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Certainly a clean oven is more appealing that one that isn’t. And these days the great new self cleaning ovens make oven cleaning an easier and more attractive endeavour. However, decisions about cleaning your oven can be a bit more complicated than just that. You need to know not only how to clean your oven, but when to clean it. We hope that these oven cleaning tips and maintenance suggestions help.
Some Oven Cleaning Tips and Maintenance Suggestions
1. Put the “Self” back in Self Cleaning. If you’re thinking about cleaning your oven in advance of a big dinner party, this may not be a great idea. Running the self-cleaning cycle just before a big baking day might end up with you running to the bakery to buy pies instead. The self-cleaning cycle puts an oven through more stress than just about anything else you can do to it. Ovens tend to break down or perform inconsistently immediately after a self-clean cycle. If your oven is on the verge of such a break down, running the self cleaning cycle is likely to be just the thing to push it over the edge. If there’s a big event for which you want the oven clean, skip the self-cleaning cycle and stick to manual wipe-downs until the guests are gone.
2. Check the oven temperature. While you’re cleaning, it’s a good idea to be sure of the oven’s operation. Find out if your oven’s built-in thermostat is working properly with the aid of a separate oven thermometer. (A glass-bulb thermometer is recommended.) Just set the oven temperature as usual, then compare that with the temperature of the thermometer. The thermometer temperature should be no more than 25 degrees above or below the set temperature. To get an accurate reading, let the oven cycle on and off at least three times. That will take about 20 minutes.
3. Check the condition of the oven door gaskets. The oven door has a gasket to keep heat in. Over time, though, those gaskets can become torn or otherwise deteriorate. When this happens it allows heat to escape and diminishes the quality and efficiency of the the oven. Inspect gaskets to ensure they are in good condition and replace them as necessary. This is a simple but valuable oven repair.
4. Check the condition of the oven door hinges. If the oven door isn’t closing properly this is another potential area for heat escape, and a diminishing of oven quality. Ensure that the door closes both tightly and evenly. If it fails to do so, you should inspect it for broken or bent hinges or malfunctioning door springs. Where these are found, they need to be replaced.
These oven cleaning tips and maintenance suggestions will help with both cleaning your oven and maintaining it, so that it is working at optimum level when you need it most. Knowing when is as important as knowing how to clean your oven.
