How To Clean An Oven Without Baking Soda (4 Natural Ways)

How do I clean the oven naturally? Find 4 ways to clean an oven without baking soda.

Most of us don’t enjoy cleaning the oven, but since it must be done, I have been looking for natural ways to clean it.

If your oven smells strong or smolders when you cook something, these are signs that the food buildup in your oven is keeping it from properly doing its job.

Also, any noticeable food or grime in the oven should be cleaned out as soon as possible to keep it running efficiently.

Sometimes, even caked-on food can change the taste of the dish you are making, and when this happens, you know it is time to clean the oven.

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How to Clean An Oven Without Baking Soda

I have been searching online for the best ways to clean the oven without using harsh chemicals, and I have collected a few recipes that I want to try.

I have used just one recipe and I will let you know whether it worked or not.

1. Using Lemons to Clean the Oven

Lemon in a bowl with water ready to clean the oven

First fill a large, ovenproof bowl with water and cut two lemons. Place the lemons in the bowl.

Heat the oven to 250 degrees and once the oven is preheated, add the bowl to one of the racks. Do not disturb it for one hour.
After the hour has passed, turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly to allow it to cool.
While the oven is still slightly warm, put on gloves to protect yourself and wipe the inside of the oven with a scouring pad and washcloths.
Keep wiping until all the spots and filth are gone.

Does it work? Not sure, but my guess is that it can work if the oven is not very dirty (remains of burned food).

2. How To Clean An Oven With White Vinegar

Using white vinegar to clean an oven could help in removing dirt and grime.

First, remove the oven grates and use a vacuum (or a wipe) to clear out chunky debris at the bottom of your oven.

Utilizing a hand vacuum cleaner is a quick and easy trick to avoid scrubbing the bottom of the oven for large food debris.

Place one grate on the bottom rack of the oven and fill a large metal baking pan with hot water and half a cup of white vinegar.
Turn the oven on to 350 degrees, and let the water bubble to steam clean your oven.
Turn off the oven and quickly spray down the sides of the oven with equal parts white vinegar and water solution. Be cautious because the oven will still be hot!
Close the oven door and let the water and vinegar work for 30 minutes.
Once the oven has cooled, wipe down and you are done! If any hard-to-get-off spots persist, spray on a natural spray cleaner and scrub the area until clean.

Not sure how well this recipe will clean the oven until I have a chance to try it.

3. How to Clean The Oven With Salt

Salt in a bowl, hand-holding mineral bottled water ready to clean oven

Make a paste using salt and water. Ideally, you will use the same amount of each ingredient.

Now apply a generous amount of the paste to the walls and bottom of the oven. You can use it to clean stainless steel racks and glass doors, as well.

Allow the paste to work for a few hours. If there is still grime leave the paste overnight.

Does it work? This recipe works best on fresh oven stains but if your oven has burnt-on food or grease, you might have to do some scrubbing to get rid of all dirt.

If the grime persists switch on the oven for one hour. Wipe it with a cloth and repeat if necessary.

4. Using a Natural Based Cleaning Solution

If all of the mentioned methods to clean the oven fails, try a natural household cleaner.

First on your to-do list is to prepare your oven for cleaning. You will need to use some elbow grease to remove any large chunks of food debris from your oven.

Then you must soak your oven in the natural cleaning solution of your choosing.

A popular brand is Thieves Household Cleaner, which is made of all-natural ingredients, such as lemon oil, cinnamon oil, and rosemary extract.

Thieves Household Cleaner

Soak the oven in the solution for at least a couple of hours. If you have a very messy oven then letting the natural cleaner soak overnight in your oven is a better choice for high-quality results.
Gather your cleaning tools. You will need a scrubber, scouring pads, gloves to keep your hands dry and washcloths to get the job done. There will be a lot of mess to wipe up once the cleaner has done
its job.
Once you have let your oven soak in the solution, it is time to scrub! Slap on your gloves and use a scouring pad to wipe up all the grime and food buildup. You may need to use washcloths for any hard-to-reach areas in your oven.
Wipe and rinse your tools with warm water and keep scrubbing. This is especially important for your washcloths because they need a warm water rinse to stay relatively clean during the process.
Finally, wipe with a clean washcloth and survey your work. Your oven should look brand new or at least like a new oven to you!

Cleaning the Oven Grates

First, you must remove the grates or racks from the oven.

Fill a plastic tub that is large enough to hold the grates and fill it with very hot water and some all-natural cleaner.
Add in the oven grates and let them soak overnight for the best results.
Remove the oven racks from the plastic bin and scrub them with scouring pads or steel wool to get rid of heavy-duty grime on the grates. The oven grates usually have the most grime on them, especially if you do not use baking sheets when cooking or baking in your oven.
If you have any problems getting rid of grime, squeeze some lemon juice or vinegar on the grate and let it sit there for at least 30 minutes. Then try scrubbing again. The acid in the juice is very beneficial in getting rid of stubborn messes.

Other house cleaning tips you might want to use

5 Tips to Keep The Oven Clean

A clean oven is a necessity for your kitchen and these tips will help you keep it clean for longer.

Try to keep the food covered at all times to prevent spills.
Keep your oven clean by always using a baking sheet or cookie tray to avoid food from falling onto the grates or the bottom of the oven.
Remove the rack you are not using from the oven before cooking.
Cover the racks you are using with foil paper.
Wipe down any food that spills immediately after it happens for a quick and easy cleanup.