Cleaning your oven is one of those chores that is easy to put off. You only briefly look inside it a couple of times a day at the most, so it’s easy to let the problem remain out of sight and out of mind. But I’m here to tell you that cleaning your oven is actually way easier than you might think!
Today, I’ll be showing you a super-easy way to clean your oven that doesn’t require expensive store-bought cleaners or massive amounts of elbow grease.
What are the keys to this method? Simple household ammonia and time. (This method actually has a lot in common with the way I clean my nasty stove burners!)
Related: This Is the Easiest Way to Clean Your Stove Burners
Inexpensive ammonia helps to loosen and dissolve those tough baked-on messes inside your oven. Instead of scrubbing for hours, you’ll be able to wipe your oven clean in just a few minutes. Although this homemade oven cleaner doesn’t do all the work for you, it does make a difficult job much, much easier!
But before I show you how it’s done, let’s get a couple of important warnings out of the way:
- If you have a gas oven, make sure the pilot light is out and the gas has been turned off before you start cleaning.
- Never mix ammonia with other strong cleaning agents, such as bleach or commercial oven cleaners.
- Work in a well-ventilated area. At the very least, open up the windows while you work.
Okay, now let’s get started! :-)
Related: This Clever Oven Cleaning Hack Makes It Easy to Do the Impossible
How to Easily Clean Your Oven
You’ll need:
- Ammonia
- Baking dish
- Pot of water
- Dish soap
- Scrubbing pad or sponge
- Cleaning gloves
Directions:
Step 1 – Prep
Start by preheating your oven to 150°F. While the oven is heating, put your pot of water on your stovetop and bring it to a boil.
When the oven has reached 150°F, turn it off. Pour 1 cup of ammonia into a baking dish, then place the dish on the top rack of your oven.
Finally, place the pot of boiling water on the bottom rack of your oven, and close the oven door.
Step 2 – Wait
You’ll want to give the ammonia and hot water several hours to work their magic inside your oven. The most convenient way to do it is to do the prep right before you go to bed, and let it sit overnight.
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Step 3 – Empty the Oven
In the morning, open your oven and remove both the bowl of ammonia and the pot of water. (But don’t dispose of the ammonia; you’ll want to use it later!)
Remove the oven racks as well, and leave the oven door open to air out for about 15 minutes.
Step 4 – Scrub
Now that the ammonia has had time to work its magic, it’s time to scrub all that nastiness away.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of dish soap to the dish of ammonia, along with a quart of warm water. Then pull on your cleaning gloves and grab a scrubbing pad.
Dip the scrubbing pad into the ammonia mixture, and use it to wipe away the softened grease and grime along the sides and bottom of the oven. (It should be a fairly easy job at this point!)
If you’re willing to give it a try, I promise this will be the easiest way to clean your oven you’ve ever tried! (And if your oven racks look like they could use some love too, check out the link below!)
Related: An (Almost) Effortless Way to Clean Your Oven Racks
Bonus Tip: Remove Your Oven Door
If you’re having a hard time reaching the back of your oven, you can make it much easier by removing the oven door. I know, it sounds complicated – but it really isn’t! To remove the door from the oven at our studio, we simply pulled it all the way open, then used a grilling fork to pry open a latch on each side. It came right off, and was very easy to put back on.
If your oven door doesn’t have latches like ours, just Google “remove oven door on [your oven make and model]” and I’m sure you’ll find the right instructions!
How often do you clean your oven?
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I have a question:
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does this oven cleaning method work on Self Cleaning ovens?
I live in a rental and the previous owner, also a previous renter NEVER cleaned the oven. It’s seriously bad.
I refuse to turn on the self clean because of the really bad odor (have had them before) and I don’t want to use a commercial oven cleaner on due to the chemicals and it’s not my oven.
