Is There A Safe Oven Cleaner?

[30 Seconds to Bob]

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, we plan on using the oven quite a bit more than usual. This time of year it's usually not an issue to clean the oven, as I generally don't have baby chicks to take into consideration. I simply move all the bird cages outside and leave them out until all the toxic oven cleaner fumes have cleared. With the week old baby javas however, I don't care to move that cage outside, upsetting the parents and risking abandonment. Are there any safe, natural ways to clean an oven that actually does a good job on tough baked on grime? The wife would like the oven cleaned before (and probably after) Thanksgiving and Christmas. Bob

[cindy]

you can try using a baking soda scrub to clean it down with.

[cindy]

here is a way to clean it organically with baking soda, white vinegar and salt http://www.organicauthority.com/sanctua ... ducts.html

"Though the big companies who make different cleaning products for every square inch of your dwelling would assure you there is an irreplaceable need to use their specially formulated oven cleaner, you can do a good job without the chemical overload and with stuff you probably already have in your house that costs you less than $5.

Salt is a mineral miracle. It preserves, seasons, exfoliates skin and it can clean your oven. Turn on your self-clean oven setting if you have it, or set the temperature to about 125 degrees. When it's warmed up, slightly dampen the caked on areas with a spray bottle of water or vinegar, then pour salt directly over the grime. Then, turn off the oven and let it cool down. You can then scrape off the salted areas and wipe down with a wet towel to get the crumbs out.

If you need a bit more oomph in cleaning your oven, try baking soda and vinegar. They are like the dynamic duo of natural cleaning products and, yes, they sure do work wonders. White vinegar is as effective as those expensive and toxic hand sanitizers and bleach in killing germs. Baking soda is so versatile it's a shame we don't give it more respect than a strange looking bald man.

Spray down the oven with vinegar, or a vinegar-water mix. Then sprinkle baking soda over the affected area. Let it sit for several minutes. It will react with the vinegar and may get bubbly. Gently scrub with a steel wool or coarse brush until you've removed the gunk, then wipe down with warm soapy water and a sponge.

If you're still battling some seriously stuck-on stuff (btw, congrats for regularly using your oven!) you can let the baking soda and vinegar mix sit on for hours. You may even add another layer and wait over night before scrubbing"

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Thank you so much! I guess I'll be giving it a try in the next couple of days. Bob

[cindy]

me to!!!!

[30 Seconds to Bob]

The vinegar/baking soda concoction did a nice job (thanks again Cindy )! I heated the oven to "keep warm" then used a spray bottle to saturate the sides and bottom of the oven with vinegar. I then sprinkled baking soda over the bottom and dusted some on the sides as well. A little extra water and a lot of paper towels to soak up the dirt and grime. I didn't even do a thorough job because I know the oven will be used extensively this Thursday. This oven is nearly 20 years old and this is how it came out. The whole bottom used to be caked in black grime.

P.S. My daughter didn't like the smell of the vinegar, so I used one of Dayna's natural room scent tips. I happened to have half a can of pineapple juice in the fridge, added some cinnamon and allspice, and simmered it on the stove for about an hour. The house smells delicious! Bob

[cindy]

Glad it worked for ya Bob! you did a great job!! I have yet to test out the organic room scents!

[tinysparrow]

looks good bob i think i may try this on my oven too, its pretty dirty

[Nerien]

Wow, I don't think my oven has looked that good in the last 20 years (and no, btw, I haven't owned it that long, not my fault, came with the house). Might be worth a try. Of course, it might also be only the crud that's holding it together, found the serial number and looked it up, my oven was made in November of 1978.

[PrettyBird]

I wonder if it will work for the stove top? I just did alot of cooking and boiling of water the past few weeks, and I have some stubborn brown/black rings around my 4 element rings.

Ive tried peroxide..didnt work. Ive scrubbed them, nothing. I didnt want to use the oven cleaner spray because of the pets in the house. I wonder if the baking soda/vinegar mix will work...

[cindy]

I love the Mr Clean Erasers (white foam sponge) great for cleaning the stove top, sprinkle a bit of baking soda and water and scrub.

[lyswood]

Great info - thanks for posting!! We've recently acquired birds again and have been wondering about safe cleaning products, especially for the oven - this was a fabulous find. I bought a huge jug of vinegar and am not re-purchasing any of the other cleaners when they run out. =)

My mom makes a great organic cleaner, but it has lavender in it...I worry about the scent...so if I ask her to remake it I'll see if she can take that out. Otherwise I think it's also safe.

[Gouldian4]

Awesome way to clean the oven! Thanks guys lol didn't know this forum would help me clean the house too !!

[Sally]

I had forgotten about this thread, great information. My oven has a self-clean feature, as do most of the newer models, but with birds in the house, I really didn't think about it being bad for them. Recently on the local news, there was a story about a couple who used the self-clean feature on their oven and lost several macaws. I didn't hear the whole story on the news, but I did gather enough from the end of the report that self-cleaning ovens need to be manually cleaned if you have birds inside the house.

[cindy]

Sally, some have the telfon liners those are the ones most harmful...if it heats up to over 500 degrees it lets off particles in the air that are harmful to the birds.