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If cleaning your oven is one of your least favorite household chores, you’re not alone. Cleaning your oven can be a challenging task, but if you use the right oven cleaner, it can be less than an arduous process. Check out our review of the best oven cleaners on the market right now.
What’s The Best Oven Cleaner? Top 7 Revealed
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Cleaning your oven is not often a weekly kitchen chore, but it’s a dreaded one by many people with ovens. Depending on how dirty your oven is, the process to get it clean can be challenging, but the right oven cleaner can speed up the process and make it a little easier.
In our review, we reveal the best oven cleaner on the market and other top choices to help keep your oven clean. We also share some tips on how to make cleaning the oven your least hated household chore.
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Do You Need To Clean Your Oven?
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Not only is cleaning the oven one of the more dreaded household chores, but many people forget about cleaning their oven until smoke comes out of the oven door each time the oven is on.
You might be wondering how important it is and how often you should clean your oven. Most cleaning experts agree that how often you clean your oven is a personal preference and is also dependent on how often you use your oven.
If you don’t bake or cook in your oven on a regular basis, you can get by with cleaning it a few times a year. If you move into a new apartment or house that had previous tenants, you will want to clean your oven regardless of how often you plan to use it.
Use your oven daily? Be prepared to clean at least every three months, but the best oven cleaner can make it much easier. Here are some signs that it’s time to clean your oven:
- Grease and grime blocks your view through the oven window
- There’s a strong odor of burning food every time you turn on your oven
- The oven is visibly dirty with charred food on the bottom of the oven or on the racks
A dirty oven typically doesn’t interfere with how well your oven functions but it can affect how your food tastes, so sticking to a cleaning schedule is a good idea.
How We Choose Our Ratings
Browse the aisles of your local grocery or big box store, and you’ll notice there are at least a few oven cleaners to choose from, so how can you determine which one is the best oven cleaner? While all oven cleaners are designed to do the same thing, some are more “heavy-duty,” and others are more “eco-friendly.”
You should also consider that an oven cleaner that you purchase at your bargain store (like Dollar Tree) may not have the same cleaning strength as a cleaner that’s a few dollars more. With dozens of brands on the market, all promising to do the same thing, it can be difficult to decide which oven cleaner is the best.
To narrow down the options and pick the best oven cleaners available, we consider brand reputation, cost, and what other consumers like (or don’t like) about each oven cleaner. We also use a five-star rating system to rate the oven cleaners.
A five-star rating means that the cleaner exceeds our expectations and has overwhelmingly positive feedback from other consumers who use the oven cleaner. We only include top-rated choices in our review, so even if a cleaner on our list has a less than a five-star rating, it’s still a good oven cleaner to consider.
Top 7 Oven Cleaners
Whether you’ve never cleaned your oven or you’re looking for one that will help you get the job done, we’re confident that you will find at least one oven cleaner on our list that you will want to try out.
We start out with a few of our best picks and follow up with some other favorites.
Mr. Muscle Oven and Grill Cleaner
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Our rating is 5 out 5
Mr. Muscle oven cleaner is our top pick for ovens that need cleaning on a regular basis or those that have a large amount of tough buildup. The institutional, heavy-duty formula may not be for everyone, but it’s a great option for industrial or commercial surfaces (or if your oven is extremely dirty).
The self-scrubbing formula means less scrubbing for you, and it works quickly or can be applied and sit for a while on the oven or grill surface. This multi-purpose oven cleaner is effective at breaking down baked-on grease on ovens, grills, broilers, ventilation hoods, pots, pans, griddles, and fryers.
The unscented cleaner is designed to get rid of carbon food (burned on food), grease, and oil or smoke film. According to the manufacturer, the cleaner should only be used on oven interiors and on cold or warm ovens (not hot).
Mr. Muscle is not suitable for self-cleaning ovens, microwaves, or exterior surfaces. Avoid using the cleaner on chrome, aluminum, zinc, copper, plastic, or lacquered surfaces. If you’re unsure, you may apply a small amount as a test, but keep in mind that it might damage the surface.
