How do you clean an oven that doesn't have a self clean feature?

Well; you go to the store and buy a can of Oven Cleaner… cover your mouth ‘n nose… and spray the oven down real good… then wipe it off and your oven is clean….

However; be sure to read the Directions as the time varies etc on how long to leave the cleaner on the over before wiping it off…

Brillo pad with any type of dish/kitchen cleaner will work fine

They make spray on Oven cleaner . You need to remove the racks and open the window. The fumes are terrible .

You can use oven cleaner,but I’ve also heard that you can set a bowl of ammonia in there overnight and it might wipe up easier the next day .Might;)

Click here- —————> + minimal grease supplied by elbow

It’s been shown that easy off and other “oven cleaners” are carcinogenic (ie they cause cancer) while a brillo pad and soap do not. Take your pick.

Or you can just turn your oven on to the highest setting it will go, and leave it there for about an hour. That’s pretty much what “self-clean” is anyway.

@La_chica_gomela OMG…that would bake things on even worse! That’s what makes a dirty oven in the first place. Baked on food. Self cleaning ovens are made differently. I just used spray on oven cleaner a couple weeks ago. I sprayed it on thick, shut the door for about an hour & it all came right off. It doesn’t smell THAT bad. I got the odorless lemon scent.

I’m with @La_chica_gomela on avoiding oven cleaners. I plan to clean my oven tomorrow with a chore boy and some SOS.

Good ol’ elbow grease.

@SuperMouse Keep me posted. I don’t envy you on that one. Get ready to scrub!

@jbfletcherfan: Haha. What do you think the self-clean setting is?

@jbfletcherfan you probably remember my turkey mishap at Thanksgiving, that’s what I am cleaning off! I need all the luck I can get! I tried to use the self-cleaning feature but within twenty minutes the house was full of smoke (I can still smell it in the garage) and there were flames in the oven. I turned it off and resigned myself to elbow grease.

I don’t know how to clean with or without the clean setting! lol

Wait. You clean the oven? When did people start doing that?

Use oven cleaner, spray liberally and let it sit for awhile. Then, if you get the good stuff, wipe it clean.

oven cleaner makes oven cleaning SO easy. and makes the oven look like new. watch out with ammonia (someone suggested using ammonia). the fumes are deadly. oven cleaner also can be used on the barbecue grill’s racks

Yeah I would use the oven cleaner, wear a mask if you are worried about the fumes. As infrequently as I clean my oven, I think I am pretty safe from the bad side effects!

Oven cleaner, a respirator and a good arm workout with Scotchbrite pads. The metal in the Brillo pads might scratch the enamel coating of the oven.

Safety goggles and an auto-body grinder.

@rooeytoo Not just a mask. An actual respirator with organic (charcoal) cartridges.

I want to take the oven cleaner route – so much easier then having to scrub for hours, but I can’t help but wonder about it. If I have to wear a respirator to use the stuff that is a concern. I mean won’t there be some residue on the oven that will bake in to the food? This is a real concern for me – not flame bait.

@SuperMouse : it cleans up like brand new. residue wipes right off. also, i have found you don’t need a respirator with oven cleaner.

I agree with all of you who have said go with the oven cleaner, as I did. SM…you shouldn’t be concerned with residue in your food. Just rinse the oven real good after you’re done. Also, I use those aluminum oven liners to catch spills. You can just throw them away. PERSONALLY, I never want a stove with a self-clean oven. The cleaners work good, and they ARE safe.

@ChazMaz You sound like you need some help there…..LOL.

@SuperMouse – I think you probably breathe as much crap driving behind a bus. Turn on your exhaust fan and leave the house while the oven is heating. The only important thing is if you have any birds, they are extremely sensitive to cleaning products so i would take them out of the house or definitely into another room and close the door. I have never worn a respirator or a mask but you can get fume proof masks, they have ratings on the package.

I actually scrubbed the oven out this morning with a chore boy scrubber and it worked pretty darn well. At least well enough that I can use the self-cleaning function.

i used to use a sponge and detergent, but after using EZ Off and seeing the oven shine, i’ll never go back. i saw on a cooking show Alton Brown talked about the importance of having a clean oven. he said when oven is greasy inside, the heat is absorbed by the grease and does not bounce or jump or whatever heat does off the oven walls properly.