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cleaning my ovens

(53 Posts)
jeanie99 Thu 08-Jan-15 15:30:26

I absolutely hate the job of cleaning my ovens.

Other than the horrible spray on chemicals which almost stop me breathing is there anything else which works.

I read somewhere that hand steamers can clean ovens, does anyone use a steamer with good results and if so what make is it.

Juliette Thu 08-Jan-15 19:43:20

I have the Lakeland tray too. I soak the shelves overnight in Bio washing powder with a squirt of bleach. The grunge just floats off without much elbow grease. I aspire to having the 'Oven Man' come a'calling, maybe one day. Do you use a national company or one that is local to you? This to glammanana

rosequartz Thu 08-Jan-15 19:46:58

I have some Oven Pride in the cupboard. It keeps winking at me but I keep ignoring it.

FlicketyB Fri 09-Jan-15 09:55:28

I mainly cook casseroles in dishes with lids, which do not make the oven dirty. Anyway both my last and current cookers have self cleaning sides and top so the only cleaning I need to do is to wipe the base now and again..

NfkDumpling Fri 09-Jan-15 11:14:23

Oven Pride now on shopping list.... Then I'll be ready for when the cleaning urge strikes again (it doesn't happen too often).

annsixty Fri 09-Jan-15 11:22:09

Another vote here for Oven Pride , it is excellent with very little effort.

KatyK Fri 09-Jan-15 16:00:58

I use Oven Pride too smile

Jane10 Fri 09-Jan-15 17:28:44

Um what happens if you never clean an oven? Just wondering hmm

loopylou Fri 09-Jan-15 17:32:53

Not a lot Jane10 I'd think, other than increasing amounts of detritus on the floor of the oven.
Would it constitute a fire hazard after a very long time, or would it just be cinders?
Just using Oven Pride that DSIL got hold of for me, hope shifts results of DS cooking Christmas goose...

jeanie99 Wed 14-Jan-15 20:52:08

I've bought the Oven Pride just need someone to show me how now, any offers.

Katek Thu 15-Jan-15 10:09:40

Two enterprising ladies near me have set up a business cleaning ovens and defrosting freezers. It seems to be a very popular service!

jeanie99 Sun 01-Feb-15 22:43:30

Well I now have a lovely clean oven, it shines.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions Oven Pride did the trick and no smell.

Ariadne Mon 02-Feb-15 11:34:43

I am a great believer in GSI (getting someone in)but fortunately don't do much of the sort of cooking that really messes up the oven. (No roasts etc, or very seldom)

janerowena Mon 02-Feb-15 11:46:54

I use a large black silicon sheet on the floors of the oven, It's very easy to clean off, the shelves just fit into my dishwasher. The glass doors have to be removed which is scary, in case I drop them. I do use a steam cleaner. I put down newspaper on the floor to soak up any liquid escapees. I only do it about once a year, probably soon as I can scarcely see through the doors.

I think I would like one of those soaking trays though, I do hate having to turn the sheets of glass in my sink. I'm always worried that I will knock them against the taps.

loopylou Mon 02-Feb-15 11:50:04

If you use Oven Pride it comes with a very large bag which you put shelves in, I guess oven glass could go in too? You'd have to be careful turning the bag over, or use it just for the oven glass janerowena.
I know I can take the glass out my oven door but too nervous to try hmm

janerowena Mon 02-Feb-15 12:03:43

I have to, it's double and the grease gets between the two. It's really annoying, it should be sealed at the top.

I don't want the oven pride, I use the steamer so that I won't have to use as many chemicals, and just a metal scourer works on the glass after a soak in detergent for a few minutes. The oven is easy to clean really - just don't like doing it!

I was given MiL's old oven once, and couldn't believe that she would pass it on to anyone in such a state. Then I discovered what a nightmare it was to clean, it had all sorts of nooks and crannies. That was when I discovered how effective a steam cleaner with a nozzle is.

tanith Mon 02-Feb-15 12:19:00

Hasn't anyone ever used a scraper for cleaning an oven? I was given one with mine which a blade fits into and for glass doors and oven bottom its perfect it scrapes all the burnt on stuff off then I just wipe over with some soapy kitchen roll and then polish with a dry micro fibre cloth.. I lost the original scraper but just a paint scraper with a blade in works fine, it doesn't scratch the glass and no hard scrubbing involved. The sides and shelves I do have to do by hand but it cuts the work in half.

rosequartz Mon 02-Feb-15 12:33:07

I have used a scraper; DD had one for her ceramic hob and I bought one but it snapped. That reminds me to get another one, thank you smile

You are all making me feel ashamed. If it wasn't nearly lunch-time I might think about cleaning my oven. blush

Soutra Mon 02-Feb-15 22:10:43

Whew, hope that moment of weakness has passed rosequartz. gringrin

FlicketyB Tue 03-Feb-15 09:20:42

I thought cookers all came with self cleaning sides and roof. The various cookers I have owned over the last 30 years have always had these features, and I have never had top of the range cookers

All I have ever needed to do is to wipe the base clean and occasionally clean the racks.

rosequartz Tue 03-Feb-15 11:06:32

Soutra I did it!!

However, DH suggested that next time we GSI!

Mine (a Neff) has a self-cleaning back but the rest needs physical labour.

janerowena Tue 03-Feb-15 12:44:01

FlicketyB mine lied.

Anne58 Tue 03-Feb-15 16:48:03

Although Mr P swears by Oven Pride grin if I have to clean the wire rack shelf things after (for example) cooking pizza, I find that a good soak in very hot water with a few handfuls of soda works well. Usually only have to sort of wipe a bit, rather than scour or scrub. I find washing soda useful for all kinds of things.

Well, cleaning type things anyway!

Soutra Tue 03-Feb-15 23:13:36

But maybe not for a relaxing bath? (don't try this at home, kids!)

Anne58 Wed 04-Feb-15 00:06:22

Akshewelly (sic) Soutra the base ingredient of those old fashioned bath salts was soda crystals, just perfumed and coloured. (Oh dear, after the Benedict Cumberbatch faux pas, should I say "bath additives of colour")

Soutra , to get back on track, there would be no problem whatsoever in adding them to a bath, I think you may be getting confused with caustic soda, which is another thing altogether!

1Janeanderson Fri 03-Apr-15 13:00:04

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