How To Make Homemade Oven Cleaner That Works

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

I used to hate cleaning my oven. Whilst it’s never the most fun job, I particularly 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, more natural way to keep it spick-and-span.

I tried heaps of different eco-friendly cleaning products, and homemade natural cleaning solutions and methods. Yet I was always so disappointed with the results. Nothing seemed to perform quite like 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, which 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. This means you can mix up the solution, apply it, 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 the ingredients cheaply from your local supermarket – mostly in the baking aisle!

How To Make Homemade Oven Cleaner

Want a clean oven without the chemical stench? Here’s all you need to know:

Safety Warning

Before we start, you should never use this solution on aluminium surfaces. Soda crystals do not like aluminium and can corrode it, so it’s important to keep it away from anything aluminium. I’d also recommend wearing rubber gloves, particularly if you have sensitive skin, as soda crystals can irritate your skin.

You Will Need

To make a single-use gel, 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 or buy soda crystals online)

Method

• 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 – allow the water to cool a little before blending to avoid this risk.

To Use This Homemade Oven Cleaner

Once you’ve made the solution, you should use this to clean your oven immediately. It’s not designed to be stored for any length of time.

• 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 cleaner on your oven racks and trays if these also need cleaning, as long as they are not made of aluminium.
• Leave the gel on overnight. Close the door if you have pets or young children (safety first!); otherwise, leave the door open.
• 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.
• Once you’re done scrubbing, wipe the oven down with a clean, damp cloth, rinsing the cloth in clean water as necessary.

Why It Works

Soda crystals are what’s known in chemistry as alkaline. This means that they have a pH of 8 or more. Without getting too bogged down in the science, the key thing you need to know is that because of their pH, alkaline cleaning products are especially good at breaking down fatty, greasy, or oily deposits – such as the ones found in your oven.

Whilst you can use soda crystals on their own to clean your oven, the addition of both xanthan gum and glycerine creates a more viscous solution that clings to your oven. This means the soda crystals solution doesn’t run off and pool at the bottom of the oven. This allows the soda crystals to really get to work and break down all the grease and fat in your oven overnight.

The salt is mildly abrasive. So when you are scrubbing, this will help tackle any burnt-on stains. Finally, the addition of the washing-up liquid also helps to break down any grease and fat in your oven.

Printable Guide

Need a printable guide? Here’s the full how-to in a printer-friendly format: