Chemical free oven cleaning?

[buliej]

Is there a way to clean an oven without chemicals? How hard is it to do?

[Swoop]

Ah, there was a thread about this a little while back... not sure where now though. I do remember the best bit of advice in the thread was to put a bowl of water in the oven when it's hot and once it's cool the grime will come off more easily. DH just cleaned ours using a wire scourer and a bit of elbow grease recently - it came up great and best of all I didn't have to do it

[appletree]

I have done ours with bicarb soda and it came up great! Was hardly any elbow grease required!

[buliej]

thanks!

Appletree - Do you mean a paste of bicarb and water? did you use it with steel wool or just a sponge or chux type wipe? did you have to heat the oven at all?

[luna moth]

I use a bicarb and water paste, spread it all over and wait five minutes. Then scrub off with a scourer. If there's any rsidue, I use a rag soaked in vinegar and wipe over the top of it with that.

I did heat and steam it first, but I don't honestly know if it makes a difference.

Oh, and for the racks, I put them in the laundry sink with bicarb and hot water, then soak and scour when they're cool. appletree's aunty has a nifty trick for cleaning racks, but I can't remember it.

[buliej]

Thanks!

[~Hestia~]

My DH has got at ours with our steam mop with the scourer attachment, did a great job!

[buliej]

That is interesting - but how did you maneuver the mop around the oven???

[~Hestia~]

The mop head part come off so you're only left with the long thin nozzle, then just pop attachment on the end. It looked tricky to move it around such an enclosed space but he made it work!

[Visitor7]

I use a bicarb and water paste, spread it all over and wait five minutes. Then scrub off with a scourer. If there's any rsidue, I use a rag soaked in vinegar and wipe over the top of it with that.

I did heat and steam it first, but I don't honestly know if it makes a difference.

Oh, and for the racks, I put them in the laundry sink with bicarb and hot water, then soak and scour when they're cool. appletree's aunty has a nifty trick for cleaning racks, but I can't remember it.

That's how we clean our oven as well

[Liz]

Depends what you call chemical free. I scour ours with dishwashing liquid (steaming is probably a good idea to help loosen it). And the racks I soak in laundry washing powder overnight (no scrubbing required.. it just falls off! Just a light rub gets the remainder off.. and maybe a toothbrush for the fiddly bits). Have thought about spraying a laundry powder solution over the inside of the oven as well next time. Might help lift it more easily.

[appletree]

I use a bicarb and water paste, spread it all over and wait five minutes. Then scrub off with a scourer. If there's any rsidue, I use a rag soaked in vinegar and wipe over the top of it with that.

I did heat and steam it first, but I don't honestly know if it makes a difference.

Oh, and for the racks, I put them in the laundry sink with bicarb and hot water, then soak and scour when they're cool. appletree's aunty has a nifty trick for cleaning racks, but I can't remember it.

Yep, this is what i do too, been a while since i last did it though

I will have to check with my aunt what she does with those racks, she is queen of the clean so i am sure its something good!