How to Clean an Oven (Plus the Racks, Stovetop and Range Hood Filter)

Each step comes from the manufacturer and government pages listed at the end. Where brands disagree, we say so; your manual has the final word.

What Is the Best Way to Clean the Inside of an Oven?

Check your manual, then use the method your oven was built for:

• Self-clean heats the oven to about 880 °F (471 °C) for 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on how much soil there is¹.
• Steam clean uses 1 cup of water poured into the bottom of a cool oven and runs about 30 minutes¹. It's meant for light soil¹².
• By hand, use liquid detergent or all-purpose cleaner and water⁶ (steps below).

Whenever you use a cleaning product, open windows or doors and run exhaust fans²⁸ during and after use²⁹, and follow the product label²⁹.

How do I use the self-clean cycle safely?

1. Confirm your oven has the cycle. Check your manual.
2. Take out the racks unless your manual says they can stay. Brands differ; check your manual. GE says racks labelled "Self-Clean" or "Never-Scrub" can stay², but stainless steel racks must come out¹. Maytag says to remove the racks, broiler pan, cookware, bakeware and any foil⁴.
3. Wipe out loose spills, such as juices or liquid grease that haven't baked on, with a wet cloth².
4. Leave the door gasket alone. Don't clean, rub or move it; it's essential for a good seal⁵. GE says gaskets can be damaged if you clean them¹⁰.
5. Ventilate. Keep the kitchen well ventilated⁴ to help clear heat, odours and smoke⁵, and don't block the oven vents⁵.
6. Move pet birds to another well-ventilated room³. Some birds are extremely sensitive³ to self-clean fumes⁷. Maytag says the room should be closed⁴.
7. Wait for it to cool. The door stays locked until the oven cools⁴, which GE says can take 30 to 90 minutes after the cycle².
8. Wipe out the white ash, which is normal, using water and vinegar on a sponge or cloth².

How do I clean an oven without the self-clean cycle?

1. Oven off and cool¹³.
2. Take the racks out and clean them separately (see below).
3. Wash the inside with liquid detergent or all-purpose cleaner and water on a soft sponge or cloth, rinse with clean water and let it dry⁶.
4. Keep cleaner off the heating elements. If some gets on them, wipe it off with a damp paper towel before you heat the oven¹¹.
5. Leave the gasket⁵ alone¹⁰, and don't line the oven bottom with foil or a liner, which can permanently damage the finish⁶.

Commercial oven cleaner: brands differ; check your manual. GE¹ and Samsung⁷ both say never in a self-clean oven. Outside the self-clean cycle, Samsung says traditional oven cleaners can be used in an oven without self-clean, but notes the metal is covered in enamel⁷. GE's guidance for its self-clean ovens with steam is different: on a difficult or repeatedly baked-on spill, a cleaner made for use in ovens may be used, following the product label, and GE recommends Bar Keepers Friend or a solution of vinegar and baking soda, removed before you use the range¹. If you use one, follow the label, wear the protective equipment it calls for, and ventilate²⁹.

Do Baking Soda and Vinegar Really Clean Ovens?

Some manufacturers say yes: for a difficult or baked-on spill in its self-clean ovens with steam, GE recommends a solution of vinegar and baking soda, or Bar Keepers Friend¹. Maytag's method for cleaning by hand is liquid detergent or all-purpose cleaner with water⁶. Samsung's paste of baking soda and water, wiped off with white vinegar, is for greasy residue between the glass panes of the oven door⁷. For an oven without self-clean, Samsung suggests sprinkling salt on a stain, squeezing lemon juice over it and letting it soak in to form a paste⁷. GE also uses a mix of water and vinegar on a sponge or cloth to wipe out the white ash left after a self-clean cycle².

Will dish soap and vinegar clean the oven?

Maytag's hand-cleaning method is liquid detergent or all-purpose cleaner with water⁶, with no vinegar. Whatever you use, never mix any cleaner²⁸ with bleach²⁹. Bleach reacts with products that contain ammonia or an acid, including vinegar, and gives off toxic gases²⁸. Health Canada says never to mix household chemical products at all²⁹.

How Do I Get Burnt Stuff off the Bottom of My Oven?

• Light soil: use steam clean if your oven has it¹².
• Heavy soil: run the self-clean cycle, which takes longer¹ and smokes more when the soil is heavy⁵. Without self-clean, try Samsung's salt-and-lemon paste⁷.
• Under the element: on GE models with a visible bake element, the element is hinged so you can lift it and clean the floor underneath¹¹. Let the oven cool completely first¹¹.
• Prevent it: wipe out unbaked spills before a self-clean cycle², and skip foil on the oven bottom⁶.

Cleaning Oven Racks

1. Oven off⁷, racks cool¹³.
2. Soak and scrub. Soak them in lukewarm, soapy water and scrub with a non-abrasive scouring pad⁷, or wash them with soap, water and a soft cloth or sponge, then dry them thoroughly¹³.
3. Harder stains: Maytag⁶ and Whirlpool¹³ allow a steel wool pad.
4. Commercial cleaner: brands differ; check your manual. GE says chrome-plated racks from a standard-clean oven can take commercial oven cleaner, but some cleaners darken them, so test a small part first and rinse thoroughly⁸.
5. Self-clean and chrome: chrome racks typically discolour to a deep grey in the cycle and often get hard to slide⁹.
6. Sticky racks: rub a light coat of vegetable oil¹³ on the left and right edges⁹.

