How to Clean an Electric Oven

Co-authored by Ashley Matuska

Last Updated: October 13, 2023

An electric oven has slightly different cleaning requirements than a gas oven. However, the methods of cleaning both types of ovens are similar. Choose the self-cleaning option if your oven has this setting, or use a commercial oven cleaner for a clean oven in less than an hour, or opt for an overnight baking soda treatment to avoid harsh chemicals. No matter what method you choose, you can turn a greasy, dirty electric oven into a sparkling clean one!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Store-Bought Oven Cleaner

Download Article

1
Take everything out of your oven. Remove the racks and any pans or baking dishes from the oven and set these aside for now. Your oven needs to be completely empty before you begin.
- You may also want to unplug your oven to reduce the risk of shock.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
2
Put on rubber gloves and safety glasses. Get a pair of thick rubber gloves, not thin vinyl or latex ones. Also, put on a pair of protective eyewear. Oven cleaner is caustic and it may burn you or cause serious damage if it gets onto your skin or in your eyes.
- You might also want to wear an old long sleeve shirt to protect the skin on your arms.
Advertisement
3
Lay newspaper on the floor in front of your oven. Oven cleaner may damage your floors if it drips onto them. Place a few pieces of newspaper onto the floor directly in front of your oven before you get started.
- An old towel will also work!
4
Spray oven cleaner inside the oven, avoiding the heating elements. Lift the heating elements up slightly and spray the oven cleaner behind them. Make sure that the cleaner is coating the sides, top, bottom, and back of the oven. Spray the inside of the door last, and then shut the oven.
- Set a timer for 30 minutes after you finish spraying the oven.
Choosing Oven Cleaner

Opt for a product that is specifically meant for cleaning your oven. You can find these products in the cleaning section of most stores.

Go with a non-drip formula to make sure the product will not run down the sides of your oven or drip from the top of your oven.

To avoid harsh chemicals, try a natural product that contains citrus oil, which helps to break down tough grease and grime.
5
Spray the racks with oven cleaner and place them in garbage bags. Take the oven racks outside and place them on the ground, such as in your driveway. Then, spray the oven racks with the oven cleaner. Place the racks into the garbage bag and close it up.
- Leave the racks outside for 30 minutes so that the spray cleaner can work.
6
Wipe down the inside of the oven with a damp rag after 30 minutes. Once the time is up, wet a rag with water and use it to wipe down the inside of the oven. Rinse the rag and wring out the excess water as needed, then keep wiping.
- Make sure that you keep the gloves and eye protection on for the entire process.
- Keep going until you have removed all of the oven cleaner from the oven.
7
Use a scouring pad on tough, stuck on grease. There may be some tough, stuck on grease in some of the areas of your oven. Wet a scouring pad and use it to scrub at these areas until the grease comes loose.
- You may need to repeat this a few times for extra greasy spots.
8
Rinse off the racks and return them to the oven. Once the racks have been sitting for 30 minutes, remove them from the trash bag. Then, use a hose to rinse away the oven cleaner and pat them dry with a clean towel. Return the clean oven racks to your oven after you are finished.
- Enjoy your clean oven!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Trying Baking Soda and Vinegar

Download Article

Unplugging your oven before you clean it will help to reduce the risk of shock. Then, take out all of the pans, baking dishes, and oven racks.^{[2]
X
Research source}
Make a paste out of ½ cup (152 g) of baking soda and 3 TBS (45 mL) of water. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until they are well combined.^{[3]
X
Research source}
3
Put on gloves and spread the paste over the inside of your oven. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and use your fingertips to spread the paste over the inside of the oven. Spread it onto every surface, except for the heating elements.
- Make more paste if needed to coat the sides, top, bottom, back, and inside of the oven door.
- Close the oven door when you are done.
If you have small racks, they should fit in your kitchen sink. If the racks are medium to large, then you may need to place them in your bathtub. Use your fingertips to spread the paste over every surface of the wire racks.
Let the baking soda sit on the surfaces of the oven and wire racks for the next 10 to 12 hours. Do not try to remove it sooner or it will not have time to work!
6
Use a damp rag to remove the baking soda. After the time is up, put on your gloves and wet a rag or dishcloth with water and wring out the excess. Then, wipe the inside of your oven clean with the rag to remove the baking soda. Scrape the baking soda out of the oven and into a dustbin or plastic bag.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- You may also use a spatula to loosen any stuck on baking soda paste.
7
Spray any remaining baking soda with vinegar and wipe it away. If there are still spots in your oven that are coated with baking soda that won’t come up, spray these areas with vinegar. The vinegar and baking soda will react and foam. This will help to loosen the grease and make it easier to wipe up the remaining baking soda.
- Repeat this all over the inside of the oven as needed.
8
Rinse and dry the racks and return them to the oven. The oven racks will be much easier to clean than the inside of the oven. Hold them under warm, running water and rinse away the baking soda. Make sure to do this over your sink or bathtub. Then, dry off the racks and put them back into your oven.
- A spray attachment is helpful for this part!
- Alternatively, you can use a pumice stick.^{[5]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Ashley Matuska
  Professional Cleaner
  
