Dear Home Ec 101,
Ladies, we have a self-cleaning oven. However, we like to roast meats in the oven after searing them on the stove, using a frying pan. Consequently, we have serious grease stains on the inside of the door and the oven glass. The stains are very difficult to remove. Do you have an easy solution?
Signed,
~Greasy in Green Bay
What a timely reminder to clean my own oven glass. We cook our bacon in the oven, so as you can imagine my oven window was quite disgusting. I took pictures to demonstrate the cleaning process, but my ever-so-helpful-little-darlings* have broken the power supply for my laptop and I cannot access them.
I find it amusing that I can go months without mentioning a product and then suddenly I will mention it several posts in a row. Once again, I am recommending Bar Keepers Friend®. The abrasive is mild enough that it can be used on glass without scratching. This is your everyday glass, not your computer monitors or camera lenses. Some may suggest placing a bowl of ammonia in the closed oven for several hours or using a product such as Easy Off. We have small children and pets in the house, so I prefer to not expose them to the fumes.*
The process is a little easier when the oven door is warm, but not hot. Use a fairly damp rag to wipe the glass. If the door is hot, water could seep into the double pane and fog your window, not to mention water conducts heat quite well and you could burn your hands. Sprinkle the glass with Bar Keepers Friend and go entertain yourself for a few minutes. I highly suggest perusing this site. Once the acid has had some time to work on the grease, use your damp rag to scrub the glass. You will need to keep changing the portion you are scrubbing with as it becomes dirty. Depending on how many eons you have allowed the grease to accumulate (are we talking sedimentary layers or just a thick film?), you may need to repeat the process. When the grease has been removed from the glass take a second damp rag and wipe up any lingering powder.
There you have it. A nice shiny oven window. Now, once again, you should be able to peek at your food and decide if it’s done without opening the door.
Enjoy.
*Yes my teeth ARE clenched, why do you ask?
**It couldn’t possibly be because I don’t have the energy to load everyone in the car and head to the store.
Submit your household questions to helpme@home-ec101.com
You are genius! I just assumed that if my self-cleaning oven didn’t get that gunk off the window, it was just permanent. ha. I’ve been using SoftScrub on my stainless steel sink – perhaps I’ll try that on the glass (don’t worry, I’ll check the label first!).
Heather, you kill me. I love the tip, but the humor is even better.
Off to go buy some Bar Keeper’s Friend. 🙂
(PS I would offer you a good, stiff Chardonnay to help with that teeth clenching, but you’d have to pry the bottle out of my cold, dead hands. Yes, my little darlings* are at it today too. And someone had the NERVE to ask me today when we are having a 3rd child?!??! You gotta be kidding me.)
I wondered why my comment didn’t go through. Wonder why I was a spam… =( Thanks for letting me enter and getting my comment out of the garbage . LOL!
Thanks for letting me know that I can use bar keeper's friend on something that heats up. I actually thought that it could only be used on counter tops or such. What about the inside of a microwave door? You know, that little explosion when I accidentally set it for 13 mins and not 1 min 30. oops.
baking powder can help get the grime as well.
I used barkeepers friend on the inside of my toaster oven door. It turned out absolutely perfect! I rinsed it two or three times and I even poured some vinegar on it and soaked it up with a clean paper towel at the very end. It still smells like the cleaner. Is there anything I should be doing before I use my oven? I’m just concerned that the taste or smell will get in my food.
Hi Joan, just give it another good wipe down with a very damp paper towel and you should be good to go.
https://www.barkeepersfriend.com/faq-bar-keepers-friend/ BKF is safe for food contact surfaces. I’ve used it for nearly 20 years now and I’ve not had any issues with it making my food smell off, granted it has always been on full-size ovens, but if you are super concerned just cover the item the first couple of uses.