Ask the experts: Is there an all-natural and effective way to clean the oven?
Dish soap and water will clean an oven.
It's best to prevent caked-on
grime by cleaning the oven
as soon as spills happen. Wait until
the oven has cooled completely,
then spray the inside with plain
water, thoroughly saturating the
sides, racks, and inside of the door
before wiping clean. For greasy
messes, spray the inside with a
mixture of nontoxic dish soap,
using one part soap, nine parts
water. Then wipe everything down
with a clean microfiber towel,
which grips and lifts spills.
For stubborn spots that won't
budge, use the self-cleaning
function offered by most models.
The oven heats to a whopping
900 degrees and incinerates all
spills and food particles; wipe up
the remaining residue with a damp
cloth. The process usually takes
about three hours. Self-cleaning
is nontoxic (no caustic cleaners
needed), but with the oven at such
a high temperature for so many
hours, it wastes a lot of energy, so
use it sparingly-not more than
once a year-and after you've
already cooked something in the
oven. With the appliance already
hot, it uses less energy than it
would going from zero to 900
degrees. If you don't have a selfcleaning
oven, buy or rent a steamcleaning
device (available at most
hardware stores) to blast grime.
To prevent spills in the first
place, place casseroles and ovenproof
dishes on small baking
sheets: Any sauces that bubble over
won't spill onto the inside of the
oven. Also, don't cover oven racks
with aluminum foil-it reduces the
flow of heat and increases cooking
time (and energy use).
-Danny Seo, environmental lifestyle
contributor for The CBS Early Show
and author of the Simply Green
(Collins, 2006) book series.
To ask a question, e-mail us at asktheexperts@naturalhealthmag.com or
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