So your casserole bubbled over and now it’s a baked-on mess inside your oven. Whether you’re a regular cook or just the occasional cook, it doesn’t take long for your oven to get dirty. Regular cleaning is the best way to avoid future problems, but getting a spotless oven doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

Even though I have a self-cleaning oven, I usually just do the work the old-fashioned way. Why? The self-cleaning process can take hours and only adds to my utility bill. With the right products and a little elbow grease, you can get a clean oven without breaking the bank.

What Will You Need?

Before you begin, you need to get the right materials and supplies. The following are some of the ingredients and cleaning tools you will need in order to clean your oven:

• White Vinegar
• Ammonia
• Baking Soda
• Steel Wool
• Sponges
• Hot Water
• Glass Pans

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 200-degrees for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Fill a glass pan with approximately one inch of ammonia.
3. Place the glass pan with ammonia in your oven and allow it to sit overnight.
4. In the morning, remove the ammonia from the oven.
5. Spray the inside surfaces of your oven with some white vinegar and allow it to sit for some time.
6. Using steel wool, a little hot water, and some baking soda, gently scrub the inside of your oven to remove charred food and other gunk.
7. Wipe out any remaining crud or baking soda with a warm, wet sponge.

Tips:

Ammonia can be dangerous to kids and pets, so be careful! Also take care not to inhale the fumes.

You can use white vinegar to maintain a clean oven by regularly misting the inside of your oven and allowing it to sit for a few hours. Just remember to wipe it out with a warm, wet sponge before you cook again.