Does your oven door look like this? It can!
I finally got the inside of my oven door clean. I feel like rejoicing today! It’s been driving me crazy – especially the glass. No matter what I did I couldn’t get it clean. Even when I used the oven self cleaner the door and glass never really got clean (by the way, don’t use that self cleaner. It takes years off the life of your oven). The picture above is of the finished product. It’s not perfect but I can live with it. All though I have to admit that the stains in between the glass pieces are driving me crazy!
Anyway, here’s how it looked when I started. It’s hard to see in the picture but the glass section was really nasty!
How to get the oven door sparkling:
I used my new best friend to accomplish this job (Baking Soda). I scooped 6 large spoonfuls and combined that with enough water to make a paste.
Then I used a pastry brush to apply the paste (making sure all the nooks and crannies were covered).
I let the paste soak on the door for 25 minutes. Then I applied some old-fashioned elbow grease to finish the job. One tip I have for you is to wear some type of gloves. Baking Soda can really do a number on your skin.
Now that the oven door is clean, I need to tackle the inside of the oven.
Here are some other cleaning tips for you!
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18 Awesome FREE Cleaning Checklist Printables
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Rita Partee-Risner says
July 2, 2012 at 7:41 pmCan this be used on a self cleaning oven?
Couponing to be Debt Free says
July 2, 2012 at 8:11 pmI have a self cleaning oven and I used it on it.
Anna C. says
July 2, 2012 at 7:52 pmI can’t wait to try this however, somehow we dribbled pancake batter into the vent on the door meaning it went between the glass panels!! That is driving me nuts. Suggestions? I need to find the manual.
Couponing to be Debt Free says
July 2, 2012 at 8:12 pmOh no! Can your panels come out (mine don’t)?
Trish says
April 6, 2016 at 6:32 pmI take the oven door off (it lifts straight up and off) and take it in the yard and spray into the vents with the hose then let it drain and dry outside while I clean the inside of the oven. It’s not perfect but for 25 years it has worked ok for me.
Emma says
July 2, 2012 at 10:19 pmJust curious…what did you scrub it off with? Scrubbing sponge for non-stick pans, cotton cloth, what? You did a fabulous job…now I think I need to do MINE!
Couponing to be Debt Free says
July 3, 2012 at 7:31 amI use a handmade dishcloth (given to me as a give – I think it was made with wool).
Sherry says
July 6, 2012 at 11:22 amI will try it and with my homemade dishcloths, @couponing to be debt free they are made with cotton, I make them all the time and sell them they are great to have and popular to sell
Belinda Marrcone says
July 6, 2012 at 1:56 pmJust curious why you think using self clean takes years off the life of your oven? I can only speak for GE appliances (Worked in R & D at GE Appliance Park for 30+ years in Louisville,KY and it is simply NOT true!) Its a myth many non-brand repairmen propagate. Gas or electric self clean raises the oven temp to about to about 900 degrees F. Heat sensitive components in modern ovens are shielded from heat better than the space shuttle, in fact NASA has used some materials for shielding developed by GE engineers.. Total hours of operation is the #1 factor in component failure however self clean “hours” are no more damaging than “operating” hours.
What is not a myth is most people don’ t read the instructions that came with their stove and they think self clean is “viola spotless”, not quite. You should remove as much debris as possible before running self clean. A few tips if you do have trouble with a stove especially the oven. Just because your oven won’t heat doesn’t mean you need a new one. The ignitor assembly is what most often goes out in a gas oven most cost around $60 may need a tech or someone mechanically inclined to replace. In an electric oven the heating element which most anyone can replace most cost $60-$100 depending on model. In convection ovens the circulating fan is a common item to go out again not expensive but takes a little skill to replace…
Couponing to be Debt Free says
July 6, 2012 at 3:57 pmThanks Belinda for the input. I have had many people tell me that the self cleaning function of the oven takes years off its life (none of them worked in R&D for GE at Appliance Park – LOL). My oven does not heat up like it should. I have suspected that I need a new heating element for a while now. I put that down to the use of the self cleaning function. Perhaps not…….
Emily says
March 2, 2014 at 9:37 pmNever use the self cleaning oven if u have a bird…it will kill him !!!!
Shan says
July 8, 2012 at 10:31 amI’ll have to try this! It may require less elbow grease than just water and steel wool!
thanks!
Dawn says
July 8, 2012 at 10:46 amAwesome! My self cleaning doesn’t work…in fact one time, I tried it and the oven wouldn’t unlock! :/ I don’t even remember what I finally did to get the thing open. Anyway, I need a solution like this! Thanks!
