Maintenance Tips For Taking Care Of Your Oven

The oven that is in your kitchen is more than likely a wonderful piece of engineering that does a great job of baking, broiling or cooking the food that you cook with it. The first “modern” stove was invented in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin and was known as the Pennsylvania fireplace. Since then, the stove has undergone a dramatic evolution that has led these appliances to become the great stoves that exist today. Unfortunately, far too many fail to see their oven as an advanced piece of machinery, and as such, they don’t take care of it as they should.

We believe that the oven is the centerpiece of the kitchen and you should properly maintain it to ensure that it functions as well as it should. We’re not only talking about cleaning the oven on a regular basis, but we’re also talking about taking other steps such as performing routine oven inspections. Let’s begin with some of the more general tips and then work our way from there to more advanced tips.

Tip One: Clean The Oven Regularly

One of the first things that we’d like to recommend to all of our readers is to thoroughly clean their oven regularly. And we’re not just talking about wiping up messes but doing a thorough cleaning. How often should you clean your oven? Well, how often you use the oven will determine how often you will need to clean it. The more you use it, the more often you will need to clean it.

To clean the interior of the oven, you’re going to want to make sure that you purchase the best oven cleaner that you can find. A cleaner that will cut through grease and grime effectively is best. Other tools to clean the oven include the following:

Tip Two: Some Ovens Can’t Have Their Knobs Removed

We know that it’s common for a lot of people to remove their oven knobs so that they can clean them, and with some oven models, that’s perfectly acceptable. However, with some of the modern oven models, the knobs are connected directly to the oven’s main control system. If that’s the case, then the consumer can be inadvertently subjecting themselves to a risk of electrocution. That’s why it’s always important for the consumer to read their oven’s manual thoroughly and find out what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable as far as oven cleaning goes.

Tip Three: Regularly Inspect The Oven’s Gas Line Or Electrical Cord

The next thing that the consumer should do regularly, is to inspect the gas line and connection to the oven, or electrical cord if it’s an electric model. Gas lines and electrical cords can degrade over time, so about once a year the consumer should inspect them thoroughly. If they’re worn, replace them immediately.

Tip Four: Unplug An Electric Oven While Cleaning The Inside Of It

It’s not necessary to unplug your electric oven while you’re wiping down the outside of it. However, you should unplug the oven if you are planning to deep clean the inside using oven cleaner.

Tip Five: Inspect The Oven’s Door Gaskets

It’s also a good idea to take a good look at the oven door gaskets and make sure that they’re in good condition. Although these door gaskets are generally long-lasting, they will begin to deteriorate over time, and the consumer is never going to know when that’s going to happen, so the door gaskets should be regularly inspected.

Tip Six: Inspect Element Burners On Electric Stoves

While you’re cleaning your electric oven, it’s a good idea to take a look at the elements. Check both the inside of the oven and on the stove portion. Make sure that there’s no debris clinging to the elements and that they’re in good condition. If they’re dirty, clean them and if they’re compromised, then replace them immediately.

Tip Seven: Racks Need To Be Cleaned As Well

We’ve seen quite a few people spend a considerable amount of time cleaning their oven, only to neglect their racks. And this is a huge problem because it’s the racks that often become the dirtiest and require the most attention. Therefore, whenever you’re cleaning your oven, it’s a good idea to also give the rack a good cleaning as well.

Tip Eight: Clean Under, Behind, And Around The Oven

While you’re spending time cleaning your oven, it’s a good idea to clean underneath it, alongside it, and behind it. Yes, we understand that requires pulling out the oven, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. When the oven was installed, its vents were clear and it was these vents that allowed for proper airflow. Unfortunately, these vents can become blocked over time with grease and gunk, which not only restricts airflow but may also create a fire hazard.

Tip Nine: Avoid Doing These Things To Your Oven

Not everything is designed to be used in the oven. There are things that people do with their ovens that are dramatically shortening the oven’s lifespan. Below are some things that you should avoid when using your oven.

Using Empty And / Or Untempered Glassware

You should never place glassware that isn’t oven-safe in the oven. That’s an important rule. However, it also should be said that even when using tempered glassware made for the oven, you need to be careful. Thermal shock from putting cold glassware in the oven can shatter it, as well as heating up glassware that’s empty.

Using Aluminum Foil On Oven Racks

Although putting aluminum foil on oven racks keeps them clean while cooking, it’s an extremely bad idea. Foil can block airflow in the oven and may reflect heat improperly in the oven. This can result in improper cooking and it might even cause severe damage to the oven or its elements.