Get rid of caked-on food and grease with the best oven cleaners.
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The Best Oven Cleaners to Tackle Caked-On Gunk
Updated Aug. 15, 2024
The self-cleaning function is a great piece of oven technology, but not all ovens can give themselves a good scrubbing. And while that process is long (about four hours) and stinky (seriously, your whole kitchen will reek), it requires less effort than manually cleaning the appliance. Without a self-cleaning oven, you can easily spend hours on your hands and knees trying to wash away years’ worth of caked-on gunk. And if you’re not using one of the best oven cleaners, you may have to scrape at the mess, a process that can damage your oven’s interior surface.
Right about now, you’re probably considering skipping oven cleaning altogether. But while it may be a more arduous process than, say, cleaning a microwave, stove top, or stainless steel appliance, it’s a necessary one if you want your oven to be clean and run safely and efficiently. If you have a self-cleaning oven, you don’t need oven cleaner spray—in fact, your owner’s manual may explicitly tell you to avoid it. But for everyone else, using a good oven cleaner is the best way to clean your oven without damaging it. Still, there’s another catch. As Jennifer Rodriguez, Chief Hygiene Officer at Pro Housekeepers, tells us, “A good cleaner can save you time and effort. Random ones might not be effective or could be too harsh, damaging surfaces.”
Luckily for you, we’ve rounded up the best oven cleaners across various uses, budgets, eco-friendlinesses, etc. that will have your appliance looking brand new in no time. Check them out below.
Amazon
Best Overall Oven Cleaner
Easy-Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner
Pros:
- Fast-acting
- Requires little to no elbow grease
- No harsh fumes
The name says it all: It’s super easy to use and the best oven cleaner for baked-on grease. All you have to do is spray it on, wait about 30 seconds, and wipe away the gunk. There are no harsh fumes, and you won’t have to scrape or scrub. If your oven requires a deep cleaning, spray it on and let it sit for an hour or two before wiping it away with a damp cloth or sponge. So, just how well does this product work? Verified Amazon reviewer Chatskie used Easy-Off to clean grease from an oven door and says, “It really helped me ‘easily’ clean my soiled oven from stubborn oil and dirt. It also doesn’t have a strong odor and [is] not harsh on your skin.”
Amazon
Best Heavy-Duty Oven Cleaner
Easy-Off Professional Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner
Pros:
- Deep cleans in just three minutes
- Cleans tough, burned-on spills and grease
- Good for commercial use
If your oven is coated in years’ worth of buildup, you’ll likely need a pro-level oven cleaner. One of the best oven cleaners for baked-on messes is Easy-Off’s heavy-duty oven and grill cleaner. With the brand’s strongest formula, this one is actually designed for commercial use. More than 9,000 users have given this product a five-star rating for its effectiveness, but there are a few things you should keep in mind before spraying it on: Several reviewers recommend making sure you have proper ventilation, as the fumes are quite strong. It’s also recommended that you wear gloves when wiping it away to avoid chemical burns. And keep in mind that it’s not for use in self-cleaning ovens. When you’re done, your oven’s good-as-new appearance may inspire you to clean your entire kitchen.
Amazon
Best Multipurpose Oven Cleaner
Stardrops The Pink Stuff Miracle Cleaning Paste
Pros:
- Made with 99 percent natural ingredients
- Works on just about any surface
- Vegan
We tested this TikTok favorite and found that it lives up to the hype. Using a soft cloth, we applied this mild abrasive paste to dirty oven racks, and it immediately left them looking shiny and new—with little to no effort. Next, we applied the paste to an oven door, gently scrubbing with a soft cloth. While it did a great job at removing stains, it did require some elbow grease on our end, and we made several passes with a freshly rinsed cloth to clean it all up. Still, we love that this vegan product is made with 99 percent natural ingredients and can be used on just about any surface in your home, so go ahead and use it to clean your bathroom, refrigerator, and more. It does have a light, fruity scent, but you have to practically stick your nose in the jar to smell it. The verdict: Everyone should invest in a tub of The Pink Stuff.
Aspen Clean
Best Natural Oven Cleaner
Aspen Clean Natural Kitchen Cleaner
Pros:
- Safe for all kitchen appliances and countertops
- Kid- and pet-safe
- Smells good
If you want to keep your oven sparkling without all the chemicals, use this nontoxic oven cleaner weekly or even daily to wipe up spills before they have a chance to harden. Just spray it onto surfaces and wipe with a clean cloth. Not only is this one of the best oven cleaners, but it’s also biodegradable, derived from plants, and 100 percent natural. It contains organic bergamot and grapefruit essential oils as its core ingredients. Not only do these essential oils smell heavenly, but they’re also known for their cleaning and disinfecting capabilities.
