Sometimes it seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. In the modern world of work, commuting, meetings, family commitments and socialising it can be tricky to maintain the daily upkeep of the house; let alone the dirtier jobs that can monopolise our precious weekends and days off. It’s understandable then that we’ll take any means necessary to reduce the workload we’re faced with when trying to keep a clean and tidy home.
The odds are that at some point we will all experience a disaster when cooking something in the oven. It is likely that it has left the oven looking a little worse for wear. Whether it be spilt food, grease or grime it is important to keep the oven clean by removing bits of food from it straight away. Not doing so may result in bits of food becoming further baked-on each time the oven is used. It may even give off an odour that affects the taste of any other food cooked in the oven!
Here are five mistakes made when cleaning the cooker, and how to avoid them.
Avoid using the self-cleaning option
Self-cleaning ovens were first seen in the early 1960s. They work by heating up the oven to a high temperature to burn off the dirt and grime. The resulting ash produced can then be brushed away. The side panels inside the oven have a special coating that repels dirt and withstands extreme temperatures.
To avoid any mistakes using the self-cleaning option it is important that you make sure that the kitchen is properly ventilated. Using the self-cleaning option may give off harmful chemicals or produce smoke from the ash generated by burning off the bits of food, and could potentially set off the smoke alarm if you are not careful. Before using the oven for the first time, it is important to read the manual not just for how to use it, but also how to care for it. If you do use the self-cleaning option, then it is important that you follow the instructions in the oven manual.
Not cleaning your oven
It may seem obvious but not cleaning your oven can be a mistake. While it may be easy to rely on using the self-cleaning option; not all ovens have this feature. Not cleaning an oven for a long time may mean that any food spillage or grime will pile up. What you wind up with is a crust over the surface of the oven’s interior. No one wants this happening. If the oven is heavily stained or has a stubborn mess, there is only one option left. That is, keep things simple and clean the oven yourself.
If you are going to clean the oven by hand then having done so you should continue keeping it clean. One way of doing this is to set yourself a schedule for regularly cleaning the oven and thereby avoid having to repeat all of that hard work!
Avoid strong chemicals where possible
Most conventional oven cleaners will usually take care of even the most difficult of baked-on grease and grime, although strong industrial cleaners contain harsh chemicals such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Having such chemicals in the home can be a potential hazard - especially if there are young children in the household. With these stronger types of oven cleaners, it is advised you keep them well out of the way of smaller hands!
If you prefer to stay clear of stronger types of cleaning products, there are natural cleaners available that can be just as effective. The simplest is soap and warm water. If this will not do the job, then you could try using baking soda and vinegar. Combined with some elbow grease it should be possible to clean the most stubborn grime from ovens. If you want to avoid causing any damage to the oven, it is important to follow the instructions in the manual that came with it. Most manuals include a section on how best to clean and care for your oven.
Prevent oven messes
When it comes to avoiding mistakes cleaning the oven, the best way of doing this is not to make a mess. If cooking a casserole dish do not place it on its own on an oven rack. You could try placing it on a cooking sheet. This will keep the sauces from spilling over onto the surface of the oven. Lining the bottom of the oven can capture any spills when cooking a dish that might spill over and cause a mess.
Should you be unlucky and experience a minor spill in the oven then wipe it up straight away. Doing this will prevent the mess from hardening and becoming harder to clean up later.
Avoid cleaning the oven when the kitchen is busiest
If you need to clean the oven, then it is best doing so when the kitchen is not going to be busy. Doing this, it is best to keep children and pets out of the kitchen while you are cleaning the oven. If you are using the oven’s self-cleaning option, you need to be aware that it can get very hot. For that reason, you don’t want children or pets underfoot. Also, so that you and your family do not breathe in any of the cleaning fumes or bothered by any burning smell given off, opening the windows will help to air out the kitchen.
Have I missed any pitfalls to avoid when cleaning your oven? Let me know in the comments!
The oven is one of the centerpieces of your kitchen – a culinary temple, if you will – and as such ought to be respected and well-maintained. Months of oven use without adequate cleaning can result in build-up of grease, fat and crumbs, which when ‘cooked’ will turn into carbon. Leaving carbon to remain in your oven can have a nasty effect on your food and may even catch fire, as well as being rather unpleasant on the eye! With this article, I hope to provide you with a comprehensive and fool proof guide on how to keep your oven in good as new condition with minimal effort!
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