Best Natural Oven Cleaners: Non-Toxic, Chemical-Free Options

Remove burnt food and grime with these eco-friendly cleaning hacks

Co-authored by Susan Stocker and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: August 5, 2024 Fact Checked

If you notice smoke or bad odors anytime you cook with your oven, then it’s time for a thorough cleaning. Commercial oven cleaners have irritating chemicals and fumes, but there are so many natural and non-toxic alternatives you can try out. Keep reading, and we’ll walk through how to clean your oven from top to bottom so you can remove grime and odors without any chemicals.

Best Way to Naturally Clean an Oven: Quick Steps

Apply a baking soda and water paste to the inside of your oven.
Let the paste sit for at least 40 minutes.
Wipe off the baking soda and grime with a damp cloth.
Spray distilled white vinegar on the oven surfaces.
Use a cloth to remove the vinegar and any remaining residue.

1

Use baking soda and vinegar.

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Baking soda and vinegar break residue for an easy, natural cleanup. Baking soda is naturally abrasive, so it works great for scrubbing the inside of your oven without using chemicals. Using vinegar to clean also breaks down debris because it’s acidic, and it fizzes when you mix it with baking soda.^{[1]
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- Remove the racks and any other accessories from your oven.
- Make a paste by mixing ½ cup (170 g) of baking soda with 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of water. For a stronger cleaner, try using dish soap instead of water.
- Coat the inside of your oven with the paste, except for the heating elements.
- Allow the paste to sit for 12 hours or overnight. If you don’t have that much time, let the paste sit for at least 40 minutes.
- Wipe the oven down with a damp cloth. Green cleaning expert Susan Stocker mentions that a pumice stone can help you scrub even more.
- Pour distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it inside your oven.
- Wipe out any remaining residue and put the accessories back inside your oven

2

Try salt and vinegar for tough stains.

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Salt and vinegar work best for cleaning spills on the bottom of your oven. If food spilled out while you were cooking, try to clean it up as soon as possible so it’s easier to remove. Salt is the perfect abrasive cleaner and will absorb the spill, while the vinegar will help disinfect and deodorize your oven.^{[2]
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- Heat your oven to 150 °F (66 °C) or the lowest temperature setting.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of table salt onto the floor of your oven.
- Put on oven mitts, and scrub your oven with a sponge while it’s still warm.
- Spray distilled white vinegar into your oven, and wipe it out with a damp rag.
- Dry your oven out with a paper towel.

3

Loosen stubborn grime with vinegar steam.

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Vinegar steam makes food residue easier to lift up. When you’re cleaning your oven with steam, the water vapor softens any hardened grime and debris so you can wipe it up without a lot of elbow grease. Adding vinegar to the water adds even more cleaning and disinfecting power.^{[3]
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- Fill a baking dish with water and ³⁄₄ cup (180 ml) of distilled white vinegar.
- Heat your oven to 450 °F (232 °C).
- Wait for the water and vinegar to start boiling and turn your oven off.
- Leave the door closed on your oven for at least 30 minutes, or until your oven is cool.
- Spray a vinegar and water solution onto the sides and bottom of your oven.
- Wipe out the residue with a damp sponge
- Alternatively, use a steam cleaner to focus on heavy stains and difficult residue.

4

Remove residue and odors with lemons.

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Lemons act as a natural degreaser and deodorizer. If you have a lot of smelly residue coating the inside of your oven, lemon is the perfect cleaner. The citric acid in the lemons breaks down all the gunk and leaves behind a fresh citrus scent when you’re finished cleaning.^{[4]
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- Cut 2 lemons and squeeze the juice onto a baking tray. Fill the tray one-third full with water and set the lemons on it.
- Place the baking dish in the oven at 250 °F (121 °C) for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a scouring pad to remove the loosened build-up once your oven cools down.
- Dip a sponge in the leftover lemon water in the baking dish and rinse off the oven. Alternatively, try scrubbing with another freshly cut lemon for extra cleaning power.
- Dry your oven off with a towel.

5

Scrub the oven door with a Magic Eraser or dishwasher tablet.

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A Magic Eraser or dishwasher tablet cuts through gunk quickly. Dampen the sponge or tablet with water and gently scrub the oven door. Work in quick, back and forth or circular motions until you lift up all of the grime and buildup on the surface.^{[5]
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- Wear gloves while you’re cleaning so you can get a better grip and prevent residue from getting on your skin.

6

Scrape gunk off oven glass with a razor.

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Using a razor blade helps remove residue close to the surface. If there’s a mess of buildup coating the glass on your oven door, then open it and wipe off any loose residue. Mix baking soda with enough water to form a paste and apply it to the glass. After 15 minutes, wipe off the paste and hold a razor blade at an angle to scrape away the loosened residue.^{[6]
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7

Soak oven racks in the tub.

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Letting oven racks soak breaks apart the baked-on food. While you’re cleaning the rest of your oven, take out the racks and clean them separately. While a bathtub is the perfect size for soaking the oven racks, you may also use a large tote bin.^{[7]
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- Lay a towel in the bottom of your tub to prevent scratches.
- Fill your bathtub with hot water and add ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of liquid dish soap.
- Submerge the oven racks in the soapy water overnight.
- Scrub the racks with a clean cloth or bristle brush.
- Rinse the oven racks with hot water.
- Dry and replace the racks in your oven.

8

Clean the oven knobs with soapy water.

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Simply pull the knobs straight off of your oven and put them in a bowl with hot water and dish soap. Let them sit for a few minutes before gently wiping them with a clean, damp cloth. Once they’re clean, dry the knobs off with another towel and put them back on your oven.^{[8]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I get baked on grease off my 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

For tough stains on the interior try a pumice stick. You can also use steel wool, but be careful as this can scratch the surface of the oven. For oven window stains use a razor blade to scrape away the residue. For small stains or ones that haven't dried, you can use the rougher side of a sponge and some soap.

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Try to clean your oven every 2-3 months so it doesn’t develop a lot of buildup inside.

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Warnings

Even though you aren’t using any chemicals, wear gloves when you’re cleaning because acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon juice can still irritate your skin.

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Cleaning professional Marcus Shields says to avoid using the “Self-Clean” function on your oven. He says that the feature creates a lot of smoke that could be harmful to breathe, and it could set off fire alarms.

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