My mom gave me this tip a few years ago on how to clean a oven which will come in handy after all the Thanksgiving cooking we will be doing in a couple of days.
In a cold oven, lay a dish towel size rag on the bottom, then saturate it with ammonia and let it sit for at least 24 hours. Then wipe clean, rinsing rag often. I was amazed on how well this worked without have to scrub anything. It does leave an ammonia smell and you would think that when you baked something it would get into the food but I baked the following day and everything was fine. The ammonia smell will go away in a couple of days.
Source: My Mom, thanks Mom!
By Sharon from Modesto, CA
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How do you get the nastiest of ovens clean? I would like to know what works best and is quickest. Thanks!
Robin from Washington, IA
Some of our tenants leave ovens in unbelieveable condition, but the following will get them clean or at least improve them enough that you can use a razor blade to scrape off the spots that remain.
Spray the oven with full strength ammonia, getting it very wet. Then use oven cleaner and close the door for several hours. If the cleaner is dry when you get ready to clean, spray it again. (Be sure to keep your head turned away because ammonia fumes are bad!) Then, you can ususally wipe out the worst of the dirt. You may have to use a putty knife and/or a razor blade scraper.
Put the shelves, oven bottom if it comes out and the burner grates (gas) or drip pans(electric) in a big plastic bag, spray them with oven cleaner and then put sopping wet with ammonia rag in there. Tie it up for several hours and they'll be fairly easy to clean, too.
This is an easy job at best, but it will work. We've never had to throw out a stove because of dirt, but we've wanted to!
Heloise; in one of her handy hints books had a very good oven cleaning method. It was very easy and not all that messy. I have a self-cleaning oven and have given the book away but you can go to Heloise`s Household Hints and ask her. I think she has a column in BetterHomes and Gardens also. I do remember it used to get my oven looking spic and span.
I'm happy that there are people who take the time to do the searching and posting for recipes, problem solving or just making our day brighter with the wonderful pictures we get here.
Robin, keep on posting!
The most hated job in the world; cleaning the oven and racks. I found out 2 years ago about this, and it is a cinch; a job I no longer dread.
Make sure, of course, to have good ventilation. Then, spray the oven with straight ammonia. In the meantime, cover the racks with paper towel - I use a little scotch tape to secure here and there, then take them outside and saturate the paper towel with straight ammonia. I use a spray bottle. Secure the wrapped racks in a plastic garbage bag for a few hours, or overnight. Viola...you can wash them off with soap and water, and they sparkle like brand new.
By Wanda from Venice, Fl.
