Do not use the self-cleaning function of your oven

Ovens tend to be used a lot during the holidays, and between the turkey drips, drips, and spatter they can get quite dirty. And they may not be cleaned very often – in a survey by the American Cleaning Institute, 69% of participants agreed that there are areas of the house that they don’t clean, but should, and I guess the ovens are almost at the bottom of most our lists to clean. While technology has made cleaning easier these days, beware of one feature that sounds great: your oven’s “self-clean” option can be misleading.

Self-cleaning function is harder than you think

While the term “self-cleaning” may conjure up images of bubbles filling the oven and jets of water washing away dirt, your oven has no water hoses or cleaning fluid to clean up messes. The self-cleaning option actually uses immense heat – well above normal cooking temperatures – to break down food solids into ash for easy removal.

The oven is heated to 880 degrees Fahrenheit, burning food particles to dust. For security reasons, the oven can be mechanically locked until the unit cools to less than six hundred degrees Fahrenheit. If you are not prepared for it, it can cause chaos in the kitchen.

Twitter user @ 0mwac shared this experience:

Manasa reddigari, writer at BobVila.com, explains further:

These fumes emanate from both food particles and the enamel lining that covers the interior of the oven. The vapors circulating in the kitchen can irritate pets, children and adults, especially those with respiratory problems.

How to use the self-cleaning function correctly

If you are going to use it, there are a few things to consider make the process a little easier. Clean the oven regularly after baking and baking – no need a deep cleaning after each cooking, of course, but wiping down the oven will result in less buildup which can reduce the smoke level when using the self-clean option. If you haven’t cleaned your oven regularly, quickly wipe off crumbs and excess droppings beforehand.

Be sure to remove the stainless steel racks before self-cleaning. the high heat can damage or deform the oven racks, causing more headaches than cleaning is worth.

I spoke with Lowe’s Head of Department Juan Rivera, which makes its own steam cleaning setting through pay a cup of water at the bottom of the stove before activating the self-cleaning function. “This prevents ash from sticking to the bottom of the oven during high temperatures, and adds humidity,” he says, combine steam with the oven self-cleaning heat.

Consider steam cleaning instead

See if you have an oven with the steam cleaning option available, as steam uses lower temperatures to break up solids and provides a less abrasive option for cleaning your oven. “Since Steam Clean uses a lower temperature, the oven door does not automatically lock, as it does in self-clean mode,“Says GE Appliances. This is a less smoky option for oven cleaning.

Or just hand clean your oven

Spruce suggest cleaning your oven every third months, and even if you are not by rubbing with aggressive chemicals, there are others, simpler manners. Cleaning with vinegar and baking soda is an ecofriendly way to get rid of odors and fats.

“Sprinkle the base of the oven with baking soda. Spray vinegar on soda until it produces a light foam, ”green cleaning trainer Leslie Reichert Told USA today. Reichert suggests make baking soda paste and leave it on hard spots overnight. In the morning you can easily wipe out the oven. He’it takes a little longer, but maybe a less worrying option than starting your oven above 800 degrees. Independently how it’s done, your oven won’t really clean itself. It’ll take a little work.