How to Clean Thick Grease from an Oven: The Ultimate Guide

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Months of roasting and baking can take a toll on your oven.

Not only does thick grease look super gross, but built-up grime can turn into carbon and cause a horrible burning smell every time you cook. Additionally, chared food can be a fire hazard and it can decrease the efficiency of your oven.

Some ovens nowadays feature a self-cleaning function, but it won’t do you good if your oven is really dirty. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to clean thick grease from an oven using a variety of reliable and tried methods.

How to Clean Your Oven Using Vinegar

Throughout my search, vinegar was the one ingredient that seemed to always be in the spotlight. As such, I found 2 different ways you can use this acidic liquid to remove thick grease from your over; either paired with baking soda or just solo.

Method #1: Baking Soda and Vinegar

Here’s what you’ll need to clean your oven using baking soda and vinegar:

• Baking soda
• Water
• White vinegar
• Bowl
• Spray bottle
• Gloves
• Towel

Steps

Take any removable part out of the oven: start by taking everything out of your oven. This includes the oven racks, foil, pizza stones, temperature gauges, pans, and whatever other items that you can remove. Set them all aside on some newspaper or in the sink so you can clean them later if needed.

Make the cleaning paste: It’s time to whip up the cleaning mixture using baking soda and water. In a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of water to ½ cup (90 gms) of baking soda. Mix the ingredients together until they become the consistency of a spreadable paste.

You’re looking to create a paste that’s not clumpy or runny, so feel free to add more baking soda or water to achieve the right consistency.

Cover all the surfaces of the oven with the cleaning paste: Before all else, put on rubber gloves to protect your hands. Then, spread the resulting paste over the interior of your oven by picking up bits of paste and coating the sides, bottom, and top of the oven.

But be careful not to get the cleaning paste on any of the heating elements, for example; the broiler.

If some surfaces of the over are especially greasy, like the bottom of the oven, you can add more paste to them.

Let the cleaning paste sit for at least 12 hours: No one likes to wait, but in today’s case, it’s necessary for the best cleaning results. You should allow the paste to soak in and saturate the thick grease for a minimum of 12 hours, which can be as simple as leaving the paste overnight.

Don’t forget to close the oven door – you don’t want anyone tripping over it in the kitchen in the middle of the night!

Don’t worry if you notice that the paste turned brown; it’s normal. This just means it’s working as it’s absorbing and breaking down all the stubborn grease.

Do not use the oven with the paste still in it. If you heat up the baking soda, you’ll cause it to burn and make an even worse mess than the build-up grime that was there before.

If you don’t have enough time, you can leave the paste saturating for only 1 hour but keep in mind that it may not remove all the grease from your oven.

Remove the dried cleaning paste using a damp towel and a spatula: After the wait’s over, wear your rubber gloves and start removing the dried paste. First, grab a towel and get it wet. Make sure you wring it out so it doesn’t drip. Wipe away as much of the paste as possible. If there are any particularly stubborn spots, scrap the stuck bits with a silicone or plastic spatula.

Avoid using a metal spatula to keep the paint finish on your oven intact.

Spray white vinegar onto the interior of the over: It’s time for the vinegar to shine! In a clean spray bottle, add 2 cups (470 ml) of water to ½ cup (120 ml) of white vinegar. Then, spray the mixture all over the oven, making sure you generously spritz the spots with baking soda residue.

You’ll notice some foaming happening. This is the result of the reaction between the vinegar and the rest of the baking soda. Not only is this normal, but it also helps clean the oven more thoroughly.

Wipe away any residue left: Grab a clean towel and dampen it with warm water (it’ll help break down any remaining grease) then wipe away the white vinegar solution and the baking soda. A little elbow grease may be necessary to make sure you remove everything, but you should see a sparkling oven interior soon enough.

Feel free to spray more vinegar on any spots that aren’t coming clean.

