Clean the oven before Christmas: Here’s how to get it clean again

In short: Switch off the oven and let it cool, remove the baking trays and racks, spray on oven cleaner, leave to work according to the label, wipe off and rinse thoroughly with clean water. Then heat the oven briefly and ventilate well – ready for Christmas baking.

Why before Christmas?

In December, the oven is in almost daily use: cookies, stollen, roast goose. Old grease residue smokes at high temperatures, smells unpleasant and can affect the taste. A clean oven also heats more evenly because no crusts block the heat.

What you need

• PROFI-Clean Oven Cleaner Spray (ready to use)
• Protective gloves
• Sponge with a soft side or plastic scraper
• Microfiber cloth and a bowl of clean water

Step-by-step to a clean oven

1. Preparation: Switch off the oven and let it cool. Remove the racks, baking trays and oven racks. Sweep out large crumbs.
2. Spraying: Spray the cleaner evenly onto the dirty surfaces – not on heating elements, fan guards, seals or temperature sensors.
3. Leave to work: The working time is stated on the label. For heavy crusts, it is better to repeat the process than to scrub with force.
4. Wiping off: Remove the loosened dirt with a sponge or scraper. No steel wool – it scratches the enamel.
5. Rinsing: Rinse thoroughly with clean water and a cloth until no cleaner residue remains.
6. Briefly heating: Let the empty oven run for about 10 minutes at a medium temperature and ventilate during this time.

Baking trays, racks and oven door

Baking trays and racks are best cleaned in the bathtub or sink: spray with oven cleaner, leave to work, rinse. Place an old towel underneath so that nothing gets scratched. Clean the oven door glass from the inside like the cooking compartment. In many models, the glass can be removed, so you can also reach the dirt between the panes.

Important: Not every oven can handle oven cleaner

If your oven has catalytic walls (rough, porous coating) or a pyrolysis function, check the user manual first. Catalytic surfaces must usually not be treated with cleaner. With pyrolysis, the oven cleans itself.

And what about home remedies like baking soda?

A paste of baking soda and water helps with light soiling, but takes a lot of time and scrubbing. For grease that has been baked on for several months, a ready-to-use oven cleaner is significantly faster. Important: Do not combine home remedies and cleaners, and rinse thoroughly with water after each method.

Safety

Oven cleaner dissolves grease because it is highly alkaline. Therefore, wear gloves, do not spray towards your face, ventilate well and keep children and pets away. Do not combine with other cleaners.

This is how the oven stays clean longer

• Cover roasts and casseroles or cook them in a dish with high sides.
• Wipe up spills immediately after cooling – before they burn on.
• For the grill rack in summer, there is the suitable grill cleaner.

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