You Really Should Be Cleaning Your Oven More Often

Despite being an appliance that you might use multiple times weekly, it's likely that your oven is still keeping secrets from you. For example, your oven's temperature is very likely inaccurate. On top of that, the seemingly benign layer of grease, incinerated drippings, and general ick on the walls, door, and bottom of your oven is potentially impacting your food, meaning that you should definitely clean your oven more frequently than you're doing.

Look, maybe you are out there being a model housekeeper and deep-cleaning your oven on schedule. Most of us are ignoring our ovens, when, in actuality, they should be thoroughly scrubbed every three months at minimum and spot-cleaned as necessary. Not only does this prevent odors of stuck-on grime from affecting the flavors of what you cook, it also keeps cooked-on filth from damaging the finish of your oven's interior. This is to say nothing of potential germs that can result from food residue sitting around and festering inside an enclosed space — gross!

Believe it or not, your oven's self-cleaning feature is not the best way to clean it. The high heat utilized by this setting can lock your oven up for hours, generate disgusting smells, and make your home uncomfortably warm. The best way to clean your oven is actually when it's warm, as the heat softens grease and caked-on filth, making it easier to wash off. There's no need to utilize harsh, caustic oven cleaners either. A simple paste of baking soda and hot water should be sufficient to remove most of the gunk in your oven. Remove all the racks and any liners you might be using, and gently clean the whole interior from top to bottom. The racks can be scrubbed in the sink with dish soap and hot water, and scoured with steel wool if necessary.

The first time you tackle cleaning your oven is likely to be the hardest if you've been neglecting its upkeep for a long time. Once you get it sparkling like new, however, maintaining the cleanliness is easy as can be. Simply set a recurring alert in your phone's calendar for every three months, and make a habit of getting down to business regularly. You might find that the task isn't nearly as onerous when you do it regularly, especially if you are diligent about spot-cleaning when you make messes.