Warm up to a self-cleaning oven
Holidays may not be the best time to clean them
But holidays might not be the best time.
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As homes across the USA prepare for the kitchen marathon that is Thanksgiving, many will look at the “self-clean” button on their grimy, food-stained ovens and wonder if this is the moment they’ll finally give it a try.
Though the internet is rife with horror stories of self-cleaning oven disasters, appliance makers stand by the reliability and benefits.
Whom should you believe? Given the amount of safety testing that ovens undergo before they hit shelves, I lean toward trusting the self-clean feature. An “I cleaned my oven and everything went fine” story will never go as viral as a tale of Thanksgiving catastrophe.
Still, you shouldn’t press that selfclean button without understanding how to prepare.
How does a self-cleaning oven work?
Not all ovens have a self-cleaning mode, but most that do use “pyrolytic” cleaning – intensely high heat that reduces even the most stubborn stains to ash. Internal temperatures can reach higher than 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
You should expect some unpleasant smell and smoke as all those old stains become carbonized particles. The process typically takes two to four hours. The oven door will lock shut once the process begins and won’t open until the temperature has dropped to a safe point. Once the oven cools, you should be able to wipe out the ashes with paper towels, water and a little dish detergent.
All that heat must damage the oven, right?
It’s reasonable to suspect that such
extreme temperatures could damage an appliance. After all, the cycle runs nearly twice as hot as the max setting on most oven dials. But keep in mind that containing fiery heat is precisely what ovens are built to do.
Ovens are stress-tested. According to Electrolux, every model is run through 50 self-clean cycles to verify that the cleaning won’t cause premature failure.
Nevertheless, several appliance repair services recommend that you not attempt a self-clean cycle before a major holiday (or ever, according to some). Thermal fuses or electronic controls could be damaged. A properly functioning oven is probably critical for you during that time. Although self-clean is probably fine to run on a newer oven in great condition, it’s reasonable to suspect that an older unit with a lot of wearand-tear might be more susceptible to a breakdown from any number of causes.
How to prepare for a safe high-heat cleaning
If you are ready for the cleaning cycle, be sure to:
❚ Remove the oven racks and wash them by hand. They’re generally not built for the extremes of a self-clean.
❚ Brush big food stains off the oven walls and glass by hand before you run the cycle.
❚ Remove aluminum foil. You shouldn’t use foil lining in an oven, as it blocks airflow. During self-clean, foil can get hot enough to fuse to the oven.
❚ Remove any birds from the area. Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of the cleaning cycle, and birds tend to be more sensitive to changes in air quality.
❚ Keep young children out of the pyrolytic kitchen, as the oven’s exterior is hotter than normal.
Alternatives to high-heat cleaning: Steam and elbow grease
If your oven doesn’t have pyrolytic self-cleaning, there are alternatives.
Some ovens offer a steam clean cycle, a faster, lower-temperature and smokeless solution. A pot or pan of water heated at 450 for 20-40 minutes approximates the same effect.
Either way, once a steam cycle is done, you’ll need to get in there with a damp cloth and employ the real grease: elbow grease.
David Kender is the editor in chief of Reviewed, a product review website and part of the USA TODAY Network. If you have a question, email him at request@reviewed.com.