While this oven cleaner is unscented, the fumes can be strong, so it’s best to use in a well-ventilated area, only as directed, and when using gloves.
Easy-Off Oven Cleaner
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Our rating is 5 out 5
Easy-Off is one of the most popular oven cleaners on the market and with a variety of formulas available, like heavy-duty, fume-free, and a grill cleaner, it’s not surprising that it remains a favorite. Easy-Off is also a popular option because it’s a budget-friendly cleaner with effective results.
Easy-Off is a fume-free cleaner but does have a lemon scent, which may be offensive to some with sensitivities to odors. Like most oven cleaners, Easy-Off should only be used on cold ovens. The formula is works well on baked on grease and food debris but is gentle enough for everyday spot cleaning.
This oven cleaner is safe for gas and electric ovens, but the heating element should be covered before you spray the formula in the oven. You can also use the cleaner on broilers and racks, but never in a microwave oven.
According to the manufacturer, Easy-Off should not be used on aluminum or painted surfaces, and if you’re in doubt, you can always do a small spot test on the surface.
Diversey Break-Up Professional Oven & Grill Cleaner
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Our rating is 4 out of 5
Break-Up cleaner has a heavy-duty institutional formula with self-scrubbing action that works fast and effectively on cold or warm ovens (this cleaner should not be used on a hot oven). Like other oven cleaners on our list, you can use Break-Up on grills, ventilation hoods, griddles, and fryers.
Break-Up has mixed reviews from other users about how effective it as on burnt food and other baked-on debris. Some think that it works better than brands like Easy-Off, while others note that you need to use “elbow grease” and scrub while using this product.
If you need to buy a heavy-duty in bulk, Diversey is a great choice for busy kitchens that use ovens all day long. Like Mr. Muscle, Diversey may be too “industrial” for home use, but it depends on your oven cleaning needs.
Carbona Biodegradable Oven Cleaner
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Our rating is 4.5 out of 5
Many people are hesitant to use oven cleaners due to the chemicals. While many high-quality oven cleaners are less “noxious” than a few decades ago, some still think the scent and formula is too strong. If you are looking for a more eco-friendly oven cleaner, Carbona may be a great option for you.
Carbona is manufactured in Germany and is SCS Certified biodegradable by the Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services. The ingredients in the oven cleaner include water, lithium sodium magnesium silicate, sodium ethylhexyl sulfate, sodium hydroxide, xanthan gum, and ethylhexanol.
The biodegradable formula comes in a non-aerosol spray bottle and works for both spot and deep cleaning. You should avoid using the cleaner on lacquered, plastic, aluminum, or damaged surfaces. This clean is suitable and safe for racks, oven interiors, and self-cleaning ovens.
Many consumers, who want a “safer” oven cleaner, choose Carbona and while many are satisfied with the results, you may need to spend a little time scrubbing your oven (depending on how dirty the oven is).
Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner
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Our rating is 4 out of 4
You’re probably familiar with Goo Gone products, and the Goo Gone oven cleaner is another good option if you’re looking for another biodegradable formula. The oven cleaner, which is VOC-compliant, is foaming spraying that sticks to hard-to-clean surfaces and breaks down burned-on food and grease.
The Goo Gone oven cleaner is safe for ovens, indoor or outdoor grills, oven doors, oven racks, and pots and pans. If you have stainless steel or self-cleaning oven, some oven cleaners are not safe to use, but Goo Gone is a suitable option.
Like other oven cleaners in our review, you should not use the cleaner on any heating elements, pilot lights, switches, thermostats, or on aluminum or painted metal. As you would with other oven cleaners, always spray a test spot if you’re unsure if it’s the right cleaner for you.
Weiman Oven & Grill Cleaner
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Our rating is 3.5 out of 5
The Weiman oven and grill cleaner is safe to use on oven doors, grates, broiler and drip pans, ceramic grills, trays, drawers, and handles. Not only does the formula clean your oven, but it also protects it from rust, deterioration, and bacteria.
