# Self-Cleaning Oven? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387 "2012-01-04T16:26:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/21 "2012-01-04T18:14:48Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Yep. Just be sure not to leave the fridge door open, too, or they’ll cancel each other out. Good way to defrost the freezer though. . . ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/22 "2012-01-04T18:18:39Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > I was trapped by this once : the cleaning cycle was finished but the door was still locked an hour later, and we needed to put the turkey in there. My solution was to turn off the breaker at the fuse box. When power was restored, the oven unlocked the door. > > (This constitutes a circumvention of a safety feature. I’m not responsible for the cost of burned-down houses, or for replacement of dead parakeets.) Here’s a sticky post at the top of an appliance repair board I go to for help from time to time… > [@](#): > > It happens every year… > > It’s a day or two before a Major Holiday and the oven is looking a little crusty. So you decide to run the self-clean cycle. When you return to what you hoped would be a clean oven, you find a locked oven door and an error code on the display. Even if you can get a technician to your home before thanksgiving, it’s likely he will not have the needed part. Your Holiday dinner is now seriously screwed. > > It is very common for a stove to fail during a clean cycle. The self-clean cycles generate interior temperatures in the range of 850 degrees F. That why the doors lock, if you were to open the door at 850 F, you would burn your eyebrows off. The clean cycle also uses parts and circuits that are seldom used. When you add the severe heat, you are subjecting the oven to the highest stresses it ever sees. > > My rule is this.. > > If it is less than 2 weeks before a major holiday, do not use the clean cycle. > > Tell your all friends. > > Nick > You don’t want to be microwaving Hotpockets for your Holiday meal From [here](http://appliantology.org/topic/10528-do-not-run-oven-self-clean-cycle-this-close-to-holiday/page __hl__ self%20cleaning%20holiday __st__ 20). ---
**Author:** ![Bloodless\_Turnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@Bloodless\_Turnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloodless_Turnip)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/23 "2012-01-04T18:21:44Z")
How much electricity does the clean cycle use? I’m thinking it would be easier and cost a lot less to clean up messes in the oven as they happen. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/24 "2012-01-04T18:21:46Z")
I wish I had thought about the pizza stone. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/25 "2012-01-04T18:36:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I remember seeing a blog or a website from a guy who was interested in making pizza in a really hot oven, so he hacked his oven to allow him to use it for baking during the self-cleaning cycle. So it is possible, but probably crazy dangerous. Yep, you’re thinking of [Jeff Varasano](http://varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm). That link doesn’t describe hacking the self-cleaning cycle, but, yeah, he sawed off the latch or whatever and defeated the mechanism so he could get the 800-1000F degrees for his preferred style of pizza. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/26 "2012-01-04T18:37:31Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > That’s a fantastic idea. Is there any way to do that without leaving the regular oven racks in? Can I just stack them on the floor of the oven between the heating element? Put something else on the oven floor then stack them? Or should I just keep the racks in? Honestly, I’ve never removed the racks from my oven. I just put the grates in with everything else. I’ve never noticed a problem with the racks. ---
**Author:** ![mundylion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundylion/32/3604_2.png) [@mundylion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mundylion)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/27 "2012-01-04T18:40:51Z")
> [@Bloodless\_Turnip](#): > > How much electricity does the clean cycle use? I’m thinking it would be easier and cost a lot less to clean up messes in the oven as they happen. Ours is a gas oven so probably little electricity is used during the cleaning cycle. As for how much gas is used, I have no idea and don’t care. We all should wipe up the little spills but sooner or later the oven needs a real cleaning. And there is no way the automatic cycle costs more than the cans of Easy-Off, not to mention the hassle. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/28 "2012-01-04T18:51:36Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I wish I had thought about the pizza stone. It might be fine… or it might break. If so, whoops! For our oven, the process is: Set it to “clean” mode Wait a half hour or so, until it starts an incessant beeping Go downstairs and turn it off at the breaker box There’s something screwy and it sets off this alarm, which we can’t stop except to turn off power to the thing. It does burn most of the crud off beforehand. We looked into having it repaired but apparently it takes two people to wrestle it out of the wall (it’s a built-in) and is therefore an expensive evaluation, with no guarantee it can be fixed. We’ve chosen to live with it until such time as it really quits working. Back when we had a working self-clean unit, it behaved as everyone else has said. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/29 "2012-01-04T18:56:19Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > In Girl Scouts they taught us to move any kitchen fires into the oven and shut it if at all possible. (i.e. if a greasy pot caught fire - pop it in there and shut it.) I can’t think of a safer place for a fire than inside a closed oven. Even safer than the open fireplace. . . Maybe not on a stove which uses gas… ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/30 "2012-01-04T18:57:56Z")
