Comments on: How to Clean your Stovetop and Oven, the Simple, Safe, Frugal Way

By: Sarah H

Sarah H — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:14:53 +0000

Our oven racks are incredibly unstable…you pull them out and they tip (REALLY bad design). My husband was pulling out a pizza and the rack tipped backwards…and the pizza slid cheese side down onto the element. We managed to get it off the element before it caught fire (and I scraped the toppings off the bottom of the oven and we ate them…well, I did. Hubby was too busy feeling crappy about destroying the pizza), but to this day that stuff is on the bottom of the oven. I’ll have to try some of your tips: lemon oil and baking soda, my usual miracle workers, didn’t touch it. At all.

By: Sarah H

Sarah H — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:07:12 +0000

That was supposed to be for Hannah’s comment.

By: Sarah H

Sarah H — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:06:27 +0000

You could also try a teeny, stiff paintbrush, or just baking soda on a wet washcloth, hold the edge taut and slide it in there.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:56:03 +0000

I am being inspired to do something about the appalling state of my (second hand) oven from these comments – I too have been avoiding oven cleaner.
But since you asked, I will say that the first time I ever cooked a duck – and the living LAST time I will ever do it without a cover, crispy skin or no! – oven cleaner, open windows (in February) and washing of all surfaces and soft furnishings in the kitchen (thank heavens for closed-off cooking areas sometimes) was not enough to get rid of the smell of burning fat. It returned for weeks every time I warmed up the oven. It STILL comes back if I use the convection fan, since the fat splattered in the fan cover where I can’t get at it.
Do not try this at home, folks.

By: Lindz

Lindz — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:50:47 +0000

Very helpful article. I mixed baking soda, salt, and vinegar together, let sit, and then scraped off years of gunk w/ a plastic spatula. Thanks again for the help!

By: Carolina

Carolina — Tue, 24 May 2011 03:16:26 +0000

Thanks for the tips , I have a self cleaning oven, but like you I am very interesting in an non toxic solution, without wasting electricity, plus I think it is a great way to work out, given our nowadays “static state and motion by automation society” .
Will follow more homemaking tips via fb.

By: shalom

shalom — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:08:56 +0000

I have a better use for that oven door hook than to attach foil to it
Sometimes when making buttermilk, etc I need a little more warmth than room temp (in cooler weather), so I put the container in the oven and turn the oven light on. However, DH is blind & rather than expecting him to remember I have something in the oven I lock the door. It prevents the oven from being turned on. It would also keep kids out of the oven.

By: Donette

Donette — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:15:37 +0000

I helped my Grandma get a spill of burned on homemade jam off her glass cooktop. We put a rag over the spill. Got some water boiling and poured it over the rag. The rag helps the hot water to sit right on the spill. Ring out the rag and repeat the process every hour with new boiling water. It took a few times but really worked.

By: Sarah @ Mum In Bloom

Sarah @ Mum In Bloom — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:15:38 +0000

Yup, I can’t stop laughing either. I actually had to read it twice to get it ;o)

By: Ellen

Ellen — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:19:56 +0000

Thanks again, Katie…Just found you yesterday and have already found several useful tips. I started early yesterday morning cleaning our oven…fans going full blast,front door open,door to garage open…all due to the “fume free” oven cleaner!!….Now the only thing left is the door..which I’ll clean with baking soda,salt,and vinegar….AFTER I put the half used can of oven cleaner in the trash(actually a box we have for toxic chemical disposal).
God Bless
Ellen