Weiman’s oven cleaner is a great option for someone who wants a cleaner and degreaser, but some reviewers comment on needing to spray a surface numerous times and scrubbing to get the surface clean. While it may not be as powerful as other cleaners, it doesn’t have an offensive scent, which is a plus for many.
Astonish Oven and Cookware Cleaner
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Our rating is 4 out of 5
Astonish oven cleaner is originally a cleaning product from the U.K. but has gained in popularity in the U.S. Astonish cleaning products are well-known for being cruelty-free and with no harsh chemicals or odors. Astonish also claims to be safe enough to use without cleaning gloves, which is typically recommended when using other oven cleaners.
Astonish is suitable for use on oven enamel, glass, oven racks, Pyrex, and oven interiors. Since this cleaner is abrasive, you should avoid using it on plastic, non-stick coating, polished metal, or stainless steel.
Many people, who like Astonish, like the ease of use and lack of harsh chemicals but note that scrubbing is needed on tough, baked-on food and grease.
Buyer’s Guide
Before you decide which oven cleaner to purchase, it’s important to read your oven manual to see if the manufacturer recommends specific cleaners, or mentions some to avoid. If you don’t have a manual for your oven, you may be able to find one online or you can visit your local appliance store to see if a sales associate can help you or give you some additional tips.
As we already mentioned in some of our reviews above, if you are unsure whether or not a cleaner is safe for the interior of your oven it’s best to test out a small and inconspicuous area. Always read and follow the directions on your oven cleaner. As with most cleaning products, don’t mix with any other cleaning products.
Even if an oven cleaner is deemed “safe” to use without cleaning gloves, you should always consider wearing a heavy-duty pair of cleaning gloves, particularly if you have sensitive skin. It’s also a good idea to wear eye protection, to avoid getting oven cleaner in your eyes as you wipe or scrub your oven.
Most oven cleaners require adequate ventilation but even if your oven cleaner of choice is odor and fume free, you should consider opening a window or turning on a fan.
Self-Cleaning Ovens and Oven Cleaners
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Many cleaning experts agree that if you have a self-cleaning function on your oven, it’s a great feature to use but typically only when your oven is only a little dirty. A self-cleaning oven locks, heats up to a high temperature (over 500 degrees), and the high-heat loosens up and melts the build up in your oven.
If you have too much debris and grease in your oven, it could potentially start on fire during the self-cleaning function. Due to this high risk, and the chemicals in many oven cleaners, the majority of oven cleaners are not safe to use in a self-cleaning oven.
If you choose to use your oven’s self-cleaning function, be sure that you don’t have too much build up in the oven and if you use a cleaner, it’s important to use one for self-cleaning ovens.
The best way to get heavy buildup out of your oven is by using the right oven cleaner and using a little “elbow grease.” Once you have a clean oven, you can adopt a cleaning schedule and use the self-cleaning function safely.
Cleaning Your Stovetop
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When you’re deep cleaning your oven, you might also want to clean your stovetop. Before you use the oven cleaner on your stovetop, always make sure that the cleaner is multipurpose. While it might be inconvenient to have one more bottle of cleaner to store under your sink, the wrong cleaner can damage your stove top.
Tips For Cleaning Your Oven
If you’ve never cleaned your oven, you may benefit from some tips to get started. Once you choose an oven cleaner, don’t forget rubber cleaning gloves and protective safety glasses.
Since oven cleaner can damage a variety of surfaces, it’s best to protect your kitchen floor with something you can throw away, such as newspaper. When you clean your oven, keep pets and small children away from the kitchen.
Depending on the amount of buildup and the type of oven you have, you may benefit from cloth rags, sponges, or scouring pads. While many oven cleaners are designed to “spray and let sit,” you will most likely need to scrub your oven a bit.
Never apply oven cleaner to a hot oven and don’t start cleaning until you have thoroughly read through and understand the directions on the packaging. When you’re done cleaning your oven, don’t forget to rinse and wipe away any residue to prevent heating up any chemicals when you turn on your oven or have food come in contact with the chemical residue.Featured image via Amazon