Brandon Here!

If you’ve ever opened your oven and thought, “What happened? Is that cheese or charcoal?

“If your oven smokes when you preheat it… congrats, it’s time.”

And yes, you are among your people!

Oven cleaning has a reputation for being back-breaking, intimidating and slightly traumatic. Today we’re fixing all that. I’m walking you through the best, easiest, most sanity-saving way to clean your oven, using real world cleaning techniques that actually work (and won’t burn your eyebrows off).

Grab your cleaning kit! Get set! Let’s Go! 👇

Take those oven racks out. Yes, all of them.

They’re greasy, grimy, and look like they are beyond charred. Toss them in your bathtub (or a large plastic bin if you're tub-less), fill it with warm water, and plop in a Cascade dishwasher pod.

Why this works: Dishwasher pods are little grease-destroying superheroes. They break down the grime on your dishes and they do the same on oven racks. Let them soak while we tackle the rest.

Before you spray anything, remove the crispy, fossilized food scraps at the bottom of your oven. Frozen pizza charcoal bits, I’m talking about you!

Use a vacuum, a brush, or just grab them with a paper towel. If anything is stuck like glue, use a plastic putty knife to gently scrape it loose.

This step makes everything easier. And cleaner. And less… back-breaking.

There are two winning approaches here:

⚠️ Pro tip: Don’t mix baking soda and vinegar together. I know the fizz is fun, but all it does is turn into slightly salty water… which is not cleaning anything.

You will work harder with this method, but it gets the job done naturally.

This is the big-league stuff and it works fast. Just remember:

Spray evenly and let it sit for 30–60 minutes.… letting it marinate makes all the difference.

Lift the element gently and spray underneath. If the cleaner gets on the element itself,  just wipe it with a damp towel.

Yes, it “works.”

Yes, it heats your oven to almost 800°F.

Yes, it melts fuses, warps control panels, sets off smoke alarms, and has caused actual oven fires.

Every appliance tech I know says the same thing: don’t use it.
Cleaning it yourself is safer and cheaper than replacing an entire oven panel.

Use a damp microfiber towel to wipe, rinse, wipe again, repeat. Rinse your towel often to avoid smearing goo back and forth like a toddler finger-painting with grease.

And if your oven has a removable door? Taking it off makes everything easier. Just be careful, check your manual, and ideally grab a helper. See my video HERE!

Meet the razor blade scraper. Lightly lubricate the surface with the liquid cleaning product and water. Use it slow and gentle, careful scraping your oven. Remember, always use a clean, rust-free blade. One swipe and the stuck-on char lifts right up.

For textured surfaces, use a Scrub Daddy or Scour Daddy. Never the green-and-yellow scrubbers (they scratch and can cause rust)!

Back to the tub! A quick scrub with a Scour Daddy usually removes everything. For extra-tough grime, use ultra-fine (0000) steel wool. Then rinse thoroughly.

Pop the racks back in, reattach the door if removed, and behold:

✨ Your oven is officially clean enough to impress even your mother-in-law. ✨

You did it! 

So go ahead and open that oven door dramatically! Flip on the light! Admire your work. Your oven is Clean Freak Certified! Now go make a frozen pizza to celebrate! Or maybe tonight ORDER OUT!

💫Clean Freak of the Month:

Miranda, shared her experience about appreciating the everyday cleaning wins:

“Since having my baby, even small wins feel huge. Being able to deep clean my toilet and see it shine again made me feel so good, like I finally accomplished something just for me. Thank you, Brandon, for the motivation and simple tips that made it possible.”

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Thanks so much for joining us at Clean Freak Weekly!

Brandon