Dianna says
March 2, 2014 at 8:25 pmThey won’t unlock until the oven cools off completely. I thought mine was broke the first time since I could not get it opened.
cheryl says
March 2, 2014 at 10:34 pmI am trying not to laugh, the door is not supposed to open untill it cools offf, after self cleaning, its a safety feature built in! why don’t more people read the instructions that come with the stove? and its a myth that using a self cleaning oven with shorten its life, i use mine all the time and have never had a problem
shannon says
July 8, 2012 at 11:25 amThanks for the tips. I have not cleaned mine in forever.
Carrie says
July 18, 2012 at 2:46 pmThe baking soda solution is great for stoves and bathtubs also for the mildew just a suggestion though next time rinse with White Vinegar it will take a whole lot less time getting it off and is also a wonderful cleaning agent.
Carrie says
July 18, 2012 at 2:51 pmOhh the baking soda and vinegar solution are great on sinks that are scratched up also I never thought I would get the scratches and rust stains off the bottom of my sink from the pans and etc that the spouse just throws in the sink and as the mixture goes down the drain it deodorizes it. I have used that solution for years in my drains to keep them clog free !
Lisa says
January 23, 2013 at 5:14 pmThis did not work for me but I didn’t let it sit on there for as long as you did. Maybe I need to try again and let it sit longer.
Denise says
January 23, 2013 at 10:53 pmI love my self cleaning oven BUT the only part that doe not come clean is the glass. I cant wait to try this!! Thank you!!
amber says
March 2, 2014 at 8:58 pmi’ve actually tried this on my oven multiple times…we have an oven in our rental house that has to be pushing 10 years old, and looks like its NEVER been cleaned, i’m not even sure it has a self cleaning function…alas this mixture has done NOTHING, i’ve tried the oven cleaner spray, it did very little, i even tried adding dish soap to baking soda, and then a little water….some times..you just can’t get the tough ones..
Rita says
March 2, 2014 at 10:30 pmFor really old ovens that haven’t been cleaned properly try mixing baking soda with vinegar let it sit for half hour then use a mr. Clean eraser. Rinse with vinegar.
Dannie Torrey says
March 2, 2014 at 11:13 pmThis mix also works wonders on cookies sheets or pans that have old stubbord grease stains
Trisha says
March 3, 2014 at 5:45 amI use baking soda and peroxide mixed to a paste, spread on and walk away…let it dry completely, then rub/wipe it off with a dry rag. The crust takes everything off. Had to do the racks twice but probably because it’s hard to get the paste to stick to it as well. Got the glass sparkling too.
Mitzi O'Hare says
March 3, 2014 at 1:44 pmThanks for this info. Plan on trying it .I would like to know how to clean in between the oven glasses if there is anyway to do this I would love to know. I look forward to learning more from you guys. Thanks..
Rhe says
March 3, 2014 at 2:44 pmI use a straight razor tool, works great!
jill h says
March 23, 2015 at 9:07 pmI need to try this, thank you for sharing.
Nicole Dziedzic says
March 23, 2015 at 11:04 pmWell since I am seeing this post looks like I need to rethink how I clean my oven overall, which I have been avoiding.
Tish W. says
March 23, 2015 at 11:29 pmI need to try this instead of buying the Easy-off stuff. I hate using the self cleaning option as it makes the kitchen so hot.
Melissa Douglass says
March 25, 2015 at 12:12 amOMG! I am so trying this! The front of my stove drives me nuts! Thanks for the great tip!
Dana truitt says
March 25, 2015 at 12:43 pmI swear yesterday I hadahugeissueth at invloved cleaning the inside of my overn and I hav such trouble getting the window in the door clean and it still has the junk all over it. I am on my way to try this, I really am crossing my fingers!! Thanks a Million!!
Ebonie H.W. says
March 25, 2015 at 1:17 pmDefinitely pinning for later. I need to do this! So much easier – and kid-friendly (no fumes!) – than other alternatives.
Heidi Salisbury says
March 25, 2015 at 2:25 pmExcellent environmentally friendly way to clean the inside of the oven door. Baking Soda is so good for many different things.
lisa says
March 25, 2015 at 6:04 pmLuckily, I have a self cleaning oven. The inside door still looks nasty. I guess I should get to it. I’ve started spring cleaning and know that will freshen up the kitchen.
lisa says
March 26, 2015 at 6:22 pmI like to use natural cleansers whenever possible. The baking soda is good. It’s a bit messy in itself too.
Gloria Walshver says
March 26, 2015 at 7:46 pmThanks for your tip it was very helpful to me.
Mare W says
March 26, 2015 at 11:04 pmI appreciate the tip and the ease of using an every day household item to clean with!
lisa says
March 27, 2015 at 5:48 pmI don’t know how this happens to begin with. In general, food is covered to some extent while cooking.
denise low says
March 28, 2015 at 2:05 pmThanks for the tips haven’t started my cleaning yet. But the oven will be included
Anna Peterson says
July 30, 2016 at 7:49 pmI hope that someone can help me clean a drip that went in between the glass on the oven door! It drives me crazy.I need the answer if there is an answer! Thank you.