How Often Should You Clean Your Oven

Cleaning the oven is no easy task and probably not one that you’re looking forward to. However, a pristine cooker is important not only to the quality of your food but to your health, too. Should the oven be cleaned after every use?

In short – it depends. How much you use it and what you cook all play a part in this. However, in general, we should aim to clean them at least once every 6 months.

So, if you are:

• Trying to figure out how often you should clean your oven;
• Wondering what happens if you don’t clean your oven;
• Looking for tips on what is the best way to clean your oven;

Then this article is for you!

How often do you need to clean your oven?

The interior of the oven should be cleaned every 3 months and the exterior once a month. Consider more frequent cleaning if you use a lot of oil in your cooking, or if you notice the smell of burnt food when using your oven. If you rarely use your appliance, a cleaning every 6 months may suffice. 

For self-cleaning ovens, remove and clean the racks separately and according to the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.

Check our toaster cleaning guide if you wonder how often you should clean it.

How often should you self-clean your oven?

As rarely as possible, this function is designed to clean very dirty ovens. If your oven is not too dirty, skip the self-cleaning function and clean it yourself by hand. However,  if all the above signs are present and you can’t remember the last time your oven was cleaned, simply hit the self-clean button.

How do I know when my oven needs cleaning?

Sometimes your oven may look fully cleaned on the outside making it hard to tell if it needs cleaning. Well, there are a few signs you should look out for that are a good indication of whether or not your oven has been neglected for a very long time.

• Your oven is smoking – if your oven is filling your kitchen with irritating smoke that ruins your food, this is the most obvious sign that it needs a good cleaning. 
• Unpleasant and lingering smell in your kitchen – any burnt food particles and accumulated grime and grease normally lead to nasty odours even long after you’ve stopped cooking. 
• Your oven doesn’t heat up as fast as before – or it takes longer for food to cook? That means your oven has lost its efficiency due to grease and carbon build-ups in the internal components of your oven.

Why do you need to clean your oven?

Like any other appliance, your oven needs to be cleaned in order to continue functioning properly. Keeping it clean is just as important as keeping its mechanical parts up to par.

If you let grime build up inside your cooker, it can clog the filters and mechanisms, causing temperature issues, among many others. Then, you will have to call an oven repair technician. Not only that, but the build-up of grease also puts your oven at risk of a grease fire.

Letting food and dirt pile up is also a great opportunity for bacteria to grow and can lead to a bad oven smell. This bacteria can transfer over to your food and, in turn, to you and your family.

Aside from the health risks, accumulated grease and scorched food will also cause billowing smoke every time you open your oven. This can cause some burns, not to mention the charcoal taste it can give your food.

So, to prevent any of this, make sure you clean your oven regularly. While you’re at it, you can go one step further and take care of your cooking hob as well.

How to steam clean an oven

Steam cleaning your oven is an easy, natural way to remove dirt and grease from it. Place an oven-safe pot filled with water inside your oven and put it at 230 degrees °F for 30-60 minutes.

When the oven is cool, wipe any excess water or food particles off with a sponge or dish rag.

How can I keep my oven clean?

It’s unrealistic to clean your oven every day but if you want to keep your oven clean give it a quick wipe after each use. If you have just fried something and you notice oil spillages on your hob, give it a quick wipe with a cloth and spray some degreaser. The same goes for the oven door, it won’t take a lot of your time. 

Also, you can put an oven liner at the bottom of your oven. These Teflon mats will catch any grease and food spillages falling to the bottom of the oven, and they’re very easy to clean.

Oven cleaning tips and tricks

Is it worth getting your oven professionally cleaned?

If the thought of tackling your oven chills you to the bone, or if you simply don’t have the time, we have a solution. Fantastic Services offers a deep oven cleaning service, performed by skilled and reliable professionals.

The specialists come equipped with everything they need to complete the job, including a dip tank and any cleaning solutions they will require. You can rest and relax, knowing that your oven will be spotless and your dinner – tastier than ever!

Takeaways

• How often you clean your oven will depend on how much it’s used.
• As a general rule, you should clean your oven 2-3 times a year.
• Cleaning your oven is important to your health and the machine’s functionality.
• Use the self-cleaning function as rarely as possible.
• If you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, you can use baking soda and vinegar.

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Did this article answer your questions? How often do you clean your oven? Share with us in the comments below!

Image source: shutterstock / Africa Studio