Home Depot
Best Value Oven Cleaner
Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to use
Keeping your home clean doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. This is one of the best oven cleaners for your money. The foaming formula latches on to surfaces and dissolves grease in 10 minutes or less. It works best in a warm oven, so Zep recommends heating yours to 200 degrees, turning it off, and then spraying a light, even coating inside. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before wiping it down with a wet cloth. Next up on your to-do list? Clean your dishwasher!
Amazon
Best Cleaner for Oven Racks
Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner
Pros:
- Cleans while you sleep
- Can clean two racks at once
Cleaning oven racks by hand is time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. With this product, all you have to do is remove your oven racks and place them inside the included cleaning bag. Pour in the cleaner, making sure it coats the racks. Let them sit for at least eight hours, turning the bag once or twice to ensure the racks stay covered in the cleaning solution. When time is up, take the racks out of the bag, spray them down with water, and voilà! Reviewer Shelly C. tried these in hopes of saving time, and boy was she pleased. “I took the first rack out and rinsed it with hot water. I could not believe my eyes,” she writes. “There was zero—and I mean zero—gunk on the rack. It was shiny clean, literally sparkling as if it was brand new!” Talk about convenience! Find out how you can also use dishwasher tablets to clean your oven.
Amazon
Best Cleaner for Stove Tops
Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner
Pros:
- A little goes a long way
- Comes with everything you need to clean your glass stovetop
If you ask us, a stovetop spill can be worse than baked-on grease inside your oven. After all, it’s a mess everyone can see. Plus, the more you let residue build up, the harder it will be to remove. And if you have a glass stove top, you could be shortening its life. This kit comes with everything you’ll need to have your glass stovetop looking shiny and new in no time—without scratching it. You’ll get one bottle of cleaner, one cleaning pad with a handgrip tool, and one scraper. To start, use the scraper to remove any burned-on food. Then squirt a quarter-sized amount of cleaner onto a cool stove top and rub with a dry cleaning pad or paper towel. Finally, buff the surface with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel for a good-as-new surface. Just note that this cleaner is not recommended for use on stainless steel appliances; instead, use a stainless steel cleaner.
Amazon
Best Gas Range Cleaner
Weiman Gas Range Cleaner and Degreaser
Pros:
- Can be used on a variety of surfaces, cookware, and bakeware
- Nonabrasive
Cleaning a gas range is a bit more involved than cleaning a glass stove top, but this degreaser for stoves will make the process a cinch. All you have to do is spray it on, let it sit for about 30 minutes, and wipe it away with a clean, damp cloth. More than 2,500 users have given this cleaner a five-star rating, including JJ-J, who says, “The horrid 45-minute task of cleaning our stove top is now a five- to 10-minute process, and frankly, this looks better than that painful experience ever turned out. Love this stuff!” If you do a lot of cooking on your stovetop, be sure you know how to put out a grease fire.
Amazon
Best DIY Oven Cleaner
Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda
Pros:
- Affordable
- All-natural
Believe it or not, one of the best oven cleaners comes from ingredients you probably have in your pantry. Creating a homemade oven cleaner is an easy, effective, and inexpensive way to get your oven and stove top in tip-top shape. You’ll need baking soda and vinegar, plus a clean microfiber cloth or dish towel.
Pour some vinegar onto the bottom of your cool oven, and use your towel to spread it around. Next, cover the bottom with a generous layer of baking soda. Dampen your dish towel with water, and use it to cover the baking soda as best you can. You may need two or three damp towels to cover the entire oven base or door. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and then use the towels to wipe the interior clean. Do not use an abrasive sponge, as it can scratch the surfaces.
To clean the walls of your oven, use baking soda and warm water to create a paste, which you can paint on. Let it sit, and then wipe it away using a damp towel or cloth. Check out these other homemade cleaners that will get your house sparkling.
Amazon
Best Oven Liners
FitFabHome Eco-Friendly Nonstick Oven Liners
Pros:
- Washable
- Long-lasting
- Keeps the bottom of your oven clean and protected
No, this technically isn’t an oven cleaner. But once you’ve taken the time, energy, and money to really clean your oven, you’ll undoubtedly want to keep it that way. Letting food collect on the bottom is one oven mistake you won’t make again. These nonstick oven liners are our favorite trick when it comes to keeping the bottom of an oven looking brand new. All you have to do is place one on the floor of your oven. If you end up with some spills, just take it out, wash it off, and put it back once it’s dry. You’ll probably need to replace your liner every few months. This box comes with three nonstick liners, which means it can take you through most of the year.
