How to Clean a Burnt Oven Bottom

Cleaning the oven is a tough job, and that’s why a lot of people prefer to leave this dreadful chore to an oven-cleaning specialist with the necessary skills and time to give the appliance the attention it needs. However, taking care of the burnt floor is a real challenge all in itself! Still, it is not a task to be taken lightly unless you don’t mind the burning food odour filling up the house every time you turn your oven on.

Don’t reach for the air freshener just yet. Instead, focus on tackling the source of the problem, which is most certainly hiding at the appliance’s bottom. It is time to roll up your sleeves and prepare for an oven makeover!

Best oven cleaners for baked-on grease

Burnt old spills and food debris stuck to the bottom won’t come off easily. The good news is that there is a way to clean your oven naturally, making this particular area shiny again in no time.

Vinegar and baking soda are a favoured combination and certainly something to put on top of your eco-friendly oven cleaners’ list. If you happen to have tea tree or thieves essential oil in the house, you can add some drops of any of the two to your natural oven cleaner recipe. The first one will help kill bacteria, while the second will boost the power of your homemade cleaning blend.

The steps to a clean and shiny oven floor

Now that you are aware of the needed ingredients for ridding your oven’s bottom of the baked-on grease, it’s time for action!

Preparations

• You need to have easy access to the oven’s floor, so take the racks out along with the rest of the removable elements.
• Cover the area in front of the appliance with towels or paper to prevent dripping to the floor.
• Removing baked-on grease and residue from the oven is a messy job, so don’t forget your rubber gloves

Cleaning the burnt oven bottom

1. Dampen a cloth and wipe the floor surface to collect any loose pieces of food. Put a spatula (wooden or plastic is best) into use for scraping off all bigger and more stubborn formations;
2. Warm up the oven a little bit. This will make the greasy spots easier to remove
   Don’t be alarmed if smoke and unpleasant odour appear as pieces of food and stains start to heat up. Just turn off the oven and crack a window open.
3. Wait for the appliance to cool off, enough so the possibility of burns is eliminated. Then apply your oven cleaner. Remember that homemade blends usually require more time to work than store-bought oven cleaners.
   The latter may come in handy when there’s more serious grime accumulated, but they tend to release a strong unpleasant smell, as well. How to get rid of it? Vanilla extract and lemon juice are just two solutions to consider for effectively removing any oven-cleaner smell.
4. Finally, use warm water and soap to generously rinse the entire oven floor until it is sparkling clean again.

How to protect the oven bottom in the future

You certainly don’t want to face the same issue all over again, so you need to take measures to protect your appliance’s floor the next time you prepare a meal.

Spill trays

Spill or drip tray can protect your appliance’s floor, preventing hard-baked-on grease from building up. Some oven models come with a tray, but in case you decide to buy one, look for the right size to fit into your appliance.

Manual washing with soapy water is the preferred cleaning method, however, this is definitely to be preferred over kneeling and scrubbing a burnt oven bottom. Still, if you have to remove hard baked-on grease from the oven tray, baking soda and lemon/white vinegar will do the trick.

Oven liner

Another way to avoid cleaning burnt-on grease stains off the oven bottom is to get an oven liner. The special silicone material is heat resistant and can catch all crumbs, spills and drips. It allows it to be resized to fit any oven model and you can make 2-3 oven liners from a single roll.

The only thing to keep in mind is that such a product is mostly suitable for ovens that do not heat from beneath the bottom. So, placing an oven mat in your gas ovens may not be a good idea.

Cleaning is a piece of cake, too. Dish soap and warm water will take off all grime formation. Most are also dishwasher-safe. However, don’t forget to check the label first.

Do you know any quick and easy tricks to get rid of the burnt food on the oven floor? Share them with us in the comments below!