Cleaning the Oven

All those sheet pan dinners I've been making have done a number on the inside of the oven.  It's the oil splattering, and you really can't control that unless you cover the pans with foil.  That would cause the ingredients to steam instead of roast, which I could do on the stove if that was the goal.

Yes, I have a self-cleaning oven, but I try not to run it more than once a year.  The cycle is very hard on the heating elements and I don't want to blow them out.  Plus, you can't leave the racks in there while it's on, or it will destroy the finish.

I did a few runs with baking soda paste, which is the "before" photo, and why you're probably wondering why I think the oven is all that bad.  It got the door and glass very close to clean.  It was the inside and racks that still needed work.  At some point, I realized that it might be possible to use straight ammonia to soften the grease, as I do for the burner grates.  (I decided to wait until after a canning session to do the grates.)  Sure enough, it's a thing, so here we go.

The process is remarkably easy.  First, heat the oven to 150º.  My oven does that on a dehydrator cycle, or you can just turn it on for a couple of minutes and quickly turn it off.  At this point, if you have a gas oven, turn off the starter and pilot.  No reason for your kitchen to explode.  For electric, just shut it off.

Place an oven-safe bowl, skillet, or roasting pan with a quart of hot water in it on the bottom rack.  On the top rack, place an oven-safe bowl with a cup of ammonia in it.  Close the door and come back in 8-12 hours.

Open windows or run the vent hood, because this is going to smell.  Put on some dish gloves, so the ammonia doesn't dry out your hands, and maybe an apron or clothes you don't care about.  Pour the cup of ammonia into the bowl of water and add a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent.  Bonus, it will get your pan clean.  Use a soft scrubby to remove the grease that is now loosened from the surfaces.  I started with the racks in the utility sink before it could harden again, then moved to the oven walls.  Wipe with a clean sponge or damp rag until the residue is gone and leave the oven door open to dry.

Did all the grease magically dissolve and wipe away, like it does with chemical cleaners or the cleaning cycle?  No.  Was it way easier to scrub it off than using baking soda and/or Dawn?  Yes.  The first round got about 75% of the mess off.  Not bad for 25¢ worth of ammonia.  And I could probably use half as much ammonia and water to achieve the same results.  If I make this a regular part of my monthly cleaning routine, the oven should get and stay spotless before the end of the year.