Your oven should be completely dry before you use it again. Using a dry towel to wipe down the oven will speed up the drying time.

Method #2: Steaming with Vinegar

Here’s what you’ll need to clean your oven using only white vinegar:

• White vinegar
• Water
• Large pot
• Towel

Steps

Remove any loose debris from your oven: If there are any food particles or dried grime in the oven, use a towel to wipe them away. Don’t scrub too hard if you come across stubborn chunks, just use a spatula to chip them off.

Avoid using a metal spatula to protect the paint finish of your oven.

You can use a handheld vacuum to suck up the chunks and debris in your oven.

Boil the water: Grab a large pot (12 inches or 30 cm) and fill it ⅓ of the way with water. Put it on the stovetop, turn the heat on high, and wait for the water to boil. Once it starts to boil over (you’ll see large bubbles popping at the top of the water), slightly turn the heat down.

Add the white vinegar:

Be careful when you’re adding the vinegar so you don’t splash yourself or anyone near you with scorching water.

pour an equal part of white vinegar, so fill the pot another ⅓ of the way. Allow the solution to boil for about 30 minutes more then turn off the heat.

Put the pot inside your oven: once you turn off the heat, put on your oven mitts and place the pot on the bottom rack of your oven.

If you’d already removed the racks for cleaning, simply place the pot on the bottom surface of your oven.

Be sure not to leave any pots, pans, or thermometers inside the oven.

Allow the pot to sit for at least 45 minutes: Now, shut the oven door to trap the steam and let the pot sit inside for a minimum of 45 minutes and up to 1 hour. The steam created by the hot solution will spread the water and vinegar throughout the entire oven, which will break up the grease and make your oven easier to clean.

Do not leave the pot inside the oven for more than 1 hour. The water will cool down and become less effective over time.

Wipe your oven out: Grab a towel, wet it with hot water, then wring it out. Use the damp towel to wipe down your oven as the hot water helps loosen up built-up grime. Scrap off any crusted grease using a plastic or a silicone spatula.

How to Clean Your Oven Using Hydrogen Peroxide

If your oven has baked-on grease, using hydrogen peroxide can be an effective method to get it off. Here are the steps:

1. Start by making your cleaner paste. I got the recipe from a friend of mine and it includes the following:

• ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide
• ¼ cup of dish soap
• ½ cup of baking soda
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1. Again, the first step is to take everything out of the oven.
2. Mix the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap to create a paste.
3. Wipe down your oven using the paste. You can use a spatula to scrape off the hardened grease in the corners and around the heating elements.
4. After you’re done wiping, squirt 3 tablespoons of lemon juice inside the oven and let it sit overnight. This is more than enough time for the paste and lemon juice to work.

How to Clean Your Oven Using Lemon

Another method you can try to clean thick grease from your oven is by using lemon. Here’s what you need to do:

Squeeze the juice out of 2 lemons into a baking dish then fill ⅓ of its height with water. If you can’t squeeze the lemons by hand, you can use a citrus press to get all the juice out. Leave the lemon skins in the baking dish after you’re done juicing them.

Using this method, you don’t need to remove the oven racks. The mixture of lemon juice and water will break down any grease on the oven’s interior and the oven racks, so it’s basically a 2-in-1 cleaning process.

Preheat your oven and once it’s ready, place the dish on one of the racks and bake the lemon juice for approximately 30 minutes at 250°F (121°C).

Don’t worry if you notice your oven smoking during the baking period. This is normal and you can handle it by simply cracking a window open or turning on the oven fan.

Turn off the oven and allow it to cool down once the 30 minutes are up. This can take up to 1 hour or until the oven is cool enough to touch.

Scrub the loosened grease using a scouring pad. If you encounter some tougher spots, scrape them off using a plastic or a silicone spatula.

Don’t throw away the lemon solution right away. Keep it for a while so you can use it to saturate stubborn areas and cut through stuck grime.

