Step 2
Take a single-edged razor blade or window scraper and scrape off the food and burn marks.


Cleaner Choices: Planet Luxe Australian Lemon Myrtle Blend House Cleaner is the ideal choice for glass, as it doesn't contain any harsh solvents.

For a deeper clean

Step 1
Mix up baking soda and water into a thin paste.

Step 2
Coat the glass with the baking soda paste and let sit overnight.

Step 3
Wipe clean with a warm, wet rag.

Cleaning oven racks

Oven racks are a little more fiddly, but if you let the water do most of the work, it’ll be over in a flash. Baking soda is again your cleaning friend for a heavy-duty job, especially when baked-on grease and food are difficult to remove. 

For a regular clean

Step 1
Remove your oven racks and place them in hot soapy water in your sink, bath or laundry tub - it depends on how big they are. Just remember to protect the inside of your bath with a towel to prevent scratches. 

Step 2
Scrub the racks with a brush of abrasive scourer and rinse them clean.

For a deeper clean

Step 1
Place the racks in a large bucket or plastic container and spray water lightly on them. 

Step 2
Sprinkle baking soda on the racks, spray vinegar, and let them foam. 

Step 3
After the foaming has finished, fill the container with water and let them soak overnight. 

Step 4
Rinse the racks clean and wipe them dry.

Cleaning the outside of your oven

Keeping your oven clean will be a breeze if you clean up as you go. That goes for the exterior too. Always try to wipe spills and other marks as they happen. A simple task that can be handled with nothing more than a damp cloth.

For a deeper clean, an all-purpose surface cleaner is fine. However, stainless steel ovens need to be cleaned with a little more care. Because they’re prone to fingerprints and stains, you’ll need to use a microfiber cloth. You can also use a little machine oil on a rag and wipe that for a brilliant clean. But don't use cooking oils as they can become mouldy. And, while we shouldn’t have to tell you this, never, and we mean never, clean with a machine oil while the oven is on since machine oils are flammable.

Also, don’t use abrasive cleaners and cleaning cloths unless you want a bunch of scratches on your stainless steel oven. 

Terrific Towels: Planet Luxe Plush Black Microfibre Cloths from Minimax will have your oven looking beautiful and scratch-free.

Self-cleaning ovens

Self-cleaning ovens use very high temperatures to literally vaporise the grime off the interior of your oven. The downside of cleaning this way is that they can produce dangerous and even toxic fumes with an unpleasant burning odour. The smell comes from the burnt food and enamel or stainless steel lining that obviously then circulates in your kitchen during the cleaning process.

If you use the self-cleaning feature in your oven, follow the manufacturer's instructions and try to remove as much of the spills and grime as possible before cleaning. And always ventilate your kitchen well before beginning the self-cleaning process.

Upgrade your oven with Minimax

While we don’t sell full-sized ovens, we sell everything that goes inside. Find everything you need for your oven today from some of Europe’s top brands. Whether you’re roasting potatoes, cooking in casseroles and stockpots, or a homemade pizza, Minimax has you covered with a range of cookware accessories and more. Shop with us today.