How To Remove Melted Plastic From The Oven (Do This!)
Melted plastic in the oven is a lot more common than you may think. Maybe you tried out that new cake recipe in a dish that wasn’t so oven-proof. Or perhaps you forgot about tossing your plastic containers in your oven to get them out of the way the other day. Regardless of the problem, you will now need to know how to remove the melted plastic from your oven.
To remove melted plastic from your oven, pull the racks out and scrape off the plastic. Then, set ice bags on the rest of the plastic until the ice melts. Next, peel the remaining plastic, and then scrub the racks with detergent and a scrub pad. However, this method will differ on the type of oven you have.
Accidents are bound to happen; it’s a part of life. So, if you forgot about the plastic containers you stored in your oven, don’t worry! By following this guide, you’ll be able to get all the melted plastic out of your oven and have it ready to use in no time.
Do You Need Appliance Repair Services?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
How To Remove Melted Plastic From The Oven
It’s no secret that plastic and heat don’t mix. When they do, though, you’ll have a sticky mess that you need to clean up, and you’ll also have to deal with the stench. But, regardless, the plastic is easy to clean, so don’t freak out just yet.
However, the method you use to remove this mess will depend on the type of oven you have. For example, if you have a gas oven, you’ll want to freeze the plastic off. On the other hand, if it’s a self-cleaning oven, you will need to remove it using heat. We’ll cover both methods below.
Is Melted Plastic In Your Oven Dangerous?
If you haven’t removed the plastic from the oven, then it’s not safe for you to bake food in it and consume that food. However, if you take the time to clean it from your oven and burn the residue, there is no way for the toxic fumes to absorb into your food.
It’s important to note that any food potentially permeated by the toxic fumes should be thrown out immediately.
Removing Melted Plastic From An Electric Or Gas Oven
If plastic has melted in your electric oven or gas oven, you will need to use ‘the cold method’ to remove the mess. It would be best if you bought a five-pound bag of ice for this as you will need a lot of ice. Also, grab some Ziploc bags to throw them in.
Materials you will need:
- Razor scrapper
- Dish detergent
- Ice
- Ziploc bags
- Scrubbing pad or steel wool pad
Instructions
- Let the plastic cool. If this accident just happened, you would want to allow the plastic to cool on the rack. It doesn’t need to be completely cool, but it should be cold enough for you to touch with your fingers. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to peel it off easily.
- Remove the racks. Pull the racks out of the oven and use your razor scraper to remove the cold plastic. You won’t get all of it, and that’s okay. Just take your time and remove the pieces of plastic that you’re able to.
- Prepare the ice bags. Next, you will want to make some ice bags. Scoop ice into your Ziploc bags and seal them well. The amount you make depends on the amount of melted plastic you’re dealing with. If it’s just a small spot, you may only need one or two. However, if the plastic is all over, you may need as many as 20.
- Replace the oven racks and set the ice on the melted plastic. Now you will need to reinsert the plastic racks into the oven. After the racks are replaced, put the ice bags over each area that has melted plastic and shut the door. You will want to let the ice melt over the plastic to get the plastic nice and hard.
- Check the ice every 15 minutes. You’ll want to act immediately after the plastic hardens so that it chips off the surfaces easier.
- Use the scraper to remove the plastic. Pull the racks out and chip the plastic off the racks until it’s almost all gone. Then chip off the plastic that melted to the inside of the oven.
- Scrub the racks and inside of the oven. After most of the plastic is removed, you’ll need to scrub the remaining melted plastic. Use dish detergent such as Dawn with a scrubbing pad or a steel wool pad to scrub the areas.
- Check the oven. After you’re sure you’ve removed all the plastic, check the entire oven to ensure it’s all gone before you test your oven.
- Rinse the inside of the oven. Now, take a wet washcloth and wipe down all the soap from inside of your oven.
- Start your oven. Run your oven to ensure all the plastic is indeed gone. If it’s not, you’ll smell the burnt plastic. If this happens, turn it off immediately and look where the smoke is coming from. Clean that area using the steps above and test your oven again. Repeat these steps until all the plastic is gone.
Removing Melted Plastic From A Self-Cleaning Oven
For a self-cleaning oven, you should use the hot method instead of the cold method. To do this, though, you will need to open all your windows because you’ll need to continue melting the plastic. The fumes are extremely toxic, so remove any children and pets from the home if possible. If you can’t, you should put them in another room that’s furthest from the kitchen.
Materials you will need:
- Wooden spoon
- Razor scraper
Instructions
- Open all the windows and turn on a fan. The melting plastic is going to smell horrible, as you already know from the first melting. Not to mention, melting plastic emits toxic fumes. You can also place a fan at the window to blow the smoke out.
- Remove the oven racks. Before you turn on the oven, you will want to use a razor scraper to remove the plastic.
- Turn the oven on. Set your oven to the lowest setting possible while you watch the plastic. Once it looks like it is softening, you’ll need to peel the plastic off. However, before you do this, you will need to shut the oven off to avoid burning yourself.
- Scrape the plastic. Use the wooden spoon to pull as much plastic off the surfaces of your oven as you can. You might have to rerun your oven if the plastic hardens quickly.
- Run the cleaning cycle. Once you’re sure, all the plastic has gone, run your oven on the self-cleaning setting. This will help to clean the residue that is left behind.
- Do a test run. Now, turn your oven on like you’re going to use it normally. If you smell burnt plastic, open your oven, and look for where the smoke is coming from. Then remove that plastic and repeat the process until it’s all gone.
Remove Melted Plastic From Your Glass Oven Door
If you’ve discovered that you have melted plastic stuck on the glass door of your oven, this, of course, will need to be removed as well. The way in which you remove it, though, depends on exactly how much melted plastic there is.
Small Strings Of Plastic
You’ll need to make a paste using water and baking soda for the smaller strings of plastic. Mix these together until it forms a thick paste. Then, using a toothbrush, apply it to the strings of plastic and scrub it until it goes away.
Larger Chunks
If you have larger globs of melted plastic on the glass door, you will need to use your razor scraper to remove them. After, you can use a washcloth and some dish soap to remove the rest of the residue.
Remove Melted Plastic From The Heating Element
Melting plastic is messy, and it doesn’t have a particular area in which it goes. When it melts, it melts all over your oven; therefore, the chances that it got onto your heating element is high.
To remove the melted plastic from your heating element, you’ll need a wooden spoon. Then, turn your heating element on to allow it to warm up a bit before turning it back off. Then, use your wooden spoon to scrape the plastic off the element. After the plastic is removed, turn your element back on to burn the rest of the residue.
Do You Need Appliance Repair Services?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Our Takeaway
There will come a time in your life where you may find yourself in a situation where plastic has melted all over your oven. But don’t’ worry! This occurrence hardly ever damages the oven. You will need to ensure you remove the plastic altogether before operating your oven again.
If you cooked food with plastic in your oven, it’s essential that you don’t eat that food as it won’t be edible. In fact, it may even harm you. But, by following the methods listed above, you can get your oven in tip-top shape so that you can bake your favorite meal again.
Heather is a passionate writer who loves anything DIY. Growing up, she learned everything from home repairs to design, and wants to share her tips with you. When she's not writing, she's usually hiking or searching for her next DIY project.
More by Heather Robbins
