Kitchen design
How to Clean Your Oven Before Christmas
Before the busiest cooking day of the year, a clean oven heats evenly and stops last year's spills smoking. Methods from gentle to heavy-duty.
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A dirty oven smokes, smells and can even taint food. Cleaning it a couple of weeks before Christmas means it is ready for the turkey, without the fumes of a last-minute blitz.
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Check your oven type first
| Oven | How it cleans | Do not |
|---|---|---|
| Pyrolytic (self-cleaning) | Heats very high to burn residue to ash | Use oven cleaner inside it |
| Catalytic liners | Rough panels absorb grease at high temperatures | Scrub or spray cleaner on the liners |
| Enamel interior | Manual cleaning | Use abrasive pads that scratch |
Always follow the oven manual.
Gentle method: bicarbonate of soda
- Remove the shelves.
- Mix bicarbonate of soda with a little water into a paste and spread it over the cold oven interior, avoiding the heating elements.
- Leave overnight, then wipe away with a damp cloth. A spray of vinegar helps lift the last of it.
Heavy-duty: commercial oven cleaner
Wear gloves, open the windows and follow the label exactly. Many oven cleaners are caustic and should not touch skin, eyes or aluminium.
Shelves and door
- Soak shelves in hot water with washing-up liquid or a dishwasher tablet, then scrub.
- Clean the glass door with the bicarbonate paste and a plastic scraper.
Next, plan the big day with our Christmas dinner oven plan.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I clean an oven without chemicals?
Spread a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water over the cold interior, leave overnight, then wipe off and finish with a little vinegar.
Can I use oven cleaner on a self-cleaning oven?
No. Pyrolytic and catalytic ovens can be damaged by oven cleaner; follow the manual and use the self-clean cycle.
How often should I clean my oven?
A quick wipe after big spills, and a thorough clean every few months, or before heavy use such as Christmas.