# Self cleaning ovens
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 2, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477 "2014-05-02T01:15:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/1 "2014-05-02T01:15:44Z")
So I can get it all built up and looking like a mess, and then run the self clean cycle.
I would rather be able to just keep it looking nice all the time. And yet you hear that you cannot use oven cleaner in a self cleaning oven. What is the story here? Can anyone recommend a product?
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### Author:  [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/2 "2014-05-02T01:19:48Z")
> [@dauerbach](#):
>
> So I can get it all built up and looking like a mess, and then run the self clean cycle.
>
> I would rather be able to just keep it looking nice all the time. And yet you hear that you cannot use oven cleaner in a self cleaning oven. What is the story here? Can anyone recommend a product?
Who said you can’t use an oven cleaner on a self-cleaning oven? I do it all the time.
If your oven’s owner’s manual says you can’t use an oven cleaner then contact the manufacturer and ask them what the recommend you use instead.
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### Author:  [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/3 "2014-05-02T01:48:38Z")
Yeah, all the cleaning cycle does is heat up your oven really hot for a long time. This carbonises the crud, and you wipe it up. See that last bit? That’s the important part.
But you don’t really need a grease-cutting caustic oven cleaner, since the grease is now ash. I just use soap and water.
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### Author:  [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/4 "2014-05-02T03:01:42Z")
[I use the fume free version of good old EasyOff](http://www.easyoff.us/sf2_all.shtml). It works for me and their advertising suggests it is safe for self cleaning ovens. As always, YMMV.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/5 "2014-05-02T03:44:52Z")
Some self cleaning ovens used a special surface that allowed grease and such to spread on the surface and catalyze/oxidize during normal use. You were not supposed to use cleaners such as Easy Off on these surfaces. I’m not sure if these technology is still in use, but if your oven is an older model it may have this surface.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/6 "2014-05-02T11:25:35Z")
> [@GaryM](#):
>
> Some self cleaning ovens used a special surface that allowed grease and such to spread on the surface and catalyze/oxidize during normal use. You were not supposed to use cleaners such as Easy Off on these surfaces. I’m not sure if these technology is still in use, but if your oven is an older model it may have this surface.
This I’ve heard of as ‘continuous cleaning oven’ (though that may have been specific to that brand or a old term) and these are the types that one shouldn’t use oven cleaner on.
AFAIK a regular self cleaning oven you can use oven cleaner on.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/7 "2014-05-02T14:01:56Z")
Hey, I’m old! But you’re correct, “Continuous Cleaning” is the correct term.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/8 "2014-05-02T14:19:36Z")
As I remember, the OP just purchased a new oven. (There was a thread in which he solicited advice on how best to single-handedly remove the old wall oven. He was advised not to attempt to remove it by himself.) Presumably he received a user’s manual with it. So why not just _read the manual for cleaning instructions_?
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/9 "2014-05-02T14:53:12Z")
Perhaps the oven instructions say not to use oven cleaner _during the self-cleaning cycle_?
I just ran a self-cleaning cycle on an oven for the first time in memory, and an chagrinned that I waited so long to do it. It’s much nicer in there now. I also ran my racks through the dishwasher and was amazed at how nice they look now!
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### Author:  [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/10 "2014-05-02T15:01:23Z")
Just a tip in case some of you don’t know it. After you clean your oven using the self-clean feature - and after you clean up the ashes in the oven and on the racks - take a piece of wax paper and rub along the sides of the racks. It makes them slide in and out very smoothly, like buttah. It makes a tremendous improvement.
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### Author:  [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/11 "2014-05-02T15:13:18Z")
It sounds like the OP wants to spot clean spills after each time they happen, instead of running a full cleaning cycle, correct? Standard oven cleaners won’t do that - they require a 2-3 hour soak period as well.
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### Author:  [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-cleaning-ovens/687477/12 "2014-05-02T21:25:31Z")
> [@Orwell](#):
>
> Just a tip in case some of you don’t know it. After you clean your oven using the self-clean feature - and after you clean up the ashes in the oven and on the racks - take a piece of wax paper and rub along the sides of the racks. It makes them slide in and out very smoothly, like buttah. It makes a tremendous improvement.
The manual to my self-cleaning oven says to remove the racks first. But thanks for the tip. I will try that after I manually clean them.