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2019.}
- It is helpful for deep cleaning ovens. It does not scratch anything and is less time consuming.^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Ashley Matuska
  Professional Cleaner
  
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2019.}
- You can also use some sort of all purpose cleaner to help add moisture to the process.^{[7]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Ashley Matuska
  Professional Cleaner
  
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2019.}
Want a gleaming stovetop to match your clean oven? Tackle your electric stovetop next!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using the Self-Cleaning Feature

Download Article

1
Remove the racks and other items from the oven. Place the racks into your sink or in a bathtub until you are ready to clean them and for the duration of the self-cleaning cycle. Take any pans, foil, or other items out of your oven as well.
- If you have large racks, you will likely need to clean them in a bathtub, but you can clean small racks in your kitchen sink.
2
Close the oven and select the self-clean feature. Shut the oven door after you have removed everything. Then, locate the self-clean button and switch it on. Your oven’s self-clean cycle should start immediately. Leave the oven closed for the duration of the cycle.
- Most self-cleaning oven cycles last about 2 hours.
3
Monitor the oven while it self-cleans. The oven may smoke slightly during the self-clean cycle. Open a couple of windows in or near the kitchen and run a fan to keep the smoke moving out of the kitchen. If the smoke becomes excessive, shut off your oven.
- It is best to stay home while the oven self-cleans to ensure that you are there in case a problem arises, such as a fire or excessive smoke.
EXPERT TIP

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional
Marcus is the owner of Maid Easy, a local residential cleaning company in Phoenix, Arizona. His cleaning roots date back to his grandmother who cleaned homes for valley residents in the 60’s through the 70’s. After working in tech for over a decade, he came back to the cleaning industry and opened Maid Easy to pass his family’s tried and true methods to home dwellers across the Phoenix Metro Area.

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional

Our Expert Agrees: It's essential that you stay home while your oven is in self-cleaning mode. When your oven is self-cleaning it is heating the inside of the oven to a higher temperature than the manufacturer says it should be heated. This melts the oil and grease for easy cleaning but, as any fire safety expert will tell you, it also poses a fire and damage risk.
4
Use a damp cloth or scouring pad to clean the oven racks. While the oven is cleaning, scrub the oven racks with warm, soapy water. Use a damp washcloth or a scouring pad to remove the grease and grime from the racks. Then, rinse off the racks to remove the soap.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- If the racks are very dirty, then you might need to apply baking soda to them and let it sit overnight before wiping them clean.
5
Wipe the ash out of the bottom of the oven after it cools. After the clean cycle ends and your oven is cool, open it up. There will be a pile of ash on the bottom of the oven. Wet a rag or dishcloth with water to make it damp. Then, use the cloth to wipe the ash out of the bottom of the oven.
- Do not leave the ash in the oven! This may taint your food and it will smell bad when you use your oven.
Tip: To keep your oven clean, place aluminum foil on the rack before you place a pan in your oven. This will help to catch any food that overflows out of the dish.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

What can you use to clean an oven?

Ashley Matuska
Professional Cleaner
Ashley Matuska is a Professional Cleaner at the Founder and Owner of Dashing Maids in Denver, Colorado. Ashley has over seven years of experience in the cleaning industry. She and her team specialize in offering sustainable deep cleaning and maintenance cleaning services. She received a BS in Biology and Sociology from Indiana University.

Ashley Matuska

Professional Cleaner

Expert Answer

You can use a pumice stick to clean the oven. It is helpful for deep cleaning ovens. It does not scratch anything and is less time-consuming. You can also use an all-purpose cleaner to help add moisture to the process.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 5
Question

How do you make a grease cleaner with baking soda?

Ashley Matuska
Professional Cleaner
Ashley Matuska is a Professional Cleaner at the Founder and Owner of Dashing Maids in Denver, Colorado. Ashley has over seven years of experience in the cleaning industry. She and her team specialize in offering sustainable deep cleaning and maintenance cleaning services. She received a BS in Biology and Sociology from Indiana University.

Ashley Matuska

Professional Cleaner

Expert Answer

To make a grease cleaner, mix two cups of water with a tablespoon of baking soda. Then add about 20 drops of lemon or orange essential oil.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3