Cleaning your oven is one of those dreaded household chores. Bubbled-over bakes and spilled food turn into scorched patchwork all over the floor of your oven. It can be tempting to just simply shut the oven door and convince yourself that it can be pushed off until another day. Luckily, these 3 cleaning options really do take the guesswork of how to clean your Frigidaire Oven and make the grunt work minimal to once again have a sparkling oven.
3 Ways to Clean Frigidaire Oven–
- Steam-Cleaning Cycle
- Self-Cleaning Cycle
- DIY Cleaning
What You Might Need:
- Paper towel
- Microfiber cloth
- Protective Gloves
- Baking soda
- Dish soap
- Water
- White Vinegar
- Scraper
- Heavy duty sponge
- Steel wool
Basic Prep:
Before you plan to clean your dirty oven with any of the methods listed above, it is important to do some simple prep work to make the overall cleaning easier and more efficient.
Inside the Oven:
First, remove oven racks and any other accessories, like drip trays, from the oven. (If your oven racks look like they need some cleaning themselves, keep reading! I have included my favorite method below)
With a damp cloth, wipe up any loose food residue found in the oven interior or on the oven walls. For tough food debris, you may take a scraper or razor blade to scrape these tough spots.
Oven Drawer / Warming Compartment:
Next, open your oven drawer and remove any items you might store below. Some cleaning solutions or water may drip down into this area, so this will prevent them from getting dirty during the cleaning process.
Remove any crumbs or grim present by wiping out the drawer with a clean rag or vacuuming with a hand-held vacuum. Scrub clean any spills or residue with a hot, soapy rag. Place the drawer to the side and allow it to air dry.
Now you are ready to begin cleaning your oven.
Option 1: Steam-Clean Cycle
Some models of Frigidaire Ovens come with a steam cleaning feature. As the name indicates, these steam-cleaning ovens use steam to help clean the inside of your oven.
This option is the fastest of the three methods, as it only takes about 30 minutes for the cycle to run. Steam-Clean is best for removing light stains and minimal messes. The steam helps to soften small spills or baked-on bits so that they can be wiped up with ease.
What you need:
- Rag / Sponge
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Hot Water
- Kitchen Towels / Paper Towels
- 1-2 lemons (optional)
Instructions:
- Open the oven door and remove racks and any extra accessories
- Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the oven. ( I like to add a few halves of lemons for an extra clean and fresh scent)
- Close the oven door and press the “Steam-Clean” button
- Once the cycle begins, the door will lock
- After 30 minutes, you will hear a beep and the screen will read “End”
- Press “End” to return to the clock
- Once the oven is cool, soak up any remaining water on the bottom of the oven with a dry kitchen towel.
- With a warm, soapy rag or sponge, lightly scrub any areas that need extra attention.
Option 2: Self-Clean Cycle
What you need:
- Rag / Sponge
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Hot Water
- Kitchen Towels / Paper Towels
Instructions:
- Clear the stove top of any items. The oven will heat itself to an extremely high temperature, so this is to avoid any damage.
- Open the oven door and remove racks and any extra accessories.
- Close the oven door and push the “Self-Clean” bottom. Press up for the 3-hour cycle or down for the 2-hour cycle. Select based on your preference and time schedule.
- Once selected, the door will lock and the screen will read “CLn”
- Allow for the oven to proceed with the self-cleaning cycle. (It is normal to hear clicks, taps, or light thumping sounds. The oven is just expanding due to the intense heat.)
- Once complete and the oven has cooled down, the oven will unlock.
- When the oven is cool enough, you will need to wipe away the residue in the interior of the oven with a warm, soapy rag or sponge. Place pieces of newspaper on the floor in front of your oven to catch any spillage and to make clean-up easier.
Tips for success:
- I suggest opening a window or turning on a fan to help ventilate the room while using the self-cleaning mode.
- Avoid using the cooktop. If you do, it may cause the self-cleaning function to cancel. If this happens, the display will show SCC for 5 seconds until the oven cools down.
- If you want to know how much time is left for the self-cleaning process, click the “Self-Clean” button again and the remaining time will display
Option 3: DIY Nontoxic Cleaner
The final method that I personally like to use in my home is a DIY nontoxic cleaner. I know there are a plethora of oven cleaners sold in the stores or online that claim to be safe to use, but I am just not comfortable using these high-chemical cleaners on something that cooks my family’s food.
