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The catchphrase that the kitchen is the heart of every home is absolutely true. To be clean, tidy and cosy, the same things that apply to all other rooms, apply to it too. Back in the day, the hearth performed the function of heating, while food was also prepared on it. Nowadays, this role is played by the oven in the kitchen. It is used almost daily and gets dirty easily, which is why it needs a proper oven cleaning on a regular basis.
Caring for your oven should be at the top of all homemakers’ priority lists. Otherwise, it can become a greasy ground for bacteria and microorganisms. The more often it is cleaned, the less time this activity will take you. In this case, you won’t be bothered scrubbing away stubborn stains, grime and build-up. Here are some helpful tips on how to do a proper oven cleaning at home.
Minimise the need for oven cleaning in the first place
You can save a certain amount of oven cleaning by cooking wise. When you bake something, wrap the pan with aluminium foil. Also, try to avoid cleaning products that contain caustic soda and other poisonous substances, the residues of which cannot be cleaned with absolute precision. By evaporating, these substances can get into the food you are baking.
Every good housewife knows that sometimes the cleaning chemicals from the store are not what we need. They can be replaced by some common products that we use in the kitchen for cooking purposes. Most of them are widely applicable in other spheres of life. They are a natural choice for cleaning, highly effective and often much more economical. You just have to be careful not to wet and smear the heating elements of the oven with the cleaning substances!
Household products for oven cleaning
If the tan and layers are more stubborn, other household products should be used. Lemon, vinegar and baking soda are natural degreasers and you will get great results with them. Clean the oven regularly with warm water containing either white vinegar or lemon. It is about white vinegar because other types of vinegar leave stains. In addition to disinfecting, lemon juice also protects surfaces from mould and is a natural flavouring agent.
Baking soda is one of the best cleaning agents and is often used during Autumn cleaning too. It removes tan and odours, grease and stickers. In the evening, make a mixture of ¼ cup water with ¾ cup baking soda and ¼ cup salt. Clean the inside of the oven with a damp cloth and spread the paste generously all over. Leave it on overnight and in the morning remove any dirt quickly and easily. You won’t have to scrub hard as the paste will help you polish the oven effortlessly.
This method is effective because it does not take much time, and the effort required to remove the dirt is significantly less. This is so as the paste softens and breaks down the dried stains and grease. In addition, this homemade oven cleaning paste is completely safe and environmentally friendly, unlike preparations that contain toxic ingredients and harmful substances.
Cleaning the front oven glass
At the same time as cleaning the oven, you can clean the unpleasant brown plaque from the front glass by smearing it with a mixture of baking soda and warm water. You can apply this mixture on the glass and wait for about 30 minutes. Then just wipe off the dirt – it won’t be difficult because it will break down completely.
For a more thorough cleaning of old and dried oven stains, you will need vinegar and baking soda. Mix them and apply on the spots. It is good to wait at least 30 minutes for the mixture to work and soften the dirt, then wipe with a cloth or household sponge.
Another way to quickly clean the oven is with a solution of water, baking powder and a mix of lemon juice and baking soda. This homemade “preparation” will help clean the oven in less than 20 minutes. Rub the mixture into the inside of the oven. After waiting for some time, wipe with a soft cloth. The oven is not only clean, but also fragrant.
Final words
If you can’t handle all of the above methods only with a towel, you should also use a brush. But then it is imperative that you put on safety glasses. In addition, no matter how safe the home cleaning products are, it is still good to use household gloves. All of them will be effective only when the oven is cleaned regularly. Finally, of course, you should wipe with a cloth soaked only in water to remove the residue of the cleaning products you used.
In the meantime, if you decide to use some professional help with your home cleaning, feel free to contact us and request a free quote. You can find more info about our cleaning services at Merci Cleaning or on our flagship Facebook page.
