How Do I Know When It’s Time To Clean My Oven?

Your oven is essential for everything from an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner to a simple frozen pizza. You can bake cookies or broil vegetables with relative ease as long as your oven is functioning properly. In order to ensure your oven cooks consistently and evenly, you need to make sure it is clean and free of burnt debris. But exactly how do you know when it is time to deep-clean your oven?

Give your oven a deep clean every three months. If you have a spill, you should clean it right away to avoid a smoky oven and difficult cleanup. If your oven smokes with nothing in it, or if food always tastes burnt, deep clean the oven right away. Make sure you clean your oven If you notice burnt crust at the bottom, or if the oven is cooking inconsistently.

A clean oven is a happy oven. The longer you wait to clean your oven, the more problems can arise as a result. The best way to know when it is time to clean your oven is by looking out for potential warning signs. Remember that a clean oven will cook your food better, so keeping to a regular cleaning schedule is key to having consistently perfect meals coming out of your oven.

How Often Should I Deep-Clean My Oven?

In general, you should give your oven a deep clean once every three months, but there are variables to consider. The type of oven you have, the frequency in which you cook in it, what you cook, and whether or not your oven has a self-cleaning feature all impact how often you should clean your oven. As you determine exactly how often you should deep-clean your oven, ask yourself the three questions listed below.

• Does Your Oven Have A Self-Cleaning Feature? Ovens that have a self-cleaning feature are often easier to keep clean. You can simply self-clean the oven any time there is a messy baking moment, or on a consistent schedule. If, however, this feature is not available on your oven, then you likely need to do your own deep clean.
• How Often Do You Use The Oven? The more you use your oven, the more frequently you must clean it. If you use your oven all the time, you might want to deep clean it every two months. If, on the other hand, you use your oven less frequently, then cleaning it once every four months should work well.
• What Does The User Manual Say? Every oven is built differently and has specific requirements. Make sure you consult the user manual for your specific oven model to see how often the manufacturer recommends you clean it. It is always best to adhere to these guidelines as you begin developing an oven-cleaning routine.

Seven Signs It Is Time To Clean Your Oven

1. Your Oven Smells Funny When You Turn It On

A strange or burnt smell coming from the oven is never a good sign. Luckily, the odds are this smell isn’t something catastrophic — it simply means it is time for you to deep-clean your oven. When your oven has build-up and spills, there is bound to be smells once the temperature heats up in the oven. This can manifest in burnt food odors, as well as burnt grease smells. Don’t ignore these smells, as the odds are the problem won’t go away until you deep-clean the oven.

2. The Oven Smokes When Nothing Is Inside

Another classic sign it is time to clean the oven is when it starts to smoke. Sometimes your oven smokes because the food is burning. If, however, the oven is smoking and there is nothing cooking, then it is time to clean your oven. The smoke is likely coming from food residue and buildup on the bottom and sides of the oven. Make sure you address this right away to avoid your smoke detectors from triggering each time you use the oven.

3. The Food Tastes Burnt, Even When It’s Not

If you cooked an amazing meal and it looks great but tastes burnt or “off,” then a dirty oven might be to blame. Even if there isn’t lots of smoke coming out of your oven, there might be some inside it. Dirt and grease buildup in the oven can give off a foul-smelling smoke that can eventually infuse itself into your food. Just as c edar planks infuse your food in a good way, a dirty oven can infuse it in a bad way.

4. There Is Burnt Crust Or Grease In The Oven

If you aren’t sure if it is time to deep-clean your oven, then the best way to know is to take a peek inside. When the oven is turned off and cool, use a flashlight or the oven light to inspect the surfaces of the oven. Pay close attention to the bottom of the oven and the oven door. If you notice black crust on the bottom or a layer of sticky grease on the oven door, then it is time to get to work and deep clean that oven.

5. You Spill Something Significant While Baking

One clear reason your oven needs a deep clean right away is if you accidentally spill something major in the oven while it’s baking. The odds are that by the time you wipe the mess up, there is already burnt residue formed at the bottom of the oven. Simply wait for the oven to cool and address this burnt food residue right away. The longer you wait, the harder the crust will be to remove.

6. Your Oven Is Cooking Inconsistently Or Slower Than Normal

If you have neglected cleaning your oven for some time, then it can actually impact how evenly it cooks and how hot it gets. You may notice that cakes and other baked goods are not coming out the same as they did months or years ago. While there could be several things wrong with your oven, it is best to give it a deep clean if you notice this sort of malfunction. This way, at the very least, you can rule it out as a cause.

7. It Has Been More Than Four Months Since You Cleaned It

If you use your oven frequently you need to clean it every two months or so. If you use it here and there, then once every three months should be fine. But if it has been more than four months since you've cleaned your oven, or if you can’t remember how long it has been since you cleaned it, then it is time to give it a deep clean. It is best to clean the oven before the other warning signs pop up, so even if you don’t use your oven a lot, clean it if you can’t remember how long it has been.

Tips To Help Keep Your Oven Clean For Longer

Use A Drip Tray When Baking: Cooking over a drip tray or a baking sheet is a great way to minimize the mess inside your oven. This way, even if something bubbles over or spills, it will land on a drip tray that you can clean, and not the bottom of the oven.

Cover Your Food In The Oven Whenever Possible: It is also helpful to cover food with aluminum foil or an oven-safe lid, especially liquids that can bubble over. This prevents your food from splashing onto the top and sides of the oven.

Give The Oven A Quick Wipe Down Regularly: If you regularly self-clean or wipe down the oven, then you reduce the number of times you need to give it a deep clean.

Summing Up How To Know It’s Time To Clean Your Oven

Ovens can cook up all sorts of culinary masterpieces, but in order to ensure perfection, you need to have a clean oven. It is best to clean your oven thoroughly at least every three months. If you use the oven frequently, clean it every two months. When you notice smoke or a burnt smell coming from the oven when nothing is cooking in it, clean it right away. You should also clean the oven if you notice burnt or greasy residue inside the oven, or if the food tastes burnt or is cooking unevenly.

Related Guides:

• Deep Clean Kitchen Checklist
• Steam Clean Vs. Self Clean Oven: Which One Is Better?