How to get your oven sparkling clean without harsh oven cleaner

You don't need strong oven cleaner to get your oven clean. A paste of baking soda and water, spread over the grease and left overnight, will dissolve most of the baked-on grime. For the glass door, use the same paste, and if you're unsure whether you even need to scrub, it depends on whether the oven is pyrolytic, catalytic, or conventional. That determines the entire job.

Do I really need to scrub the oven?

It depends on what kind of oven you have. That's the most important distinction before you even grab a cloth.

• Pyrolytic oven. This has a special cleaning program that heats the oven cavity to around 500 degrees Celsius. All grease and spills are carbonized into a gray ash that you simply wipe out with a damp cloth afterward. You don't scrub the interior – you press a button and wait a couple of hours.
• Catalytic oven. The side panels (and sometimes the back panel) are coated with a porous material that breaks down grease splatters while you cook, as long as the oven is hot enough (above approximately 200 degrees Celsius). Never wash these panels with water or soap – it will damage the coating. The bottom, door, and glass, however, must be cleaned by hand.
• Conventional oven (enameled). Here, there's no automatic cleaning. The entire oven cavity, bottom, sides, and door must be washed manually. The good news is that smooth enamel releases grease easily when you soak it first.

If you don't know what kind of oven you have, check the instruction manual or the model number on a label inside the door. If you see a "Pyrolyse" or "Pyro" button, it's settled.

How do I clean the oven with baking soda and water?

Baking soda is the simplest and safest agent for a conventional or catalytic oven. Here's how:

1. Remove the racks and any baking sheets. Wipe out loose crumbs.
2. Mix about 4 tablespoons of baking soda with a little water to form a smooth, spreadable paste.
3. Spread the paste over the inside – bottom, sides, top, and inside of the door. Skip the heating elements and the porous panels of a catalytic oven.
4. Let it sit overnight, preferably 8–12 hours. The baking soda needs time to dissolve the baked-on grime.
5. Wipe out the paste with a damp cloth. For stubborn spots, you can spray a little vinegar on (only on enamel and glass) – it will fizz and loosen the residue. Wipe with clean water afterward.
6. Put the racks back when everything is dry.

If you do this regularly, you can avoid hard scrubbing altogether. For extra stubborn spots, it helps to heat the oven to 50 degrees Celsius for ten minutes before applying the paste.

Safety: Never mix bleach with anything other than water. Bleach and vinegar produce toxic chlorine gas, and bleach and ammonia (sal ammoniac) produce chloramine. For the oven, you don't need bleach or strong oven cleaner – baking soda and water are sufficient. If you do use a commercial oven cleaner, ventilate well and wear gloves.

How do I clean the racks?

The racks often get the dirtiest, but they are easy to clean. You have three methods:

Soaking does the job for you. After a couple of hours in hot water, much of the grease will come off with a sponge, and you won't have to scrub hard.

How do I get the glass door clean – even between the panes?

For the exterior, baking soda paste or a little dish soap and a cloth are sufficient. Streaks and discoloration between the panes are worse, as grease and condensation accumulate there over time.

Most modern ovens are designed to allow access to the space between the glass panes. Usually, there's either a hinged flap at the bottom of the door or a couple of screws holding a trim piece. Check your model's instruction manual before unscrewing anything. Once inside:

• Spread baking soda paste on the discolored glass and let it work for 15–20 minutes.
• Wipe off with a damp cloth, and polish dry with microfiber to avoid streaks.
• Put the glass and trim back exactly as they were. Make sure the glass is facing the correct way.

If you can't open the door without tools you're unsure about, it's better to leave it than to detach something. If you want your entire kitchen sparkling clean in the same way, you can read our guide to spring cleaning.

How often should I clean the oven?

The simplest rule: wipe up spills as soon as they happen, while the oven is still a little warm and the grease is still soft. This prevents it from baking on the next time you cook.

A little tip that saves a lot of work: place an oven tray or baking paper on the rack below when baking something that easily boils over. This catches the spill before it hits the oven bottom.

What about natural stone and other delicate surfaces around the oven?

Vinegar and citric acid are good against limescale and grease residues on glass and enamel, but they are acids. Never use them on natural stone, marble, granite, or slate – the acid etches the surface and leaves dull spots that won't go away. If you have a natural stone countertop next to the oven, wipe up any vinegar or citric acid spills immediately, and always test a product in a hidden spot first. For stone countertops, use mild soapy water instead.

Do you need help with more than just the oven?

A clean oven is often the start of a more thorough kitchen clean. If you're moving and want everything sparkling clean for handover, our move-out cleaning checklist helps you remember everything – and if you want to know what a move-out cleaning costs, you can find prices here.

One last piece of advice, whether you do the job yourself or hire help: if you use a cleaning company, check that it is listed in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Cleaning Register (Renholdsregisteret). Since July 1, 2018, it has been illegal, even for private individuals, to purchase cleaning services from a company that is not approved, and it is punishable by law. If you clean the oven yourself, you'll do fine with a box of baking soda, a little patience, and an evening where the paste can work overnight.