Kathi, it definitely works on self cleaning ovens. Don’t forget to allow good air circulation in the area.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The oven method is just genious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I know ammonia is dangerous for pets, the smell, fumes, etc. is there any alternatives you would recommend that would clean your oven as thoroughly and effectively as ammonia?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Julie, I understand your concern. Here is a way to use baking soda to clean your oven.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Use Baking Soda to Clean Your Oven
Thank you! That worked so well! I waited much too long to clean my oven. I have one spot that did not budge. Suggestions? Thanks again for your innovative, inspiring ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Got it. I generously applied Bartender’s Friend. Then soaked one of your fabulous waffle towels in hot water, and applied the wet (not wrung out) towel on top of the Bartender’s Friend area. Let it soak for a couple of hours and now I have a clean oven!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I saw this again and my oven is a gee-holy mess! I was taking peanut butter cookies and moving them around and one fell off and went on the bottom of the oven and in-between the door. I was so mad! After all of the Christmas baking and all, my oven really needs an overhaul and I am living in a rental house, so I have to keep everything clean. This suggestion and instructions will really help me. Thank you for all of your suggestions.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just a note about your post on addiction; we are all imperfect in God’s eyes, but his love and his sacrifice made us perfect. Your road was painful I saw that, but we all have pasts we are not too proud of. But it is what we do with them and who we become that makes us into the people we are today. God bless you and thank you for sharing yours with us. We love you, Jillie, your suggestions have made all of our lives much easier. You are who you are today, with us, because of what you went through. Your life is an inspiration and you have a beautiful family too.
i just use my self-cleaning oven and it works great. I thought most ovens were self-cleaning these days. Is that bad to do or something?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a great idea. However I have a question. I suffer from asthma. Will I be affected by ammonia fumes in the morning when I open the oven door?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, I would avoid working with ammonia if you have asthma. Just to be safe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Leave in warm water and OXY clean works great
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is there a Certain type of ammonia you get ?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just finished cleaning the oven with this method & boy, was I surprised & very pleased with the result. Even though I have a self cleaning oven, it never left my oven this clean! Thanks for the tip! Will definitely try others ….like for the oven racks with ammonia in a trash bag!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thats great. 1st time I have seen a site that has hints for just about everything.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks. from (kiwilass)
Thank you April!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi, Love your site. Great tips for us in New Zealand.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does the ammonia clean the oven door quite well, or would you have to scrub it really hard.
It takes care of the door, too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does the oven stay ON at 150 all night?….It isn’t clear to me….
What is best for wiping away gunk? I’m embarrassed to say my oven is a mess, a sponge is not going to be effective. At least not at first. I thought about newspaper, or perhaps a roll of paper towels?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Newspaper or paper towels would be great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have placed a bowl of ammonia in a large garbage bag with my grill grates and let them sit over night or 24 hours. This works well. I’m going to give it a try. My oven isn’t that dirty so we’ll see.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Tried it and it was ok. But had some burnt on pie filling (sugar, etc) that would not come off. Any other ideas for that?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Try Barkeeper’s Friend! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have breathing problems and the ammonia would really provoke an attack. What could be used in its place? Also would a mask help avoid the ammonia fumes?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ammonia is the only thing that will really work with this particular method. I would suggest a good scrub with Barkeeper’s Friend instead :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillie
Is there anything i can substitute for ammonia, even if less effective, because i dont know where to buy it. I’m from UK living abroad, i wouldn’t know where to go for it.
Thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I trust you so much, Jillee, and am forever singing your praises. That having been said, I’m stuck on this: since the gas and pilot light are off, tell me what’s behind preheating to 150 degrees?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can preheat the oven first, and then turn off the gas and pilot light :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thankyou so much for this! our oven need to be fix because the self cleaning system stop working yesterday. Tried this last night and this makes so much easier to clean the oven. Thankyou again!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried this today! It works!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a self cleaning smooth cooktop stove. I love this stove and the double oven but…the whole circuit board went out and I could not cook anything until the part came in. After being fixed and everything working again, my friend, the appliance fix it guy, told me I should Never use the self cleaning cycle but clean the oven by hand washing. What??
Please log in or create a free account to comment.He told me that this is such a common problem and if I used the self cleaning option I would be seeing him again to come and fix the stove.
Jillee always has an answer for everything and I’m going to try this method with ammonia. Jillee always seems so excited to clean that you find yourself wanting to clean.
My husband repairs commercial kitchen equipment and he also does not warn me to use the self cleaning option. It damages the equipment. Thankfully he will clean the oven!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have an older dog and cat inside all the time, will it be safe to do this with them inside the house?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you can keep your pets out of the kitchen, then it will be okay! :-) The fumes won’t harm your pet, as long as you don’t mix the ammonia with bleach – mixing the two could be toxic for both pets and humans.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does this method release any strong ammonia odors? I just worry about it bothering my cat!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks.
Yes, the ammonia smell is pretty strong!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It helps to use very cold ammonia.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tip for cleaning ovens; a terrible job otherwise! Also, I admire your courage to go public with your addiction. You inspire others to follow in your path. God bless you!
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