How do I clean my oven with lemons?

Cleaning an oven can be a daunting task, especially when baked-on grease and food splatters make it look impossible to get clean. Many oven cleaners on the market contain harsh chemicals and fumes that can be unpleasant and unhealthy to breathe in. If you’re looking for a non-toxic way to clean your oven, using lemons is a great natural option.

The acidity in lemons helps break down and dissolve grime and grease. Lemon juice can penetrate tough spots and stains when combined with some heat from your oven. While lemons won’t have quite as strong cleaning power as chemical cleaners, they can certainly help loosen lots of buildup when used properly. And your kitchen will smell fresh and citrusy instead of like toxic fumes!

What You Need

Cleaning your oven with lemons only requires a few simple ingredients:

• Lemons – You’ll want enough lemons to be able to coat the inside of your oven. Plan on at least 3-4 lemons for a standard size oven.
• Water – The water helps spread the lemon juice around.
• Dish soap (optional) – For extra grease-cutting power, add a few drops of dish soap.
• A spray bottle or squirt bottle – This makes it easy to distribute the lemon juice mixture.
• Old cloths, sponges, or paper towels – For scrubbing the oven clean.
• Rubber gloves – To protect your hands while cleaning.

Step 1 – Prep the Oven

Start by removing everything from inside the oven – racks, pans, aluminum foil – anything that might be inside. The oven should be completely empty so you can access all surfaces.

Next, do a simple wipedown to remove any loose crumbs or debris. Use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe up anything that’s not baked on. This will prevent any bits from burning or smoking when the oven heats up.

Step 2 – Make the Lemon Juice Cleaner

Now it’s time to make the cleaner! Start by juicing your lemons into a mixing bowl or pitcher. Aim to get about 1 cup of juice – a little more is fine. Add an equal amount of water to the juice and stir to combine. If you want extra grease-cutting power, add a few drops of dish soap as well. Stir everything together.

Pour the lemon juice cleaning solution into your spray bottle so it’s ready for the oven. You want a spray bottle so you can evenly coat all interior oven surfaces.

Step 3 – Heat the Oven

Here is where the oven’s heat comes into play! Turn your oven on to its highest temperature – most ovens reach 450-500°F. As the oven heats, it helps activate the lemon juice so it can penetrate and loosen baked-on grease and drippings.

Step 4 – Coat Surfaces with Lemon Juice

Once your oven has preheated, open the door slightly to keep the heat in. Then, spray your lemon juice cleaner all over the interior oven surfaces. Soak the top, sides, bottom, door – coat everything! Use up all the lemon juice mixture to thoroughly saturate the oven.

Right after spraying, you should see some sizzling on the hot oven surfaces. The hotter the oven, the better the lemon juice will work. Once coated, close the oven door and let it continue heating for 5-10 minutes. This allows time for the citric acid to break down grease and grime.

Step 5 – Wipe Away Gunk

After about 10 minutes, turn off and open up the oven. Get ready to wipe! Using your gloves, take your sponge or cleaning cloth and start scrubbing away all the grime. You should see a lot of baked-on food and grease already loosened and ready to clean.

Focus on scrubbing the toughest spots, and anywhere with visible splatters or drips. The lemon juice combined with mechanical scrubbing should help remove layers of cooked-on gunk. Be diligent and keep wiping and scrubbing until you’ve cleaned all oven surfaces.

For really stubborn spots, try spraying on a bit more lemon juice and letting it sit for a few more minutes to further break things down. Then scrub again.

Step 6 – Rinse and Dry

Once you’ve scrubbed everything, the last step is to rinse! Take a clean damp cloth and wipe down all the oven surfaces. This will remove any leftover grime and any lemon juice residue. Thoroughly rinse and wipe until the cloth comes away clean.

Finish up by drying everything with a clean cloth or towels. Make sure to get into the nooks and crannies so no moisture is left lingering.

Helpful Tips

Here are some additional pointers for getting the best results from your lemon oven cleaner:

• Allow plenty of time for this cleaning method. It takes awhile for the lemon juice cleaner to work on heated surfaces.
• Be patient and let the citric acid and heat do the work before scrubbing. Don’t wipe too soon.
• Use an old toothbrush to help scrub crevices and tight corners.
• Try using a mix of lemon and orange juice for an even stronger cleaner.
• Always start by removing oven racks and accessories first.
• Open windows and turn on fans to help with the heat and smell while cleaning.
• Use potholders or gloves and take care around the hot oven.
• Avoid getting lemon juice or water on oven lights or heating elements.
• Give especially stubborn spots a second lemon juice treatment and scrub.

Cleaning Different Oven Surfaces

Keep in mind that different oven surfaces may need slightly different techniques for cleaning with lemon juice:

Porcelain Oven Surfaces

Most oven interiors are covered in smooth, enamel porcelain. This material resists staining and is easy to clean with the lemon juice scrubbing method.

Oven Racks

Remove racks and soak them in a mixture of lemon juice and water before scrubbing clean. This will make food gunk easier to remove.

Glass Oven Doors

Spray lemon juice on the glass and let it sit before scrubbing off. Wipe down the exterior glass as well for a clean oven door.

Gas Oven Tops

Avoid getting lemon juice on gas stove burners or interior ignition switches to prevent damage.

Self-Cleaning Ovens

You can use lemon juice to help maintain a self-cleaning oven between cycles. Avoid running a cleaning cycle right after using lemons.

Reasons to Clean Your Oven with Lemons

Cleaning your oven with lemons offers many benefits:

• Environmentally friendly – No harsh chemicals needed
• Natural degreasing power
• Fresh citrus scent
• Non-toxic for safe use in the kitchen
• Inexpensive and convenient – Lemons are easy to buy
• Satisfying results removing tough grease and grime

Possible Drawbacks

While lemons are great for oven cleaning, there are a couple drawbacks to note:

• Requires more physical effort than chemical cleaners
• May need multiple applications for toughest grime
• Takes more time than commercial oven cleaners
• Oven must be empty to thoroughly clean all surfaces
• Doesn’t work as well on calcium/lime buildup

Summary of How to Clean an Oven with Lemons

Here is a quick summary of the steps for how to clean an oven with lemons:

1. Remove everything from inside the oven
2. Wipe up any loose crumbs or debris
3. Make a cleaning solution of lemon juice, water, and dish soap
4. Pour into a spray bottle
5. Heat oven to highest temperature
6. Coat oven interior with the lemon juice cleaner
7. Let sit for 10 minutes
8. Scrub oven surfaces
9. Rinse oven clean with water
10. Dry oven completely

Conclusion

Cleaning your oven with the power of lemons is a great way to remove stubborn grease and leave your oven fresh. While it requires more effort than chemical cleaners, it pays off in providing a safer, non-toxic way of cleaning. With some scrubbing and patience, you can melt away layers of baked-on grime. Give your oven a fresh start with this simple homemade lemon oven cleaner!