A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Dirty Oven

Welcome to #Adulting, the ultimate breakdown of all your grown-up needs. These articles are here to help you feel less alone and answer all your personal, financial, and career questions that weren't answered in school (no judgment, we get it!). Whether you're looking to find out how to tackle laundry or you want a deep breakdown on how to make a savings plan—we've got you covered. Come back every month to find out what life skills we're upgrading next and how.

Keeping a kitchen looking sparkling clean requires a lot of effort—and elbow grease. From wiping down countertops to washing dishes, we all know that cleaning duties brought on by common kitchen messes can pile up quickly, which is why it's important to try to be on top of them. But of all your most-used kitchen appliances, how often do you really take a look inside your oven? Even though the oven is one of the biggest kitchen appliances, it often gets overlooked when it comes to deep cleaning, probably because we don't pay much attention to the inside of it. But hear us out: If you've been putting it off, it's time to finally clean the inside of your oven. As shown in the video above, cleaning your dirty oven doesn't have to be an all-day affair. Here is a simple, step-by-step guide for how to clean an oven using natural products you already have in the house. You'll be amazed by the finished result.

The Lemon Method:

You don't always need fancy cleaning supplies to provide your household with a deep and effective clean. As seen in the video, you can get the job done by simply using a few lemons, water, and a baking dish. It works to sort of "steam clean" the oven by producing a vapor that contains acid from the lemon juice. This works to soften up hard, cooked-on messes that otherwise would require heavy scrubbing.

1. Fill an oven-proof glass dish with water.
2. Take two lemons and cut them in half. Then, squeeze the juice into the dish.
3. Place the lemon halves into the dish with the juice.
4. Set the oven to 250° and put the dish inside.
5. Wait 30 minutes.
6. Remove the dish and wait for the oven to cool.
7. Wipe down the inside of the oven with a sponge or abrasive cloth to remove cooked-on messes and stains.

The Baking Soda Method:

Another way you can easily cut down on scrub time is by using baking soda on the inside of your oven. Baking soda neutralizes acids and breaks down grease so you can have an easier time wiping down those caked-on messes.

1. Remove the oven racks and put them in the sink to clean with a sturdy brush or scouring pad.
2. Make a paste using 1/2 cup of baking soda and 3 tablespoons of water. Spread this on the inside of the oven and let it sit for up to 12 hours.
3. Once the paste has hardened, open the oven door and wipe away the paste; along with it, you'll wipe away any residue or stains.
4. If you need to, use a good scrubber sponge to scrub off any remaining caked-on bits.

To prevent a dirty oven, Angela Bell and Georgia Dixon—cleaning experts and Grove Guides at Grove Collaborative —recommend keeping on top of any buildup by wiping down the racks and inside of the oven after any particularly messy bakes. They also suggest placing a baking sheet under any foods that you anticipate spillage from (like a lasagne or pie that might bubble over) to catch any rogue drips that could cake on.

You've got this. Happy cleaning!