Your oven will need to be cleaned periodically, both on the inside as well as the surface, to make sure that it functions at its best. Neglecting to clean your oven can also be a safety hazard, as built-up grease and food particles can burn during cooking.
You want to clean your oven with a cleaner that will fight through food and grease buildups. Cleaning your oven with a harsh cleaner can have negative impacts on your health and leave your oven with a lingering smell of chemicals. For this reason, you will want to use a homemade oven cleaner that will clean grease buildups without emitting harmful chemicals.
In addition to homemade oven cleaners, you can also purchase a natural oven cleaner if you do not want to make your own.
How to Make Homemade Oven Cleaner
A homemade oven cleaner can be made using a combination of a few simple ingredients, most of which may already be found in your house.
Homemade Cleaner #1 – Baking Soda & Water
Mix 3 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (link to Amazon) with 1 ½ tablespoon of water in a bowl to form a paste. Once combined, coat the inside of the oven, except for the heating element, with the mixture and leave it for approximately 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take a clean rag or paper towel and wipe the oven clean.
Homemade Cleaner #2 – Lemon Juice, Cornstarch, and Dish Soap
Mix 1 cup of lemon juice with one tablespoon of cornstarch and one teaspoon of natural unscented dish soap, all available on Amazon. To activate the cornstarch, you will need to heat the lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat and then add the cornstarch. Once thickened, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the dish soap and create a paste.
Apply the paste to the inside of the oven walls, making sure to stay away from the heating element. Let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes so it can dwell. After 20 minutes has passed, wipe the cleaner off with a clean paper towel or dishrag.
Homemade Cleaner #3 – Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Dish Soap
Mix 3 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with one tablespoon of food-grade hydrogen peroxide and one tablespoon of natural dish soap. Once combined to make a paste, coat the inside of the oven, staying away from the heating element. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes to dwell. After 20 minutes has passed, wipe off the mixture with a clean paper towel or dishrag.
Homemade Cleaner #4 – Baking Soda, Salt, and Dish Soap
Mix 2 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with two tablespoons of table salt and one tablespoon of natural dish soap. Combine the ingredients to make a paste. Once combined, apply the mixture to the inside of the oven. Keep away from applying the cleaner to the heating element. The mixture will need to sit for about 20 minutes to dwell. After 20 minutes, wipe the cleaning mixture with a clean dishrag or paper towel.
Homemade Cleaner #5 – Homemade Rosemary-Citrus Cleaner with Baking Soda
This cleaner takes a few minutes to prepare but should sit for about five days before using it, so keep this in mind if you are looking to clean your oven today.
You will need 1 orange peel, 1 lemon peel, 1 rosemary sprig, 2 cups of natural white vinegar, and 1 box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Place the lemon peel, orange peel, and rosemary in a jar or container and fill with the 2 cups of vinegar. Close tightly and let the mixture sit at room temperature for five days.
This will allow the vinegar to absorb the acid and fragrance from the citrus peels. After five days, pour the liquid into a spray bottle for easy cleaning.
Take the racks out of the oven and coat them with baking soda. You can also sprinkle baking soda inside the oven as well. While the baking soda is coating the racks and inside of the oven, spray it with the citrus mixture and let it sit for about 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes has passed, take a sponge or scrub brush to remove grease, grime, and food particles. Wipe down with a clean dishrag or paper towel to finish.
Homemade Cleaner #6 – Lavender & Baking Soda Scrub
Mix 3 to 4 drops of Lavender Essential Oil with ½ of a cup of natural dish soap and ¼ of a cup of natural white vinegar. Add 1 ½ cups of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to create a thick paste. Use a paper towel, sponge, or paintbrush to coat the sides, bottom, and racks of the oven. Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes, but it can also sit overnight as well.
Wet a cleaning brush or sponge and begin scrubbing the mixture. Grease and grime will begin to easily lift off of the surfaces. Finish with a clean paper towel or dish towel.
Homemade Cleaner #7 – Rubbing Alcohol and Soap
Mix ¼ of a cup of rubbing alcohol with ¼ of a cup of water and 5 to 10 drops of natural dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray the inside of the oven and baking racks and let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes. Take a sponge or scrub brush and clean the surface areas thoroughly. Once finished, wipe clean with a dry paper towel or dishrag.
Homemade Cleaner #8 – Borax Cleaning Scrub
Combine 1 tablespoon of Borax with ½ of cup of natural white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of natural dish soap, and 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and mix well. Once combined, spray the inside of your oven, including the wire cooking racks. After you have generously sprayed the surfaces, sprinkle baking soda over the wet surfaces and leave overnight.
The next day, take a sponge or scrub brush and clean the surfaces, walls, and cooking racks of your oven. Once cleaned, take a paper towel or dishrag and wipe clean.
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