Cleaning Your Oven the Natural Way

Oven cleaners can be pretty toxic.  Not only that, but you must employ high heat for them to be effective and this consumes a great deal of energy.  There are a lot of great ways to minimize your exposure to toxic chemicals and save energy by cleaning your oven the natural way.

Quick action when you have a spill in the oven means less scrubbing later.  To clean your oven the natural way, immediately sprinkle a layer of salt on the oven floor, preferably while the oven is still warm.  Before the oven cools, reach in with a rag or scrubber and wipe up the mess as best you can.  

Later when it is completely cool, you can use some baking soda and a little vinegar to get any last spots.  If you have stubborn areas that won’t come loose, make a paste of baking soda and water and let sit for 30 minutes.  Then, using a plastic scraper, remove the baked-on mess.

If you didn’t notice the spill until the next time you used the oven, here’s a wonderful, good-smelling formula for cleaning your oven the natural way: Use 1/2 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of borax, 1 box of baking soda, a cup of water, a cup of white vinegar and 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.  Make a paste of the salt, borax and baking soda and a little water in a bowl.  Then, remove your oven racks and preheat to 250.  Turn off the oven and spread the paste inside, letting sit for a half hour.  Now combine the vinegar and oils in a spray bottle and wipe the interior clean using steel wool pads where necessary to get the baked-on grime.

With a little forethought and some elbow grease, cleaning your oven the natural way can save you money and reduce your exposure to chemicals!