Type of Oven Cleaners
- Spray Cleaners: These kinds of cleaners require the least hands-on application, as they come in either pressurized canisters (like aerosol sprays) or squeeze-pump bottles (like many window cleaners). They can cover a large area consistently, but they sometimes have the downside of being less environmentally friendly due to their propellants. That being said, they’re typically the easiest to use. Rodriguez adds that spray cleaners “may need frequent reapplication for tough grime.”
- Gel, Foam, Liquid or Paste Cleaners: These all fall into the same overall category, requiring manual application. Gels, foams and pastes tend to be thicker and more tidy (and they’re great for vertical surfaces, as they can stick to walls), whereas liquid ones can be a little messy, per Rodriguez, but are suitable for long soaks.
- Natural or Eco-Friendly Cleaners: This category generally comprises cleaners lacking harsh chemicals and typically made of all-natural ingredients (or at least ingredients that wouldn’t be classified as pollutants). One example is baking soda (either on its own or mixed with vinegar). While these are more environmentally friendly, they might not be as immediately effective, sometimes requiring multiple passes.
- Fume-Free Cleaners: Some cleaners, especially those with harsh chemicals, can give off equally harsh odors—some of which can be dangerous to inhale. Fume-free cleaners, by comparison, are specifically formulated not to create those potentially dangerous, odorous fumes. Usually, these kinds of cleaners will be labeled as such, but they can be a version of any other types (spray, gel, foam, natural, etc.).
What to Look for When Buying Oven Cleaners
You might think that getting the right oven cleaner is as simple as finding the first one at the store and buying it—but you’d be wrong. Here are some of the many factors to consider when buying oven cleaners:
Ingredients and Safety
- Chemical Composition: Harsher chemicals will likely clean faster and more efficiently, but they come with downsides, like harsh fumes, the potential to be dangerous on contact (like bleach), and greater difficulty with disposal.
- Eco-Friendly Ingredients: Things with fewer chemicals might be better for the environment but might not have as much cleaning power. Still, if you care a lot about the environment, these cleaners are far better, even if they require more work.
- Non-Toxic and Fume-Free: Your oven is where food goes, so using toxic ingredients in anything should probably be a non-starter. That being said, many oven cleaners have fume-free compositions that make them safer to breathe around and, thus, safer to use overall.
- Allergen Considerations: Remember that your oven is where you put your food (and food for your family and friends). As such, you need to consider whether your cleaners contain allergens. You should always check the ingredients beforehand to ensure you’re not accidentally exposing someone to allergens, which could cause a medical emergency.
Oven Type Compatibility
- Standard Ovens: Your basic gas or electric oven should be fine for using oven cleaner, so long as the instructions don’t tell you otherwise. Just make sure you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Self-Cleaning Ovens: Many self-cleaning ovens will have instructions specifically urging owners never to use oven cleaners. If that’s the case, follow these instructions to the letter. Instead, use the oven’s self-cleaning protocols instead of any chemical cleaners.
- Convection Ovens: Due to their nature (utilizing fans to keep the air inside constantly circulating), convection ovens can accumulate grease and grime all over their interior, including the bottom, walls, and top. Not all cleaners are suited for vertical or upside-down surfaces, so consider this when buying. Also, always remember to check the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Ease of Use
- Application Method: Spray cleaners are among the easiest to use but are not always the most effective. Manually applied cleaners often work harder but also make you work harder. Decide how bad your messes typically are and how much work you’re willing to do before deciding on your cleaner.
- Required Time: It is extremely important to follow the instructions when using any oven cleaner. Some will tell you to let the solution soak for a period of time. Cutting that time short will negatively impact the cleaning power.
- Ease of Removal: Even after you’ve followed the instructions, you still have to remove the cleaner following the soak. Sprays are easy to clean with a simple rag, but other cleaners might “cake” onto surfaces. Ensure you’ve scrubbed them off entirely before using your oven again, as you could be baking the chemicals with your food.
