Photo: FotoSearch

Self-cleaning ovens do exactly what their name implies – they clean themselves. With a self-cleaning oven the days of spending hours scrubbing at baked-in grime are a thing of the past. All you need to do is set the timer and let the oven take care of itself while you get on with your day.

How it works

These ovens heat to a high temperature of around 900 degrees Fahrenheit to burn off any baking or cooking spills, without the use of chemicals. Depending on your oven’s make all you need to do is remove the grill, set the timer to clean mode, and leave the self-cleaning oven to do all the hard work.

Three easy steps

Photo: FotoSearch

The first thing you should do when you are about to set the oven to self-cleaning mode is open up the windows and take any pets out of the kitchen. An oven with a lot of stains will produce some smoke during the cleaning process. Then, remove the grill and set the timer. Don’t worry about the danger of anyone putting his or her hands inside a burning oven, as the door will be locked throughout the cleaning process. Finally, take a damp sponge and wipe off the ashy residue left behind.

A few tips

Photo: FotoSearch

After self-cleaning ovens have cleaned themselves, there are a few things one can do to ensure an absolutely spotless oven. The inside of the door should be cleaned, as well as the seal around the door, with a gentle cleanser. Putting aluminium foil on the bottom of the oven will prevent spillage, and lessen the time taken to clean the oven. And if you start the oven’s cleaning mechanism after you have been baking, you will save time and electricity.  The most popular range of self-cleaning ovens is made by Kenmore, and their website might be a good place to start if you are looking for a self-cleaning oven.

Cleaning your oven may not be your favourite chore but it’s a necessary one. Self-cleaning ovens save a lot of time and hassle, though, and cut out on your need to use detergents. For more on how self-cleaning ovens work, have a look at this useful video.

Tags: oven