How clean is your oven? Help!

Instead of using those dangerous products, I put all shelves and removable bits in the bath with some biological washing product and enough hot water to cover. Leave overnight and most of the burnt on grease will have come off or softened enough to use a scourer on. Works every time!

Used Oven Pride before acquiring my pyrolitic oven. The Oven Mate is good and you can spread over the inside too not just into the big plastic bag. Or get a professional in for the first clean. My son was renting out his flat and I and DH were appointed to renovate,paint and clean after the letting agent had been round to assess and advise. After all the work the same agent came back to assess again and accept as a rental. He apparently commented that the new hob and oven were great. Son informed they hadn't been replaced. Agent couldn't believe what son was saying and opened oven to check it out. Asked who had cleaned it all - a very cheap cleaner - my Mum. Does she want a job from Agent? Oven Pride, loads of non scratch pads, and even more sweat!

Me too springychicken! As I’ve got older I seem to have got lazier (wiser?).

When I’m in my “domestic goddess” mode (admittedly not often!) I wipe the still-warm ovens with a damp cloth. Shelves then go on top of the cups in the upper dishwasher tray and when the cycle is finished I remove and wipe the still-warm oven shelves with either a damp cloth or soft scourer to remove the offending remnants. Job done!

Similarly with washing/ironing: all slightly damp items go directly from washing line to dryer. Items are removed individually after 5-10 minutes, hung on a coat hanger, a quick flick to straighten them and hung up to ‘air’. Only cotton pillow cases/duvets are left to iron.

When I think of all those hours I spent (wasted?) as a young housewife in the kitchen! Now back to my I-pad.........

When it is clean....those silicon shelf and bottom liners (black) are brilliant. They go in the dishwasher when splattered on and then wipe clean and dry! I have bought them for all three of my grown up children to put in their ovens. Much cheaper than endless boxes of Oven Pride.

I do clean it myself using that one with the big plastic bag to soak shelves in - can't remember the name but I get a professional in once a year too! It looks amazing when they do it.
However you have to be careful . One firm did not replace the bottom oven door properly & the element blew- I should have been warned as they did not speak much English when they got here & obviously did not understand what I was trying to tell them although when I phoned the man on the phone did. My Polish is very basic!
Then the next man ignored my instructions NOT to remove oven door which a very good handyman had sorted with a small shim- he insisted he could get door back on again & of course couldn't so very nice handyman had to come back & do shim again so I had to pay him too.
Currently looking for a new firm!

My friends son is an oven cleaner, he uses no chemicals and the ovens look amazing. He's not too expensive either. I intend to have him do mine, ... but first I need to try some of these tips so I won't be too embarrassed

A hand-held steamer. Quite affordable and it would come in handy for cleaning the shower, kitchen tile grouting, round hinges of toilet seat and lid etc etc.

I was absolutely astonished that the professionals got an oven I was about to replace back to sparkling newness in about an hour and for just less than £40. We found him facebook

Worth knowing about Astonish, I am a bit wary of using Oven Pride!

My disability doesn't allow me to get down on the floor to clean my oven. My dd normally helps me, I buy the ovenpride stuff and she does the hard work. It hasn't been done for some time, she wasn't able during pregnancy (For obvious reasons) and has been very poorly since. I'm not bothered, the oven works and clearly her health matters far far more!
I wish I could afford a professional though, that sounds amazing!

I often wish I'd planned my kitchen for the day when I'd have trouble getting down to clean the oven. In my last house it was eye-level and so easy to manage. However, mine doesn't get too messy as I don't cook things that 'spit'! So it doesn't make a dent in my income to have it professionally cleaned every few years.

Mine is reasonably clean even though I use it often. Every two or three months I spray it with "Easy Off", wait about an hour, then sponge off all the grease and grime. Steel wool gets the stubborn spots and I always wear gloves.

My pet peeve is that somehow a small drip got inside the glass and there's no way to get to it. I can't figure out how that happened (glass is sealed), much less remove it without taking the oven door apart. DH says it's not that noticeable, but it does bother me.

This has reminded me of a time, about four years ago, before we retired and moved onto our boat, when I decided to get an oven cleaning ‘professional’ in to do ours. He came, he took one look, he left. He said ‘I can’t clean that!’ I. Didn’t think it was too bad. ?

I have one oven that cleans itself. It is sparkling clean! The other one.......

Can recommend the professionals, well worth the money.

I splashed out on a really good self-cleaning oven - and I use the kits with the plastic bag for the racks and the caustic liquid. Works a treat...

I expect that my oven is 'average' on the cleanliness front - it's not spotless either but it doesn't smell nasty and as far as I know I haven't poisoned anyone yet.

vickymeldrew The house is not a let. He's purchased it.

greyduster Good tip about a liner.

Thanks everyone I'm finding this interesting.

We do have a steam cleaner. Maybe that will help.
My son is happy to do the hard scrubbing himself.
,Taking advice from the recommendations here i think he'll have a go then we'll hire a professional

I have used Mr Muscle oven cleaner spray for years. It says don't leave it on overnight but i always do. Its messy cleaning it afterwards but it does work and the feeling of satisfaction you get afterwards is great!! If you don't fancy that though get a professional in.

Professional cleaners are the only way to go.

I use (or since retiring DH uses) oven cleaner gel from Lakeland. Just paint it on and leave a while, on such a bad oven it will take a few applications, but I moved into a house a few years ago and had an oven like that to clean and amazingly managed to transform it. We have used the gel ever since.

I bought a steam cleaner.
Filled it up, then once it was steaming, found I couldn't get the lid off.
Neither could anyone else, so it got thrown away, and my oven stayed grimy.

Just so happens I did all three of mine last night (that includes micro ). They weren't very dirty ( all under 2 years old ) so I only needed a Brillo pad. The plan is to keep on top of it by regular cleaning!! I seldom roast meat in them, preferring the slow cooker or simmering on the hob, so that helps. I also use tin foil in the oven to 'protect" the shelves and doors, plus cover the base. Am still trying to convince both DDs to do the same so as to avoid major cleans. I'm not succeeding!

Pyrolytic oven is the way to go. It heats to 400c reducing any food splashes to white dust which after it has done its job and cooled you wipe off with a damp cloth. Why are any of you using fierce chemicals? In the meantime get a professional to clean for now. My oven is not going to inhibit what I cook. A scientist female friend gave me the tip when I was refitting my kitchen brilliant advice.

I get a professional in every 2 years!