Q: I've got a crusty oven that needs a good cleaning, with an assortment of old and new grease stains that won't come off using soap and water. But I've recently set out to eliminate using chemical formulated household chemicals. Do you have any recommendations about removing the gunks and chunks from a well-used oven without harsh chemicals?
- Posted by John
First off, we commend you on your decision to eliminate harsh chemicals in your household. Your decision will benefit both the environmental quality of your home and the planet. But back to your oven cleaning dilemma. You could first try scrubbing with a degreasing formula; the Ecover Cream Scrub.
An old fashioned scrubbing paste recipe you can make yourself includes: 5 tablespoons of baking soda, 4 tablespoons of white vinegar, 3 drops of liquid soap, and a squeeze of lemon. Mix all together into thick paste and use with sponge to remove caked on stains.
Hopefully your oven has a self-cleaning option, which can tackle those extremely caked on stains, grease and grime and turn them literally to dust. But even if you don't you can approximate the self-cleaning action with a bit more time and elbow grease. Jodi Karnick of eSSortment.com recommends the following steps:
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Cover the debris with baking soda, sprinkle with water, let sit overnight, and wipe out. This is easier to do on the bottom of the oven than on the sides, but it has worked really well for me. Sometimes it takes more than one treatment, but it's easy and nontoxic.
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