How to Use a Self Cleaning Oven

Learning how to use a self cleaning oven is a must.

There is no doubt that if you could avoid cleaning the oven, you would.

However, the caked on pie filling, spilled casseroles and who knows what else needs cleaning.

The task looks daunting. Scraping off that stuck on debris is not an easy task, but if you invested in a self cleaning oven, the task might be a bit easier.

Self cleaning ovens have heating elements that raise the heat to very high levels so as to burn off anything that is in the oven. In other words, the oven does the work for you.

Before Cleaning:

Before you start cleaning the oven, remember these tips.

Always follow the instructions provided in your owner’s manual for using this process.
Remove the oven racks. Unfortunately, you will need to use elbow grease to clean these.
Do keep a window open and remove any noticeable and easy to remove debris before starting the self cleaning feature. These ovens can smoke considerably during the process.
Be sure the oven has a lock. It should stay locked during the self cleaning process.
Only use mild dishwasher detergent if you need to wipe something out.
Never leave your home during the process.

How It Self-Cleans:

If you can’t make someone else clean the oven for you, it’s a great idea to use the oven’s self cleaning mode instead of scrubbing your fingers away.

The ovens work like this:

The oven heats to as high as 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat cooks off any type of debris in the oven, including food and spills.
The process leaves behind an ash which you can wipe out as soon as the oven has completely cooled down.

Starting The Self Cleaning Feature:

Now that you know these basics, the cleaning process is quite simple.

Remove the oven racks
Wipe out any large debris on the oven floor
Close the oven
Secure the lock/lever to enable the self cleaning feature
Turn your oven to the necessary setting for self cleaning

The self cleaning process can take several hours, but most ovens have timers that will count down and shut off automatically.

You will not be able to unlock and open the oven until the temperature inside has dropped to a safe level.

That is all there is to the process. Learning how to use self cleaning ovens is fairly easy, especially after you get through that initial first time. Once you see just how effective the process can be, you may be more willing to clean your oven!