Effectiveness
- Grease and Grime Removal: The products of food waste buildup, grease and grime are among the most frustrating messes to clean up, as they can cake to your oven’s surfaces. However, some oven cleaners are specially designed to combat this buildup. They may require an extensive soak, but the instructions on the bottle will tell you exactly what you must do to break down grease and grime effectively. Other cleaners, however, might not be suited to tackling these especially tenacious messes.
- Stain Removal: Oven stains can be unsightly, but they’re not necessarily an indication of a buildup of food waste or a mess. Still, you might want to eliminate them for your mental well-being. In that case, seek out cleaners to remove stains (hint: not all do this).
Odor
- Fragrance-Free or Scented: Scented cleaners utilize pleasant smells to mask offensive ones (like food waste); however, some people find these smells harsh. For anyone who finds stringent cleaner smells to be worse than the odor of the mess, we recommend going with scent-free cleaners.
- Odor Control: Some cleaners contain elements designed to combat harsh odors caused by food waste. That being said, this is not a given. If something has a measure of odor control, it will be clearly labeled as such.
Environmental Impact
- Biodegradability: All-natural cleaners may be totally fine to wash down the drain, as they’re not made of pollutants. However, other cleaners might be made of extremely harsh chemicals that will never break down, adding to the potential waste in our waterways. Keep this in mind before you buy.
- Packaging: The container your spray comes in will inevitably be discarded or recycled. Since not all containers can be recycled, it’s good to check for labels ahead of time if you care about environmental friendliness. Furthermore, boxes, plastic covers, seals, etc., all add to your cleaner’s environmental impact.
Additional Features
- Multi-Surface Use: Some sprays can be used in your oven, stovetop and other surfaces. Make sure you check the label beforehand to be certain. Their versatility increases their overall value.
- Included Tools: Spray cleaners have a built-in applicator but may also include a straw-like attachment for more precise spraying. Others may come with a paddle or spatula. If they are omitted, you’ll have to provide these for yourself. Rodriguez adds that you should always have “rubber gloves, paper towels or old rags, scrubbing brush or sponge and protective eyewear if you’re using strong chemicals.” Most of these will never be included.
Cleaning Frequency
“Regular cleaning (every three to six months) prevents buildup of grease and food particles, which can cause odors and affect cooking efficiency,” says Rodriguez. Your cleaner can only do so much. The rest is up to you. If you let the problem get out of hand by ignoring cleaning for months and months at a time, you can’t expect the cleaner to do all the work. Ensure you do your part to keep your oven clean by maintaining a good cleaning schedule.
Why You Should Trust Us
Marisa Hillman has written for Reader’s Digest, WE TV, PopSugar, U.S. News & World Report and Gourmet Insider (among others). She specializes in shopping and retail-focused content, especially in home goods. She is also a mother of four and has a wealth of personal experience keeping up her home. Her professional and personal experience makes her the ideal candidate to speak on home cleaning, including kitchen-focused content like oven cleaners.
Along with our personal testing and expertise, we also turned to Jennifer Rodriguez, Chief Hygiene Officer at Pro Housekeepers since 2015. With nearly a decade of experience in the industry, she has been instrumental in shaping the company’s rigorous cleaning standards and ensuring exceptional service quality. She weighed in on our list and offered her recommendations, helping to elevate this piece’s overall professional expertise.
Sean Tirman, Content Updates Editor at Reader’s Digest, updated and contributed research to this piece. Sean has written shopping guides since 2016 and is a former associate editor at Gear Patrol.
How We Found the Best Oven Cleaners
We went to painstaking lengths to research and test oven cleaners, starting with casting a wide net to understand the options on the market better. Then, we consulted with experts to narrow our list by brand name, trustworthiness, reliability, safety, etc. We even considered natural home remedies. Finally, we pared it down to a collection of the best of the best across various styles, uses, compositions, etc., for every type of person and budget. We believe these truly are the best oven cleaners available right now.
FAQ
What is the best product to clean an oven with?
That’s going to depend on several factors, like the type of oven, the size of the mess, the elements of the oven that need to be cleaned (rack vs. walls, for instance), your comfort levels, whether you want something eco-friendly or not, allergies, etc. This is all to say that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to this question. It will depend on several factors, and the cleaners listed above all have their pros and cons and might serve as the best product for the job, depending on the job.
What removes baked grease in the oven?
Baking soda is alkaline, so it does a beautiful job of removing caked-on grease and grime. Oven grease made of food particles is typically acidic, so baking soda is the perfect means to combat it. That said, many oven cleaners will do the same job and perhaps get your oven even cleaner due to their other included elements.
Originally Published: November 30, 2021