Oh, CRITICAL POINT. Don’t ever get the idea that you’ll “save money” or “save energy” and use Easy-Off to clean a self-cleaning oven. #1 A self-cleaning oven surface is not smooth. Ever try to clean sandpaper? #2 You can DAMAGE the self-cleaning surface. Which means you can never use the self-cleaning cycle ever again. Do you REALLY want to deprive yourself of that? #3 Using the self-cleaning cycle AFTER using oven cleaning chemicals cause vapors to arise from the oven and those can ruin the OUTSIDE finish of your range. So, in conclusion, DON’T DON’T DON’T use anything but the self-cleaning cycle of your oven. Period. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/31 "2012-01-04T19:00:06Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > In Girl Scouts they taught us to move any kitchen fires into the oven and shut it if at all possible. (i.e. if a greasy pot caught fire - pop it in there and shut it.) I can’t think of a safer place for a fire than inside a closed oven. Even safer than the open fireplace. . . A wet dish-towel or a handful of baking soda will easily douse a fire in a pot. Whereas I don’t think you could grab a flaming pot and put it in the oven without seriously risking burning yourself. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/32 "2012-01-04T19:05:57Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Oh, CRITICAL POINT. Don’t ever get the idea that you’ll “save money” or “save energy” and use Easy-Off to clean a self-cleaning oven. > > #1 A self-cleaning oven surface is not smooth. Ever try to clean sandpaper? > > #2 You can DAMAGE the self-cleaning surface. Which means you can never use the self-cleaning cycle ever again. Do you REALLY want to deprive yourself of that? > > #3 Using the self-cleaning cycle AFTER using oven cleaning chemicals cause vapors to arise from the oven and those can ruin the OUTSIDE finish of your range. > > So, in conclusion, DON’T DON’T DON’T use anything but the self-cleaning cycle of your oven. Period. > ~VOW Forgive me, but I’m a little skeptical here. What are you talking about? I’ve never had issues with mixing the occasional manual cleaning (a la Easy Off) with self-cleaning. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/33 "2012-01-04T19:07:43Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Oh, CRITICAL POINT. Don’t ever get the idea that you’ll “save money” or “save energy” and use Easy-Off to clean a self-cleaning oven. Note that there is an Easy-Off product that is safe to use in a self-cleaning oven. Check the label. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/34 "2012-01-04T19:24:35Z")
> [@Bloodless\_Turnip](#): > > How much electricity does the clean cycle use? I’m thinking it would be easier and cost a lot less to clean up messes in the oven as they happen. Using my own oven as an example: 30 Amps, 220 V, 3 hour cycle gives 19.8 kWH. At 20 cents per kWH, $3.96 worth of electricity. That’s assuming the oven is on using all available power for the entire time. I’m utterly certain it’s not, but don’t know offhand what the duty cycle is. If it’s 50%, you’re down to $1.98 worth of electricity. And you can’t always clean up spills as they happen. You’ve got to fight with hot oven walls, and hot liquid if you want to clean it up instantly (not to mention screwing up whatever you’re trying to cook), and if you wait until everythings cooled off you’re now dealing with a very difficult to clean baked on residue. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/35 "2012-01-04T19:36:05Z")
BTW, if you want your oven to clean you whole house _without_ an ashen disaster, all you need to do is [ol] [li]Open the door; [/li][li]Set the oven to self-clean;[/li][li]Put [Powerhouse](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9-7uLg-DZU)on the stereo.[/li][/ol] Little robots will fly out of the oven and take care of everything. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/36 "2012-01-04T19:52:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Forgive me, but I’m a little skeptical here. What are you talking about? I’ve never had issues with mixing the occasional manual cleaning (a la Easy Off) with self-cleaning. Neither have I. Also, the inside of my oven is quite smooth. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/37 "2012-01-04T20:27:36Z")
The Daughter’s new house came with a snazzy gas range. I read the instruction book fully cover-to-cover. And the instructions were specific: do NOT use oven cleaner. The oven finish can be ruined, and the exterior can be destroyed from the fumes when using the self-cleaning cycle AFTER cleaning with chemical cleaners. The business of the surface texture comes from my experience with one of those damnable continual-cleaning ovens. So for that one, I’ll retract. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/38 "2012-01-04T20:36:20Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > The Daughter’s new house came with a snazzy gas range. I read the instruction book fully cover-to-cover. And the instructions were specific: do NOT use oven cleaner. The oven finish can be ruined, and the exterior can be destroyed from the fumes when using the self-cleaning cycle AFTER cleaning with chemical cleaners. > > The business of the surface texture comes from my experience with one of those damnable continual-cleaning ovens. So for that one, I’ll retract. > ~VOW Easy Off claims that their fume-free cleaner is safe on self-cleaning ovens: [http://www.easyoff.us/faq.shtml](http://www.easyoff.us/faq.shtml) > [@](#): > > EASY-OFF® Fume Free Oven Cleaner can be used in self-cleaning ovens. > Self-Cleaning Oven Directions: > > ``` > MAKE SURE SELF-CLEANING CYCLE IS TURNED OFF AND OVEN IS COLD. > SPRAY IN COLD OVEN. Follow directions in Step #1 above. > CLOSE DOOR AND WAIT FOR 2 HOURS FOR THE FOAM TO PENETRATE OVEN SOILS. Do not turn oven or self-cleaning cycle on. > WIPE CLEAN. Use wet sponge, cloth or paper towels, rinsing frequently with warm water. > > ``` Note: I have not tried this (though we do have a can of it at home, for use “someday”). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/39 "2012-01-04T20:48:32Z")
I am not an appliance expert, so take this with a grain of salt. But I was led to believe that a _self-cleaning oven_ was one that, when put thru a very high heat mode, would reduce most food spills to ash which can be easily wiped away when cool. But a _continuous-cleaning oven_ was one that had a non-stick surface to which very little food could stick, much like Teflon-coated pans. This model doesn’t have a high-heat mode, nor does it need one. If I am right, does this explain the confusion in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387/40 "2012-01-04T21:29:17Z")
My continuous-clean oven was NOT a Teflon lining. It was something that facilitated a “slow burn” of accretions, since it was never intended to achieve the extremely high heat of a self-cleaning oven. It did a crappy job. It ALWAYS looked cruddy. As for oven cleaners on a self-cleaning oven: I personally look at the price of a can of Easy-Off as three or four bucks. And I look at the price of a self-cleaning oven: a grand give or take a couple hundred. Which advice would I follow? ~VOW [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-oven/608387.md?page=3)