When the grimy glass door of your oven makes it difficult to see the food cooking inside, it’s clear that ol’ grease joint is long overdue for a thorough scrubbing.
While cleaning microwaves is easy enough, getting rid of the baked-on grime in your oven toaster grill is no small task. The grease spots embedded on the glass door often seem to have become a part of the door itself.
You can’t get away from having to do a thorough scouring when it comes to cleaning your oven, but can use some hacks to make the job considerably easier. You’ll be able to reap the benefits of your hard work when you have a clean oven in which to bake potatoes or roast pumpkin seeds.
Simple household cleaning agents like baking soda, vinegar, dish soap and even Windex are considerably cheaper and safer when compared to specialized oven cleaners available in the market.
Commercial oven cleaners are highly caustic and may cause burns upon coming in contact with the skin. You know it’s harsh when the instructions label is overflowing with directives, cautions and warnings.
Using basic household cleaners are quite effective when used the correct way. Be sure to turn off the unit and let it completely cool down before you start cleaning.
Before you begin, also remove the attachments like the thermometer, grill racks, pizza stone, pans and crumb tray from the unit. Some of the removable items can be run through the dishwasher. Others can be soaked for a few hours in a tub full of hot soapy water and then scrubbed for easy stain removal.
Here are four safe and simple methods to clean your oven toaster and grilling (OTG) unit.
Contents
Method 1: Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is extremely good at degreasing surfaces, which makes it a versatile cleaning agent for a score of cleanup jobs. It cuts through stains and is good at absorbing stubborn, old smells. This makes it ideal for cleaning an OTG that is packed with tough, dried-up grease stains.
Things you’ll need:
- Baking soda (degreaser, stain-remover and deodorizer)
- Water
- Household sponge
- Towel
Step 1. Sprinkle baking soda on the grimy surfaces
- Cover the grimy surfaces of your OTG with a liberal sprinkling of baking soda.
Step 2. Scrub with a damp sponge
- Dip a household sponge in some water and scrub the grime on the oven surface.
- At this point, you may need to let the damp baking soda sit for about 1 hour to loosen old grease stains. If the stains are particularly stubborn, you can let the baking soda sit for a few hours or even overnight.
- Scrub again with the sponge until the stains come off completely.
Step 3. Wipe clean with a damp towel
- Wipe the unit clean with a damp towel to remove the lingering baking soda residue. Rinse out the towel as often as needed until you’ve cleaned up all the residue.
- Let the oven completely dry before plugging it in for use.
Method 2: Use Windex and a Soap Solution
The ammonia and alcohol present in Windex makes it a great option for cleaning the glass door and exterior of your OTG. Ammonia is very effective at loosening grease stains baked onto the glass door. By using Windex, you get the benefits of ammonia without the unpleasant odor.
You can then use a mild soap solution to remove the traces of ammonia and other cleaning agents present in Windex.
Things you’ll need:
- Windex (cleaning agent)
- Mild soap solution
- Old toothbrush
- Dish towels – 2
- Towel
Step 1. Clean the exterior of the glass door with Windex
- Liberally spray Windex on the exterior of the glass door.
- Scrub the grime and grease stains with an old toothbrush.
- Wipe away the mess with a coarse dish towel.
- Repeat the process multiple times to clean the entire exterior surface of the glass door.
Step 2. Clean the greasy interior of the glass door with Windex
- Pull open the glass door and spray it liberally with Windex.
- For stubborn grease spots, you may let it sit for 1 hour or more to loosen the stains.
- Get to scrubbing with an old toothbrush to remove the stains.
- Wipe away the mess with the dish towel.
- Repeat the process with any lingering grease spots.
Step 3. Remove any Windex traces from the door with a soap solution
- When the glass door is cleaned to your satisfaction, spray it liberally with a warm soap solution to clean up the traces of Windex and its chemicals.
- You can make a cleaning solution by mixing 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap with 2 cups of warm water in a spray bottle.
- Spray both the interior and exterior of the glass door with the soap solution.
- Wipe it clean with a fresh dish towel.
Step 4. Clean the exterior of the unit with Windex
- Spray Windex on a towel. It is not advisable to spray the Windex directly onto the exterior of the unit, as it may reach the heating elements and damage the appliance.
- Wipe the top and the sides of the unit with the Windex-soaked towel to remove dirt as well as any greasy film.
Method 3: Use Vinegar
White vinegar has a lot of day-to-day cleaning applications, including cleaning your toaster grill. It cuts through the grease and is a good stain remover. Vinegar will also take care of the odors that have taken up residence in your oven. You won’t have to put up with the smell of vinegar for long either, as it dissipates within an hour.
Things you’ll need:
- Distilled white vinegar (degreaser, stain-remover and deodorizer)
- Hot water
- Scrub pad
- Dish towel
Step 1. Dilute vinegar in a spray bottle
- Pour vinegar into a spray bottle.
- Pour in an equal amount of hot water.
- Put the spray nozzle back on and give it a couple of shakes.
Step 2. Spray the interior with the vinegar solution
- Spray the side walls with the hot vinegar solution. If the stains are firmly worked in, spray the solution on them and let it sit for a while.
Step 3. Clean the interior with a scrub pad
- Scrub off the stains with a scrub pad. You may need to put your back into it in order to remove the most stubborn stains.
Step 4. Wipe away the mess with a dish towel
- Wipe away the mess with a dish towel.
- Let the oven dry completely before plugging it in for use.
Method 4: Use a DIY Cleaner
A simple dish soap solution also works well to clean a toaster grill unit. Most dish soaps are formulated for maximum degreasing and are capable of tackling a variety of cooking-related stains. You can also add baking soda and vinegar to give your cleaning solution an extra kick.
Things you’ll need:
- Liquid dish soap (all-purpose cleaner) – 2 tablespoons
- Water – 2 cups
- Distilled white vinegar (degreaser, stain-remover and deodorizer) – ¼ cup
- Baking soda (degreaser, stain-remover and deodorizer) – 1 tablespoon
- Scrub pad
- Dish towel
Step 1. Mix soap and baking soda into water
- Add 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap to 2 cups of water.
- Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to it as well.
- Mix well to dissolve the soap and baking soda into the water.
Step 2. Transfer the solution to a spray bottle and add vinegar to it
- Pour the soap solution into a spray bottle. You may use a funnel to prevent spills.
- Pour ¼ cup of white vinegar into the spray bottle.
- Put on the spray nozzle and shake the bottle a couple of times to mix the vinegar into the solution.
Step 3. Scrub the grimy interior with the cleaning solution
- Spray the cleaning solution on the scrub pad until it’s almost saturated with it.
- Scrub the side walls, back wall and other surfaces inside your oven until the grime loosens completely. Keep clear of the heating elements while doing so.
Step 4. Wipe away the mess with a dish towel
- Wipe the interior with a dish towel until the entire mess is removed from the surfaces.
Tips
- Completely power down the oven and let it cool before tinkering with it. After cleaning, let it completely dry and air out before using it again.
- Keep clear of the heating elements to prevent damaging the appliance.
- Periodical cleaning will minimize the effort required to clean the oven.
- Clean fresh spills and splatters immediately to minimize the work later.
- You can also use ammonia to clean the oven. Be sure to wear gloves and ventilate the area while doing so.
- If you have a hard water problem in your area, make the cleaning solutions with distilled water.