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Even though it ’s a labor no one enjoys , cleaning your oven regularly is substantive . Grease and burnt - on food can produce smoke and odors that can affect the taste of your intellectual nourishment and , over time , the carrying into action of the gizmo .

For very dirty ovens with caked - on filth , the best answer is in all likelihood the oven ’s ego - cleansing setting or a commercial-grade oven cleaner . But an episodic steam cleaning may be enough to tackle minor spills and light soil . Best of all , steam clean the oven Army of the Righteous you avoid the toxic chemical witness in many commercial-grade oven cleaners and bring through the oven from the high temps and wear - and - binge of the distinctive ego - cleaning Hz .

A man with yellow rubber gloves cleans an oven.

Photo: Syda_Productions/Depositphot lev dolgachov

How Steam Cleaning Works

Steam cleaning relies on water and a hot oven to release steam into the oven ’s interior . The steam loosen up burn - on food and spills , which can then be wiped away with a damp cloth .

Some ovens have a built - in steam sporting oven setting , but you may harness the power of steam to clean your oven even if your oven does n’t have any exceptional features .   No matter what eccentric of oven you have , one of these three methods should do work for you . Here ’s how to clean an oven with steam the next time your oven needs a speedy refresh .

How to Steam Clean an Oven Using Water and a Baking Dish

This approach tocleaning an ovenwith steam does n’t require any special putz or high - end oven options . All it takes is a working oven , a wide , oven - good baking dish , and about an hour of your time .

with child , ovenproof bake dishful or bowlWaterVinegar(if using)Spongeormicrofiber clothScrubber padBaking soda pop

Step 1: Use a damp cloth to clean out loose debris.

Remove the racks so you’re able to sweep out any food particles and easy - to - wipe - up spills before you protrude . As the oven wo n’t touch the extremely high temperature needed forself - clean cycles , you could put the racks back in before steam cleansing using a baking dish — the steam may make it loose to cancel the racks clean later .

Step 2: Fill an oven-safe dish with water.

pour out about 2 dry quart of water into a broil dish and point it on the oven ’s in-between rack . Do n’t use a spyglass cup of tea or any other smasher that ca n’t withstand high temperature . If desired , sum up about ¾ cupful of distilled whitevinegarto help cut through grease and odor , but first check your oven ’s manual . Some maker monish that acetum may stimulate staining or discoloration of the oven liner . Then exit the oven door .

Step 3: Set the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Set the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit . As theoven heats up , the hot water will unloosen steam that will help loosen any grease or bake - on quite a little .

Step 4: Set the timer for 45 minutes.

Depending on how dirty the oven is , it may take a fiddling foresightful than 45 second . After the timer goes off , pass over at a few stains to see if they start coming up . Do this cautiously — the oven is still spicy . If the stains do n’t wipe away , shut down the threshold and wait another 15 instant . Otherwise , turn off the oven and let it cool enough for you to touch it comfortably .

Step 5: Wipe out the oven using a sponge or scrubber pad.

Remove the stand and make clean them separately . Then employ a dampspongeor cloth to wipe the open grime and gunk off the internal surfaces . Although the steam will have loosened the filth , you will still probably need to scratch stubborn discoloration with a scrubbing brush pad . For tough spots , scrub with a paste of baking sal soda and urine .

How to Steam Clean an Oven With a Handheld Steamer

If you own a handheld steamer , you already know how versatile this pecker is . But did you know that it can clean ovens as well as it cleans grout , roofing tile , toilets , and other hard surfaces ?

Handheld steamerDistilled waterSpongeCleaning cloth

withdraw the rack to give yourself space to work , and pass over away food particles before you start up . Clean the wheel separatelylater on — you could even put the hand-held steamer to work on them .

Using a bowl with water to steam clean and oven.

Photo: Ignatiev via Getty Images

Step 2: Fill the handheld steamer with distilled water.

It ’s generally recommended to use distilled piss in handheld steamer clam to prevent mineral buildup in the gismo , but correspond the operating instructions for your steamer .

Step 3: Choose the appropriate attachment.

Handheld steamers come with a miscellany of instrument . The most effective choice for cleaning oven are scraper or thicket fond regard designed for cleaning heavy surfaces .

Step 4: Turn on the steamer and wait for it to reach temperature.

More expensive handheld steamers may contact high pressures or provide the ability to modulate the atmospheric pressure . confabulate the substance abuser ’s manual for your steamer to watch the best circumstance for oven cleaning .

Step 5: Work the steam cleaner over the oven’s interior.

easy move the steamer clam over the oven ’s surfaces , using your fastening of option and softly scrubbing or quarrel broil - on food and grunge .

Step 6: Wipe up grime as you go.

Pause the steamer periodically to wipe up grime and condensation with a sponge orcleaning cloth . stay on steam cleansing and wiping until the interior is cleaned to your satisfaction .

How to Steam Clean an Oven With a Steam Clean Setting

Built - inself - cleaning cyclesare extremely rough-cut in today ’s ovens , but some manufacturers also tender a steam white selection . Steam - clean cycles are unremarkably about 30 minutes , much shorter than ego - cleaning cycles . Because they do n’t reach the extremely gamy temperature that self - cleaning cycles want , steam - clean cycles are also easy on the oven .

The specific step for steam cleaning an oven with a built - in steam - clean place setting change from one oven to the next , but here is the oecumenical summons .

Oven with steam - clean settingCleaning clothSpongeDistilled waterVinegar(if recommended by the oven manufacturer )

A person with yellow rubber gloves uses a steam cleaner to clean the interior of their oven.

Photo: iStock istockphoto.com

Remove the racks to give yourself quad to work , and wipe away food particle before you start . match the user ’s manual — you may be able to put the racks back in for the bicycle . If you ’re timid , leave them out and clean them separately .

Step 2: Pour distilled water into the bottom of the oven.

In most oven with build - in steam cleansing , you ’ll pelt 1 or 2 cup ( see the user ’s manual ) of distilled water like a shot into the bottom of the oven cavity . Check the manual of arms to see if the manufacturing business recommend add acetum to the water . recommendation change ; if in doubt , do n’t use acetum .

Step 3: Start the steam-clean cycle.

Select the steam - clean setting on the oven , and let it run for the full round . Cycle duration vary by model , but it ’s commonly about 30 minutes .

Step 4: Let the oven cool and wipe out the grime and any remaining moisture.

After the steam - cleaning cycle conclude , let the oven chill down a flake . Use a sponge or rag to wipe up any water and get rid of undo stain and grunge .

How to Deep Clean Your Oven After Steaming

While steam cleanup is a estimable way to refreshen up an oven between deep cleanings , it ’s not as effective as either a self - cleaning cycle or a exhaustive manual clean house withoven cleanerand lots of elbow grease . After steam cleaning the oven , you ’ll belike still have soil to dish out with . Here ’s a rundown of slur you may need to touch up .

How Often to Steam Clean Your Oven

How often you require to steam houseclean your oven depends on how much you use your oven andhow well you exert the appliance . In universal , running a steam - neat cycles/second every few month may countenance you put more time between rich cleanup , especially if you ’re right about wipe up spill promptly .

Final Thoughts

Steam cleaning an oven is a hard-nosed manner to take away dirt and grime without exposing yourself or others in your rest home to harmful chemicals . It ’s a cleaning alternative that exercise with any oven and does n’t involve any special tools or preferences . When steam strip an oven , remember to always allow the oven to cool off before wiping it out to avoid any burns or injury , and be careful when you ’re working with live body of water or steam .

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A stainless steel oven with a steam cleaning setting.

Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

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