How to Make Your Own Oven Cleaner

If you’ve put off the task of banishing your cooker’s baked-on grease, grime, and crud because commercial products are unpleasantly harsh, try this all-natural homemade formula.

By Manasa Reddigari

Updated on Aug 21, 2024

Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

Share

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›

It’s common to ignore oven spills and splatters until you can’t avoid seeing—or smelling—them on the walls, racks, and window glass. Yet you needn’t resort to strong chemical solvents to get your oven sparkling again. This totally non-toxic, inexpensive formula is a snap to mix up and it really works. All it takes is a bit of pre-treating and proper application techniques. You’ll be back to baking, braising, and roasting in no time.

Materials needed to make a homemade oven cleaner spread on kitchen counter.
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

Tools & Materials

Bobvila.com may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Before You Begin

Scraping off baked-on oven bits and vigorously scrubbing an appliance with a paste may be a messy endeavor. Before you whip up this DIY oven cleaner, spread newspapers on the floor around the oven. Any splatters or crumbs that result from your efforts can just be tossed away with the newspaper when you’re done.

How to Make DIY Oven Cleaner and Use It the Right Way

Step 1: Combine baking soda and water (and essential oil, if you wish).

Woman wearing rubber gloves mixes a baking soda scrub.
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

In a glass bowl, combine 2 cups baking soda with 3/4 cup water. For a fresh but not overpowering fragrance, add 8 to 16 drops of your favorite essential oil. Lemon, by itself or mixed with lavender, is particularly nice for the oven. Just be sure to steer clear of metal or plastic bowls, which could react badly with essential oils. Mix with a spoon until a thick but spreadable paste the consistency of slightly gritty cake icing forms.

Step 2: Scrape food residue and pre-treat the oven’s components with oven cleaner.

Woman uses a wooden spoon to spread homemade oven scrub inside a dirty oven.
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

Make sure that the oven is off and completely cool before you bring in your homemade oven cleaner. Then pre-treat the individual oven components to loosen built-up grime and make them easier to wipe clean.

  • Remove the racks and lay them as flat as possible in an empty sink. Sprinkle with enough baking soda to form a layer, approximately 1/8-inch thick, on the rack, then spritz with vinegar from a spray bottle. When the baking soda stops foaming, fill the sink with hot water to submerge the racks overnight.
  • Using a metal spatula, gently scrape food residue from the sides and ash from the floor of the oven chamber. Then, taking care to avoid the heating elements (usually located on the roof and floor of the oven chamber), spread the homemade oven cleaner over all visible interior surfaces, including the back wall. Let the oven absorb the baking soda paste for 6 to 8 hours.
  • After the paste has had its chance to work, open the door flat and spread the remaining homemade oven cleaner evenly over the surface of the window glass. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Clean the window glass.

Woman uses a wooden spoon to apply cleaning scrub to oven window glass.
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

Wipe the oven glass down with a damp microfiber cloth to banish grime. To remove any residual baking soda paste, rinse the glass with water and wipe dry.

Step 4: Wipe the inside of the oven.

Woman wearing rubber gloves scrubs dirty oven with oven cleaning scrub.
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

With a damp sponge, wipe the surfaces of the oven chamber. Start with the sides, then move to the back of the chamber, wiping these surfaces from the top down to allow ash chunks to fall to the floor of the chamber. Then, taking care to avoid the upper heating element, wipe the roof of the chamber from back to front. Lastly, tackle the floor of the chamber using back to front motions. Rinse the sponge as needed with clean water and repeat until no baking soda remains.

Step 5: Replace oven racks and clean up the mess.

Woman wearing rubber gloves uses a toothbrush to scrub oven racks in a kitchen sink.
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila

Drain the sink and scrub the oven racks with a dishrag (or old toothbrush) to remove debris. Rinse and dry the racks before replacing them. Discard the soiled newspaper, and get to work on your favorite recipe!