Use a clean towel to dry off your oven. Wipe the interior of the oven thoroughly and if you meet any section that’s still dirty, take a moment to scrub it again with the scouring pad.

How to Clean Your Oven Using a Commercial Cleaner

Take any removable part out of the oven: Just as we saw above, remove everything before you get started with the actual cleaning.

Lay some old newspapers around the oven: Grab some old newspapers or paper towels and spread them on the floor surrounding the oven. The goal here is to catch any cleaner or grease that’ll run down once you begin cleaning. This way, you won’t have to deal with messy floors since you’ll just throw away the dirty newspapers instead of mopping.

Spray the cleaner onto the interior of your oven: Before all else, put your rubber gloves and protective glasses on, and while you’re at it, crack open a window or two. Carefully read the instructions before using the product, then spritz the interior of the oven with the cleaner. Make sure all surfaces are saturated and pay extra attention to extra greasy spots.

Commercial cleaners are very effective and quick, but they tend to contain a lot of chemicals. These can be dangerous if they come in contact with your skin or eyes.

Set a timer and wait: Check the product’s instructions for the right amount of time and allow it to saturate the grease for the indicated duration. Most commercial cleaners take about 30 minutes to work their magic, so set a timer and kickback for a bit.

If you got any kids or pets running around, be sure to keep them out of the kitchen during the cleaning process to protect them from the fumes.

Wipe down the oven’s interior: Once the time’s up, grab a towel, dampen it, then use it to wipe down the interior of your oven to get rid of the cleaner and grime mixture. You may need to use more than one towel depending on how dirty the oven is.

Make sure you wipe all the corners and crevices of the oven. No cleaner should be left behind when you turn the oven back on.

If you come across any stubborn bits of grime, you can use a scouring pad to remove them.

How to Clean Your Oven Using Borax

For really stubborn grime, you need a heavy-duty method. Cleaning your oven using borax may deliver exactly the extra kick of power you need. Here are the steps:

1. Start by making your cleaner solution. I got the recipe from a good friend of mine and it includes the following:

• 1 teaspoon of borax
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• ½ cup of boiling water

1. Mix the borax, baking soda, and boiling in a bowl.
2. Place a sponge in the bowl for about 5 minutes. This will give the sponge enough time to soak up all the ingredients.
3. Put on your rubber gloves and pick up the sponge.
4. Start scrubbing the interior of the oven. Apply some elbow grease to get remove any stuck bits of grime.
5. Use a damp towel to wipe down your oven.

How to Clean Thick Grease from Oven Racks

Cleaning the greasy racks of your oven is even easier than cleaning its interior. Here’s what you should do:

1. Clean the oven racks in your kitchen sink if they fit. Otherwise, clean the racks in your bathroom tub.
2. Fill the sink or tub with warm water and pour in around ¼  cup (59 ml) of dish soap while the water is filling up.
3. Allow the racks to soak in the soapy water for about 1 to 2 hours. After that, rinse off the racks and scrub the grease off with a scouring pad.

If the racks are particularly dirty, you can use the baking soda and white vinegar method as follows:

1. Sprinkle baking soda over the oven racks, making sure all the dirty spots are well covered. Flip the racks and sprinkle the other side.
2. Spritz the oven racks with the white vinegar solution. Spray generously and make sure each side gets doused.
3. Fill the sink or tub with hot water. Make sure the oven racks are completely submerged and allow them to sit in the hot water overnight.

• If a tub isn’t available, you can use a bucket filled with hot water instead.

1. Use a sponge or a towel to wipe away any grease left on the racks. You can also use a scrub brush for stubborn spots.
2. Wash your oven racks with cool water and let them dry completely before installing them back into the oven. You can also use a towel to speed up the drying process.

Wrap Up

There you have it, the ultimate guide on how to clean thick grease from your oven. Make sure to stay on top of your oven cleaning schedule to keep it working well and looking good.

Further Reading

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