How to Clean a Gas Oven of Baked-On Grease, Step by Step

To clean a gas oven safely: shut off the gas and wait until the oven is completely cold, take out the racks and trays and soak them in hot soapy water, then spread a paste of baking soda and water over the inside walls and leave it several hours or overnight. Wipe it off with a damp cloth, spray white vinegar on what's left and wipe again. Keep water and cleaners away from the burner, spark plug and thermocouple, and don't use sharp tools on the enamel. Home cleaning suits regular upkeep, while old baked-on grease and blocked burner ports need a professional clean.

Cleaning the oven is a job everyone puts off, and it gets harder with every week, because grease spattered while roasting bakes on harder each time the oven heats. The good news is that regular cleaning with simple things found in every home is enough to keep an oven clean, without harsh cleaners or a chemical smell.

Before you start: safety first

• Close the oven's gas valve, or the cylinder valve if the oven has no separate one.
• Unplug the oven if it has electric ignition, a lamp or a fan.
• Wait until the oven is completely cold. Cleaning a hot surface burns your hands and spoils the cleaner.
• Open a window or turn on ventilation before you begin.

Tools and materials

The steps

1. Take everything out: racks, trays, the grill pan and any piece that comes out without tools.
2. Soak the racks: in a sink or large tub with hot water, washing-up liquid and two spoons of baking soda, for at least an hour.
3. Make the paste: half a cup of baking soda with a little water, until it is creamy and spreadable.
4. Spread it on the walls: cover the inside walls, floor and inside of the door, avoiding the burner and its ports, the spark plug and the thermocouple.
5. Let it work: several hours, ideally overnight for old grease.
6. Wipe off: with a damp cloth, using the plastic scraper on stubborn spots.
7. Spray vinegar: on any white baking soda left behind. It will fizz a little; then wipe again.
8. Clean the racks: scrub with the sponge, rinse and dry.
9. Dry the oven: leave the door open until it is fully dry, then put the racks back.
10. Test it: turn the gas on and run the oven empty for ten minutes to drive off any moisture.

If the oven won't light straight after cleaning, it is usually moisture on the spark plug. Leave it an hour or more to dry before trying again.

The door glass

The inside of the door glass collects grease vapour and turns a cloudy brown. The same paste works: spread it on, leave it half an hour, then wipe. Some ovens have two layers of glass with grease getting between them. On many models the inner glass can be removed, but carefully, because heat-resistant glass breaks if dropped or twisted. If you aren't sure how it comes out, leave it to a technician.

What not to do

• Don't pour water or spray cleaner on the burner or into its ports.
• Don't wet the spark plug or thermocouple, or move them out of place.
• Don't use steel wool or sharp tools on enamel. A scratch becomes a rust spot later.
• Don't mix strong cleaners, especially bleach with anything else.
• Don't run the oven with chemical cleaner still inside.
• Don't take the gas valves or control panel apart to clean behind them.

Ready-made heavy-duty oven cleaners work, but they are caustic. If you use one, wear gloves, air the room well, follow the label exactly, and don't spray it on the burner, bare metal parts or rubber.

How often should you clean the oven?

If you use the grill a lot or cook every day for a big family, shorten these gaps.

When is a professional clean better?

Home cleaning handles what your hand can reach. A professional clean includes parts you shouldn't touch at home: taking out the oven floor, cleaning the bottom burner and clearing its ports, cleaning the top grill, removing the inner glass, then setting the flame and test-running the oven. We recommend it when:

• There is a thick, black baked-on layer the paste didn't shift.
• There is smoke or a burning smell when it heats, even after cleaning at home.
• The flame is yellow or weak, which means the burner ports themselves are blocked. See why your oven flame is yellow.
• It has been more than a year since the last full clean.
• You want a clean oven before an occasion or after moving home.

With our gas oven cleaning service we take apart what can come apart and clean each piece with the right product for its surface, then run the oven and check the flame. The hob and burners can be done on the same visit.

The hob and burners

On most cookers the burner heads and caps lift off by hand. Soak them in hot soapy water, clear the ports with a soft brush, then dry them fully before putting them back, and make sure they sit flat, because a crooked head gives a patchy flame. The hob surface itself can be cleaned with the same paste, keeping away from the small spark plugs beside each burner.

Habits that make an oven dirty fast

• Roasting with no cover or tray under the meat, so fat spatters the walls and roof.
• Leaving spills until the next time you cook, so they bake on.
• Using trays that are too small for saucy dishes that bubble over.
• Lining the oven floor with foil to protect it. This traps heat, covers the vents, and can melt onto the enamel and ruin it.
• Cleaning a warm oven with cold water, which gives the glass and enamel a heat shock.

One simple habit saves half the work: put an empty tray on the bottom shelf when roasting to catch drips, and wipe the oven with a cloth dipped in warm water and a little baking soda once it is cool, before the spots dry.

Common questions