7 Oven-Cleaning Hacks That Don't Involve Harsh Chemicals

Clean the Oven Naturally With Baking Soda and Vinegar

If your oven is dirty and you don't have a bottle of oven cleaner on hand–or you simply prefer a natural solution–try using a combination of vinegar and baking soda. Sean Parry of Neat Services suggests mixing ½ cup of baking soda with water to create a paste. "Next, spread the paste all over the bottom of the oven, the side walls, and the inside of the glass oven door, avoiding the heating elements," he says.

Leave the mixture on for a minimum of two hours or overnight. Then fill a spray bottle with half water and half white vinegar and spray it over the baking soda. "The acid in the vinegar will react with the baking soda, causing it to foam," he says. "This action helps to remove the burnt-on food stains from the oven."

After 30 minutes, use a rubber spatula (if necessary) and a rag to remove the baking soda mixture. Finish by wiping everything down with a damp cloth.

Use Salt as a Quick Fix

According to Nathan Ripley of Maid Just Right, using salt is a quick, cheap, and easy way to clean an oven. "While you're baking, sometimes there might be leaks from the food you're preparing on the oven's surface," he says. "In that case, quickly open the oven and sprinkle some salt on the leak. After the oven has cooled, you'll have an easier time removing that stain."

Steam Clean Your Oven With Vinegar

Los Angeles interior designer John Linden likes to steam clean using hot water and vinegar. "They absorb into the grime and soften it, making it much easier to clean away with a cloth," he says.

Start by boiling one-third of a pot of water on the stove. "Once it starts boiling, add an equal amount of white vinegar. Allow it to boil for another 30 seconds or so," Linden says.

Next, remove the pot from the stove, place it inside the oven on the rack, and close the oven door. Allow the pot to sit for 45 to 60 minutes. "Once you open the door, you can start cleaning. Wipe the surface down with a soapy cloth," Linden says. "The grime comes off much more easily than it would if you simply tried to scrub it."

Use Water and Lemons

According to Cyrus Bedwyr, an oven-cleaning expert for Fantastic Services, a little bit of water and two lemons are all you need to get your oven clean. "Grab a pan, fill it with water, and add the juice of two lemons. You can also add the lemon halves to the pan," he says.

Then put the pan in the oven and turn it on. "Let the water boil and take the pan out. The steam will loosen the grime and grease inside your oven and will help you remove it more easily." Let the oven cool before wiping it down with a damp cloth.

Get Nooks and Crannies Clean With an Old Toothbrush

Many of us use an old toothbrush to clean the bathroom, but it's also useful for kitchens. "All those hard-to-reach areas and corners in your oven are difficult to clean," Bedwyr says. "Just dip a toothbrush in any cleaning solution, and you will be amazed at how easy cleaning those corners will be."

Clean Your Oven Racks in the Bathtub

Because of the awkward size and shape of oven racks, they often aren't cleaned as often as they should be. Parry finds that the best approach is to soak racks in the bathtub.

Before you start the process, he suggests lining the tub with old towels so it doesn't get scratched. Then fill the tub with water and drop in a dishwasher tablet. "Dishwasher tablets do a great job cleaning your dishes, so there's no reason they shouldn't do an equally good job with your oven racks," Parry says.

Fully submerge the racks. Leave them for a couple of hours, or ideally, overnight. "After soaking, use the old toothbrush (or a heavy-duty scrubber) to remove any stuck-on food," he says. "Remove the racks from the bath. Rinse them under warm water and dry with a clean kitchen cloth, and you're good to go."

Don't forget to clean the bathtub when you're finished!

Always Start by Vacuuming

No matter what method you choose to clean your oven, start by vacuuming out the dirt, dust, crumbs, and debris. (You should also vacuum after running the self-cleaning cycle.) You can use the vacuum hose, or if that feels too powerful, try the crevice attachment. The Bissell CleanView Vacuum ($75; target.com) is useful for this because it's compact and lightweight. Even better, it has built-in storage for cleaning tools, making it easy to swap between the crevice tool and hose.

If an upright vacuum feels too cumbersome, or you have a narrow kitchen, a handheld vacuum, like the Shark Wandvac ($110; amazon.com), might be easier.