Can You Clean An Oven With Bleach: Find The Answer To Your Burning Question
Cleaning an oven is one of the hardest things to clean in the kitchen. The hardened food residue and the grease of all the cooking that was done inside make it really difficult for you to clean the oven. That’s why a lot of people wonder whether can you clean an oven with bleach or not. The reason is that bleach is an effective cleaning product, and it makes people think about whether or not it’d be the best solution to this problem.
So, can you clean an oven with bleach? Yes, you can clean an oven with bleach but it’s not recommended that you do so. Here’ the thing. Bleach is a sanitizer and it’s intended to kill bacteria off surfaces. The chemistry of the bleach can not only damage the metal of the oven but it’d also be unsafe to use the oven as long as it isn’t completely dry. For that reason, your best option is to use a cleaning product intended to clean ovens.
Now, if you’re tired of having leftovers from your latest cooking experiments all over your oven, then this article is for you. Below, you can learn how to effectively clean your oven with methods that are a lot safer for you and your oven that doesn’t require bleach.
So, if you want to make sure that you increase the capacity and durability of your oven, you should give this a try. For instance, you should consider the oven cleaning products since they’re ready to be applied inside your oven and eliminate the grease and the hardened food residue.
Give Preference To Oven Cleaning Products
If you want to ensure that your oven gets the maximum durability possible, you should always lead with oven cleaning products. They’re made for this type of situation and those types of materials. You want something that will soften the food residue and will be able to eliminate the grease while it doesn’t damage the oven’s metal. The worst thing that can happen is you accelerating the rusting or the peeling of the metal.
Now, what you should do is apply the oven cleaning product and let it rest for up to 5 minutes. Then, all you have to do is to use a sponge to remove the residue and clean the oven completely. The reason this method is one of the best, perhaps, even the best is that it’s easy, fast, and practical to do it.
So, make sure you consider using an oven cleaning product before attempting anything else. It’s easy and fast to do it. All you need is to apply some of the product and then remove the dirt left behind. The Cerama Bryte is an excellent choice. It’s one of the best in the market because it cleans thoroughly, and you don’t need to be a cleaning expert to use it. Check it out on Amazon here.
Consider A Solution Of Baking Soda
If you don’t have an oven cleaning product available and want to do this as soon as possible, you can give a solution of baking soda a try. It’s an excellent method because it’s natural, pretty much everyone has it at home, and it works. The advantage of using the oven cleaning product is that if it damages your oven you can call the brand’s customer service. In the case of the baking soda, that’s not an option. Still, it’s a viable method that you can use from time to time.
Now, what you’re going to do is to dissolve a spoon of baking soda in water. Make a solution that you can spray in the oven. Apply it and let it rest for no more than 30 seconds. Once you’re ready, use a sponge or a cloth to remove the baking soda completely and the food residue with it.
So, make sure that you don’t let the baking soda solution in the oven too long because depending on your oven it can be abrasive to the material. As long as you make a solution with water and spray just enough, you’re good to go.
Lemon-Based Cleaning Products Work Great
Lemon in itself is a great ingredient for a cleaning product. When you get a high-quality cleaning product with lemon that can clean ovens, you get a powerful combination that can clean nearly anything. The citric element of the lemon helps you clean the grease and get through the hardened food spots. It can be so efficient that it looks like magic.
The only thing to worry about lemon-based products is the smell. If you don’t like it around food, it can be a downside after the first hours you’ve cleaned the oven. If you happen to like it, then it’s actually an advantage of using lemon-based cleaning products.
So, make sure that you use lemon-based products if you don’t oven cleaning products. You just apply them and remove them with the sponge right after. They’re better for cleaning the grease than the hardened food residue. The Easy-Off Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner is an excellent option for oven cleaning tasks. Take a look at it on Amazon here.
You Have To Get Through Hardened Food And Grease Without Damaging The Oven
The main problem that you’re going to face to clean an oven is the hardened food and the grease. The food residue that it’s still fresh and eventual dirt that can be found inside are not that hard to get rid of. What you need to worry about are hardened food and grease. They don’t go away with simple soap, and the kind of products that could remove them easily can damage the oven.
In this scenario, you’re left with a small selection of products that both clean the residues and don’t damage the oven itself. For instance, you have to worry about the metal and the paint. You don’t want your oven rusty or peeling off the pain. It’ll make it look old and ruined. That’s why you need to find the right cleaning products.
So, focus your efforts on finding great oven cleaning products that actually get your oven cleaned. They need not be abrasive and actually get things cleaned. After all, you can’t cook with a dirty oven. You’re taking the food you’re going to eat in there. If you need help, check the Weiman Cooktop Cleaner Kit. It’s a great oven cleaning product for people in a hurry. Just make sure to give it a look on Amazon here.
Bleach Can Only Be Used Diluted In Water
As we’ve mentioned, you can use bleach but shouldn’t. Bleach is made sanitize surfaces, which means kill bacteria. It wasn’t made to clean grease and food residue. Also, you can leave anything behind that could contaminate your food.
Now, if you must use bleach, you have to dilute it in water. Just a few drops of bleach in a gallon of water and spray it on the oven. The odds are that they won’t help with removing the food residue, but they’ll help with the grease.
So, just make sure that you consider cleaning oven products before you actually use bleach. Then, also make sure that you remove the bleach completely off your oven. Once everything is dry and bleach-free, you can use the oven again.
Remove The Racks And Clean Them Separately
One more tip for you, it’s to remove the racks and clean them separately. A lot of people forget to remove the racks. First of all, they make it harder to reach certain parts of the oven. Second of all, it’s easier to clean them out of the oven.
Take them to your kitchen sink and clean them there. Use cleaning products that remove grease. You just need a good sponge and the right grease removing product, and you’re good to go.
That’s it. Remove the racks and clean them separately in your kitchen sink. Make sure that you have a cleaning product that removes grease. The Zep Heavy-Duty Foaming Degreaser is the right choice for this. Grab yours on Amazon here.
Make Sure Everything Is Dry And Product-free Before Turning The Oven On
This is a final and quick tip, make sure that everything is dry and cleaning product free before turning the oven on. This reduces the risk of contaminating the food or having any sort of electrical or flammable product problem with your oven.
What you should do is to remove the product completely with a sponge. Maybe you can also use a wet cloth to remove any residue of the cleaning product that you’ve used.
So, once you make sure that your oven is dry and cleaning product free, you can cook in your new clean oven. It’s important to do this maintenance every week. Otherwise, you risk bacteria accumulation and attracting insects and rodents.
Final Thoughts
So, you can clean an oven with bleach, but you should do this. There are better methods like oven cleaning products, lemon-based products, and baking soda. These are all methods that are better and safer than cleaning an oven with bleach. Do this to increase the durability of your oven and the safety of your food.