Cleaning a Stove Top: Glass, Induction and Gas

Turn every control off¹⁵ before you start¹⁹.

How do I clean a glass stovetop?

1. Scrape while it's warm, not hot. Whirlpool scrapes while the cooktop is still warm but not hot to the touch, with an oven mitt on¹⁵. Hold the scraper¹⁴ at about a 45° angle¹⁵.
2. Let it cool, then apply a ceramic glass cooktop cleaner¹⁵ and polish with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel¹⁶.
3. Avoid steel wool, abrasive powder cleansers, chlorine bleach, rust remover and ammonia¹⁵.

Sugary spills: brands differ; check your manual. GE says sugary spills such as jellies, candy and syrups can pit the glass unless they're removed while still hot¹⁴, unlike Whirlpool's¹⁵ warm-not-hot step¹⁶. Follow your own manual before you scrape a hot surface.

How do I clean an induction cooktop?

1. Controls off, key lock on, so the panel can't turn on while you clean¹⁶.
2. Scrape, clean and polish as on glass, scraping while it's warm but not hot, with an oven mitt on¹⁶.
3. Avoid steam cleaners and the same products as on glass¹⁶, plus highly abrasive sponges, nylon or iron scrubbers and corrosive detergents, which LG says can scratch the cooktop¹⁷.
4. Keep pan bottoms clean. Oil, sugar or salt on the bottom of your cookware can scratch the cooktop¹⁷.

How do I clean a gas stove top?

1. Controls off and cooktop cool¹⁹.
2. Grates and caps: wash them in hot soapy water, rinse in clean water and dry them before you put them back¹⁸.
3. Dishwasher: brands differ; check your manual. GE allows grates and caps that are enamel-coated on the bottom, with any rubber feet removed first¹⁸. Whirlpool says not to wash burner caps in the dishwasher¹⁹.
4. Burner ports: clear clogs with a straight pin, needle or small-gauge wire¹⁹. Never use a wooden toothpick, which can break off and block the gas flow¹⁹.
5. Porcelain enamel: clean it with soap and water, and don't leave acidic spills such as tomato sauce or vinegar sitting on it²⁰.

How Do I Clean a Range Hood Filter?

Metal grease filters, such as aluminum mesh²³ and stainless steel baffle filters, are washable²⁷. Charcoal filters can't be cleaned²¹, so you replace them²⁶.

Washing a metal filter

1. Soak it in hot, soapy water for 10 minutes²⁵.
2. Scrub it with a cleaning brush and rinse it with water²⁵. Don't use ammonia or ammonia products²².
3. Let it dry completely²² before you put it back²⁵.

Dishwasher: brands differ; check your manual. Broan puts aluminum mesh filters in the dishwasher²³, and Samsung its stainless steel baffle filter²⁷. GE says the dishwasher is acceptable but may not clean the filter as well as hand washing²¹, and may discolour it²².

How often should you clean it?

Brands differ; check your manual. Published intervals include about once²¹ a month²³, at least twice a year²⁴ and about every six months²². Clean it sooner if it looks grease-laden²⁴, and inspect the hood for grease buildup regularly³³.

Charcoal filters

Brands differ on when to replace them, so check your manual: every 3 to 4 months (Bosch)²⁶, every 3 to 6 months (Broan)²³, every 6 months (Broan)²⁴, or every 6 months to a year (Samsung)²⁷. GE says to change the filter when you notice odours coming through the exhaust²¹.

Why it matters: grease, smoke and debris accumulating in a filter can lead to reduced airflow and potential fire hazards²⁴. Keep all appliances free of grease buildup³².

Victoria and the CRD: Disposing of Oven Cleaner and Kitchen Grease

Leftover oven cleaner. The CRD lists "Oven cleaners" as household hazardous waste³⁰. Residents can drop them off at no charge at the Hartland Public Drop-off Depot, in the original container³⁰. Health Canada also says to follow municipal rules for hazardous waste²⁹.

Kitchen grease. Wipe up small amounts with a used napkin or paper towel and put it in your kitchen scraps bin³¹. Cool larger amounts in a container until solid, then empty that into the kitchen scraps bin³¹. Even boiling hot, soapy water can't keep grease liquid long enough to stop it coating your pipes³¹.

Oven fires. The District of Saanich says to turn off the heat and keep the door closed³².

Common Oven and Stovetop Cleaning Mistakes

• Commercial oven cleaner or a liner¹ in a self-clean oven⁷.
• Leaving in racks⁴ your manual says to remove²; chrome racks discolour in the cycle⁹.
• Self-cleaning with pet birds nearby³ or without ventilation⁴.
• Cleaning⁵ the door gasket¹⁰.
• Foil on the oven bottom⁶.
• Cleaner on the heating elements¹¹.
• Steel wool, abrasive powder, chlorine bleach, rust remover or ammonia on a glass cooktop¹⁵.
• A wooden toothpick in the burner ports¹⁹.
• Putting a hood filter back²² wet²⁵.
• Grease down the drain³¹.
• Mixing anything²⁸ with bleach²⁹.

When to Call a Professional

Book help if the soil is heavy and baked on, guests are coming and you're short on time, you're not sure what oven or filter you have, or you can't comfortably lift the racks or reach the hood.

Pearly's deep clean and move-out clean include the inside of the oven and range-hood filters. See the deep clean checklist. If an appliance isn't working properly, call the manufacturer or a licensed appliance technician.