I’m going to be honest: I don’t remember the last time I cleaned my oven. Its one of those appliances that you just forget to clean until the pizza cheese melts to the bottom of the oven and you suddenly remember that you need to actually maintain the machine. This includes cleaning the glass oven door which accumulates buildup over time from splattered food.
Meet The Experts
- Sara San Angelo is a professional home cleaner and founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady in Charleston, South Carolina.
- Jessica Ruenz is the former vice president of Maid Right.
According to the experts, you can’t clean a glass oven door in the same manner you’d clean the rest of your oven. Below, we’ve gathered tips on the best practices, how often to clean it, and what not to do.
What You’ll Need
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Dawn dish soap
- Non-abrasive sponge
- Optional: Stainless steel cleaner, such as Bar Keeper’s Friend
How To Clean The Outside Of A Glass Oven Door
Sara San Angelo, founder of the Confessions of a Cleaning Lady blog, suggests a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water to clean the outside of a glass oven door, using a microfiber cloth to wipe down the glass. “If your oven is stainless steel, you want to use a stainless steel cleaner like Bar Keeper’s Friend to wipe down the stainless steel parts,” she explains.
How To Clean The Inside Of A Glass Oven Door
Cleaning the inside of your oven door is easy but may require some elbow grease. “I like to mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda and water to make a paste—I also add a few drops of Dawn dish soap,” says San Angelo. “The baking soda is abrasive, and Dawn cuts grease. Spread it on the glass, and let sit for 15 minutes. Then, take a non-abrasive sponge and scrub. Wipe with paper towels or a microfiber cloth.”
If you find that the baking soda solution isn’t coming off as easily, Jessica Ruenz, former vice president of Maid Right, recommends creating a vinegar-and-water solution—one part distilled white vinegar to four parts water. “Dip a clean, lint-free cloth into the solution, and then rinse away the baking soda paste you used to scrub the surface clean,” she adds. “Then dry and buff the glass with a clean microfiber cloth to add a streak-free shine. Routine wiping away food particles and smudges with a damp cloth will help avoid the tougher deep cleaning later on.”
Don’t forget that there is a space between the front of the oven door and the inside. “Your oven door basically has two glass panes with space in the middle,” says San Angelo. “Sometimes that space can get dirty and grimy as well. Unfortunately, the only way to clean this part is to take the oven door off of the stove and clean it.”
How Often To Clean The Oven Door
How often you clean your glass oven door really depends on how often you actually use your oven and how messy your meals are. “If you are diligent in wiping away spills immediately, the frequency in which you need to clean the door will greatly diminish,” says Ruenz…