Cleaning the cooker

If all else fails, read the instructions!

Have you discovered wonderful 'How To' videos on YouTube? You can get the answer to nearly everything there - just as long as you ask the right question

My father's mantra was 'if in doubt, read the instructions.' Did I learn nothing from him?

I thought it was only men who didn't read instruction books so I'm [shocked] at you all!
I always read them [halo] but instantly forget and wing it anyway!

This is so reassuring on the reading instructions front. I use the old try it, if it works, you must be doing something right approach. I'm finding this approach works less well with newer electrical stuff, it's all so complicated.

Oh yes! I have still, after almost 7 years, not quite fathomed the programming of my oven, and setting the clock on the microwave is very hit or miss. The dishwasher is straightforward, but my new washing machine is still very much 'chuck it in and see what happens.' So far, so good.

Deedaa a person after my own heart. I have never read an instruction book in my life. I bought a new microwave a month ago, put the instruction book down somewhere, never to be found again. Like your house, this one is probably full of instruction books. Yours at least appear to be in one place, in pristine condition, never touched.

Pollaidh I have a Belling range cooker too. The glass in doors on mine will come off (held in with easily-removed screws), so you can take it to the sink and give it a good clean with a Brillo pad. Can't think what's happened to the enamel though.

I read them after I've broken them to find out what I did wrong . And, each time I vow that I won't make the same mistake again.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who doesn't read instructions (It's an oven - how hard can it be???} My kitchen drawer is full of instruction manuals for the oven, the hob, the washing machine, the tumble dryer and the microwave. I don't know how to use any of them "properly" because I've never read the instructions properly!

Tegan your post made me laugh. Love this oven cleaning thread. I have a new oven and suspect it may be self cleaning, but I haven't read the instructions. The hob is a stainless steel glory and the fitter was most anxious I only use water on it, and no harsh chemicals. How do I get the burnt on spilled gravy off with water only? I've bought some of those e-cloths, including one for cleaning the hob, and a 2nd for polishing it. If I'm quick enough to wipe up spills, instead of lazily ignoring them, the e-cloths are working. I long to get a brillo pad at it, but the kitchen fitter was insistent, and I'm chicken in case it malfunctions and he has to come back.
Who'd ever have though it, a serious thread on oven cleaning. Most of us, when younger women, would have refused to believe we'd ever enjoy something like this.

Flower

I've used a couple of companies who clean ovens - Ovenu and Ovens2New - both excellent.

phoenix That isvery sound reasoning!

I now have an ideal excuse. I had some surgery on the bone spurs on my shoulder yesterday. Absolutely nothing like that for me for a while. Mind you it's so bloody painful right now it might be a better option.
#Dopeduponpainkillers and trying to type left handed.

Glammanana,the gunge turns into a small amount of ash but my oven never has a lot of gunge.I put a pan under anything I think might drip.

You go girl!

Good heavens what have I started? First, I have to say that cleaning the oven is only an annual event in this house. I just thought that maybe it would be easier to cope with after Christmas if I gave it a good going over just now. I have taken on all your suggestions - thank you - and am now armed with Oven Pride, Bartender's Friend, Oven Mate and will go and get some Astonish. I have been tackling the beast in stages - hood and hob day one, switches and "dashboard" day two and oven door, frontages today. Tomorrow I will tackle the main oven cavity but must put oven Pride in overnight first.
Then I will have a very large Gin and tonic while I research local oven cleaning companies for future reference!

What I want to know is where does all the gunge go if you have a self cleaning oven

I too have a self'cleaning oven but I don't think its read the instructions

Last year just before we were due to move house I fell and broke my right arm. The purchasers were buying the Rangemaster cooker so I had to have someone in to clean said cooker . I thought the man would use a steam cleaner but in fact he used Astonish and cleaned each part. It did a good job and as I had a tub I used that yesterday on the one here - now ten years old - and it did a good job - the glass door now gleams beautifully.

phoenix

I have a self cleaning wall oven.I do clean the glass front which is easy when its hot. No where near as nice as a Aga though.

Ah, LizG looks like you may be aware of my Slatterns Charter (it used to be the Sluts Charter until some bloody people decide to hijack the word)

It sort of goes like this:

It's not that I haven't made my bed, I'm simply leaving it to air.

It's not that I haven't cleaned my oven, it's just that the layer of crud that has built up acts as insulation and therefore reduces the amount of fuel used, thus being both economical and good for the environment.

It's not that I haven't cleaned my windows, it's just that if the sunlight streams in unhindered it will fade and damage my soft furnishings, meaning I have to buy more.

I thought all cookers were supposed to have a patina. Doesn't it improve the flavour of the food or something?

I must admit Mr P is a bit of a whizz when it comes to cleaning ovens! If we lived in a more affluent area and could afford to do it, then I think it might have been well worth looking into taking on one of the franchises that are available.

When we moved into this house, as a new build in 2005, I struck a deal with him, I would cut the grass, if he cleaned the oven. I think I was onto a winner from day one, as you don't need to cut the grass all year round!

However, he found my grass cutting technique rather poor, and offered to show me how it should be done...................... the rest, as they say is history!

Although to be fair all of the washing is down to me, partly because when I once had to go away for a while, he carefully sorted the washing into 2 separate piles, one white, and one coloured and then put them in the machine together. I've never been particularly fond of "greige" as a colour for underwear and I don't think he would know where to start with ironing (not that there is much)

I've never cleaned my Aga properly in 30 years, it's got 'character'! Sometimes I have to stick the end of the vacuum cleaner in the oven to suck out a charcoal potato