While we all try to avoid cleaning our ovens, it’s an inevitable chore that it’s best to be prepared for—especially when it comes to the irksome glass door. We’ve compiled the ultimate cleaning guide with 18 top tips on how to clean your oven’s glass door to make it look sparkling new!
Get Your Cleaning Supplies Ready
Set yourself up in front of your oven with everything you need around you, as this will help save you time and ensure everything is within reach. Especially with traditional oven cleaners, you need to protect your hands and wear gloves, too.
Unplug Your Oven
For the best (and safest) cleaning environment, completely switch off your oven and also make sure it’s cooled down. You’ll then want to remove any loose items from inside the oven to better clean the glass. It can also be helpful to use protective covers if you need to.
Take Out Your Oven Racks
Many people leave oven racks in when tackling the glass door, but it can be much easier if you remove them, as this will give you more space to work with. Take the opportunity to clean them, too, which you should try to do twice a year, says Southern Living.
Make a Homemade Cleaning Solution
Cleaning your glass oven door doesn’t need a fancy, expensive product. One of the best cleaning solutions is homemade, consisting of baking soda and water to form a paste. If you’d rather use a spray to apply more easily, you can mix equal parts vinegar and water in a bottle.
Apply Your Paste or Spray to the Inside Door
It’s better to clean the inside of your oven door first instead of tackling the exterior at the same time. Apply your paste, vinegar solution, or any other cleaning product to the entire interior, and then let it sit for at least 15 minutes to help shift the grime.
Use a Non-Abrasive Pad to Scrub
When you’ve allowed the cleaning solution to soak in, you should use a non-abrasive pad to gently scrub away at the glass (a non-abrasive pad is important so that it won’t scratch the glass). If there are certain areas with more stubborn grease, you can re-apply the cleaning mixture.
Wipe Down with Vinegar
Whether you’ve used a vinegar and water solution first or not, you should still wipe down the interior glass with just vinegar by spraying it on. According to the BBC, the acidity of the vinegar will help to break down tough stains.
Rinse Away and Then Allow to Dry
You should then rinse away any cleaning product residue or vinegar with a clean, damp cloth – and you may want to do this a few times to eliminate the vinegar smell! You can then wipe it dry with a dry microfiber cloth to ensure that no streaks are left on the glass.
Clean Between the Glass Panels if Needed
If you have an oven door that can be disassembled to clean between the main glass panels, you may also want to clean between these. Carefully disassemble using gloves so you don’t dirty the interior glass side that you’ve already cleaned, and then use the same steps to clean in between.
Allow to Dry
Once you’ve done that, reassemble the oven door, but wait for all parts to dry completely before you continue with the cleaning. If you’re unsure about safe reassembly, check your oven’s manufacturer’s instructions first to avoid any possible damage.
Clean the Exterior Glass Panel
When everything is completely dry and reassembled, you can now clean the exterior of your glass oven door. This requires the same steps as the interior: use your cleaning solution to spray or apply to the glass, let it sit, clean away, and dry with a microfiber cloth.
Use a Scraper Tool for Burnt-On Grease
If you have particularly stubborn burnt-on grease, a scraper tool can be a great help in gently buffing that away. You can apply baking soda first and let it sit before using the scraper. It’s important to deal with burnt-on grease, as this can be a fire hazard, reveals The Daily Express.
Clean the Glass Door Gaskets
Of course, the ultimate cleaning guide doesn’t just include the glass doors themselves! The next step is to clean the door gaskets, which you can easily do by using a damp cloth and wiping down the rubber gaskets. To avoid damaging the rubber, make sure not to use a harsh chemical cleaning product.
Clean Away Hard Water Stains
After your initial cleaning, you may have also noticed hard water stains, which have been difficult to shift. You can now use a vinegar and water mix to target these areas specifically. You’ll want to let the solution sit on the hard water stains for five minutes before wiping it away.
Polish the Glass
Polishing the glass is the next important step in making your interior and exterior oven glass look sparkling clean. Switch to a dedicated glass polish or cleaner for the best finish—or another homemade mix of white vinegar and water—and buff in circular motions for a streak-free shine.
Prevent Future Buildup
Preventative measures are just as important as cleaning the oven glass door itself, so to make it easier for yourself next time, try wiping down the glass after use. Good Housekeeping warns that the longer you leave any sort of oven cleaning, the harder it will be when you do eventually get around to it.
Repeat These Steps Every Few Weeks
To keep your oven glass door as clean as possible, you should aim to clean them – and your whole oven – every few weeks to keep on top of maintenance. For more excessive spills or food splats, clean away immediately when they occur to maintain the integrity of the glass.
Safely Dispose of Waste Properly
The final step in our ultimate cleaning guide is to rinse out all your cloths and sponges thoroughly and get rid of any harsh chemical cleaning solutions you’ve used. If you’ve used any protective covers during cleaning, safely dispose of those, too!
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