If you are hosting Thanksgiving in the upcoming weeks, it can feel like the pressure is on you to make an extravagant feast while keeping your kitchen intact. One of your greatest allies in the kitchen for the upcoming holiday will be your oven, and it’s super important to make sure it is up to the task and looks immaculate while doing it. Take a look at four of our oven and range cleaning tips that’ll take some of the pressure off this holiday!
Oven Prep
Your oven is a kitchen appliance that gets used all year round, so there is a high possibility of some food residue stuck somewhere getting charred and creating a nasty smoky smell. Although, before you start cleaning, first check your oven’s manual to see if it’s safe to use commercial-grade oven cleaners since they may be too harsh and cause damage to your oven.
So, in order to clean an oven manually:
- Take out the racks and grates and let them soak in soapy water in the sink.
- Then clean the inside to remove any grease or grime buildup with commercial oven cleaner or baking soda — if you prefer a natural cleaner since it can also neutralize acids and break down the grease. If needed, a scraper tool will come in handy if stuff is really baked on.
- Once done, just wipe the oven clean and replace the racks.
If you are opting for using the self-cleaning function, just know it can be really hard on your oven since it is superheating the chamber over a period of time, incinerating and food particles inside. After it is complete and fully cooled, wipe down the inside to remove any remaining residue.
Whether you decide to use the self-clean mode of your oven or clean it manually, make sure to clean it sooner rather than later (especially not the day before Thanksgiving or the day of). The last thing you want is to stress about the most integral part of Thanksgiving cooking breaking down on you from the self-clean feature or food tasting like a commercial cleaner that’s lingered.
Oven Exterior is Just as Important
Making sure the interior of your oven works is essential for Thanksgiving since that’s what is cooking your turkey, ham, and casseroles. But the exterior, which includes the door, control display, and knobs, is important too since these features also affect how your meals are cooked.
To clean the oven door:
- Spray a mild cleaner on the inner and outer sides and use a non-abrasive pad to scrub both sides of the door.
- Next, keeping your control panel clean is super essential since it controls the temperature and modes of your oven. You will gently scrub the panel with soapy water or glass cleaner and a damp sponge before drying it with a clean cloth to give it that spotless shine.
- Lastly, to clean the knobs, don’t remove them to avoid damaging the control valves and instead scrub with a non-abrasive pad and a minimum amount of mild cleaner. Dip an ear swab in a gentle cleaner for a more meticulous clean and carefully scrub around and under each knob.
Burner Check
Check all your burners to make sure everything is working correctly. Test them a week or two in advance to rule out any irregularities in temperature or uneven cooking so that you can avoid any surprises of half-cooked dishes or longer cook times for your Thanksgiving feasts. A great tip to increase the longevity of your burners is making sure to wipe up any spills right away (since letting food cook on a burner can wear them out).
Make Your Range Shine
Grease can become built up on the oven hood over the years, so clean your range weekly and replace the filter to prevent clogging is essential so you won’t be panicking on Thanksgiving between cleaning and cooking.
Call or Visit Us!
Shop our selection of kitchen appliances, including built-in and freestanding ovens, by checking out our digital catalog or browsing our in-store selection. We’re here to make sure you’re spending less in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones this Thanksgiving holiday.