Instead, I ditch the harsh chemicals and stick with this tried and true nontoxic cleaner. It not only gets the job done, but it also only takes 3 ingredients that are most likely already in your pantry.
What you need is:
- 1 cup Baking soda
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 T Dish Soap
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- Essential Oils (optional)
Instructions:
- Open the oven door and remove racks and any extra accessories. Place pieces of newspaper on the floor in front of your oven to catch any spillage and to make clean-up easier.
- In a bowl, mix together baking soda, water, and dish soap to create a thick paste.
- With a sponge or with your hand, spread the paste all over the oven walls, oven bottom, and inside of the oven door. Allow the paste to soak for at least 8 hours. (I would suggest you allow it to soak overnight)
- Next, with a spray bottle, spray the vinegar all over the oven on the paste. You will hear it fizzing. Allow it to work for at least 10 minutes. (It could be a good idea to use a few drops of essential oil in the vinegar to mask the smell)
- Wipe up the vinegar paste with a soft cloth. You may want to use a scrub brush and a little elbow grease to remove any stubborn stains that remain.
- Lastly, take a damp sponge and wipe up any residue left from the baking soda and wipe dry with a dry towel.
How to clean Frigidaire Oven racks:
Lay an old towel on the bottom of your bathtub and fill it halfway with warm water.
To the water, add 1/4 cup of natural laundry detergent – my favorite brand is Molly’s Suds – and 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap. Mix to combine.
Lay your oven racks in the tub and soak them overnight.
The following day, take a sponge or steel wool pad and rub away any debris on the oven racks. This seriously works like a charm and makes cooked-on food spills wipe away like butter.
How to clean Frigidaire Oven glass door:
Clean the glass door the same way you cleaned the rest of the oven in option 3.
Spread a good amount of the baking soda paste on the glass (recipe above), and leave to soak overnight for 8 hours.
Spray with vinegar and leave to fizz for 10 minutes.
Wipe clean with a damp towel. If any baking soda residue remains, wipe again with a towel and some clean water. Dry with a paper towel.
How to clean Frigidaire Oven knobs:
Wet a microfiber rag with some warm soapy water.
Scrub the knobs and wipe them dry with a paper towel.
If you prefer to use an all-purpose cleaner, avoid spraying the knobs directly as the liquid could get behind the knobs and switches and short out the control panel. Instead, spray a clean cloth and then wipe the knobs clean.
FAQs
How often should I clean my oven?
GE appliances recommend that you clean your oven every 3-6 months, as long as no major cleaning is needed beforehand.
Can I leave my racks in the oven during self-clean or steam-clean cycle?
No, leaving your oven racks in your oven during the oven’s self-clean feature or steam-clean feature can damage racks. Instead, it is recommended that you remove the oven racks before beginning the oven’s self-cleaning feature or steam-cleaning feature and clean them separately.
Why should I clean my oven?
It is important to keep up with regular oven cleanings for the longevity of your cooking appliances. Not only will cleaning the oven help the appliance, but it will also assist in keeping your baked and broiled dishes tasting their best. Burnt-on grease and grime can start to make their way into the flavor of your food causing it to taste a little smokey.
When should I clean my oven?
I recommend doing a deep clean on your oven once all cooking is done for the day. Cleaning your oven at night allows for the steam-clean or self-clean function to run without being disrupted or for the baking soda paste to soak for the full recommended time.
Appliancepartszone
My favorite pleasure is baking, however cleaning the oven is something I dislike doing. What I appreciate most about this fantastic blog is that it offers three cleaning suggestions from which one may select the one that best suits their needs. Fortunately, my oven has a steam cleaning option, which made my work really simple. Additionally, the oven rack needs to be cleaned with extra care because it is the area that accumulates the most debris.
simplicityandastarter
Thank you so much for taking the time to share! I understand that people have different schedules and cleaning needs, so I wanted to share 3 different techniques to fit all lifestyles and situations. I’m glad the steam cleaning option worked well for you. I did include how to clean the oven racks in this blog, as well. It works like a charm and scrubbing is kept to a minimum.