How To Make Homemade Oven Cleaner That Works

When it comes to cleaning your oven, give the harsh chemicals a miss. Instead, try my homemade oven cleaner to clean your oven the natural and eco-friendly way.

I used to hate cleaning my oven. I always found it such a laborious job. I also hated having to use such harsh caustic chemicals in such close quarters. With the discovery by scientists that conventional cleaning products can damage your health I wanted to find another way.

I tried heaps of different eco-friendly cleaning products, and natural cleaning solutions and methods. Yet I was always so disappointed with the results. Nothing seemed to perform similarly to the more chemical-laden counterparts.

That was until one day I had a light bulb and realised the key was xanthan gum. Yes, that gluten-free baking staple that helps to provide thickness to gluten-free baking recipes.

It might seem unusual to use xanthan gum to clean with. However, when used in natural cleaning recipes, the xanthan gum creates a clinging gel-like consistency that’s perfect for cleaning your oven. You can mix up the solution, apply, and leave it on overnight to work its magic. All you then have to do is wipe your oven down in the morning.

There might still be a bit of scrubbing involved, but at least you won’t be breathing in any noxious fumes from your oven cleaner. My clean green homemade natural oven cleaner has none of the nastiness, but all of the effectiveness.

Want to know the best part? You can pick up all of the ingredients (mostly from the baking aisle!) cheaply the next time you are at the supermarket!

Homemade Oven Cleaner Recipe

If you want to clean your oven the DIY way, then try my homemade oven-cleaning gel that does the trick without the noxious atmosphere. 

The gel ensures the homemade cleaner clings to the sides of your oven overnight, allowing the soda crystals to really get in and help dissolve the cooked-on grease and grime. The result is a clean oven without the chemical stench.

You Will Need:

1 teaspoon xanthan gum (buy it from the baking section of the supermarket or health food store)
2 teaspoons glycerine (again, buy it from the baking section of the supermarket)
2 teaspoons washing-up liquid
300ml just-boiled water
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons soda crystals (find it in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket)

Makes: a single-use gel

Use: use this homemade cleaner on your oven immediately

Method

To make this homemade oven cleaner, put the xanthan gum and glycerine in a large bowl and stir well to fully combine. Add the washing-up liquid and stir again.

Next, pour the just-boiled water into a large jug and add the salt and soda crystals. Stir until the soda crystals dissolve.

Pour the warm solution into the bowl with the xanthan gum mixture. Next use a hand-held blender to pulse for 1 minute, until fully combined. Take care not to burn yourself – you may want to allow the water to cool a little before blending to avoid this risk.

To Use This Homemade Oven Cleaner

To use this homemade oven cleaner, switch off your oven at the socket and remove the racks from the inside. Next pop some rubber gloves on. This is because soda crystals – despite being a natural cleaning ingredient – can be quite caustic and damage your skin.

With a sponge or scrubbing brush, apply the gel liberally to the surfaces of your oven, including the door.

You can also use the homemade oven cleaner on your oven racks and trays, too, if these also need cleaning.

Leave the gel on overnight, then in the morning, again wearing rubber gloves, use a scrubbing brush to give your oven a thorough clean. If burnt-on spots remain, sprinkle over some bicarbonate of soda to give you some extra scouring power.

When you’re satisfied, wipe the oven down with a clean, damp cloth, rinsing the cloth in clean water as necessary. You can now breathe easy!

Warning: Do not use this homemade oven cleaner on aluminium surfaces. Soda crystals do not like aluminium and can corrode it.