How To Clean Oven Door Glass [5 EASY Ways]

After a while of baking or frequent cooking, ovens can develop layers of grease and food residue. You may be wondering how to get your oven clean again, and you've come to the right place. We've researched for you on getting your oven clean.

There are many safe methods of cleaning your glass oven door, including the following:

  • Oven self-cleaning
  • Steam-clean
  • Baking soda compound
  • Water and soap
  • Magic eraser

Does the oven door have a cleaning slot? Can steel wool go on oven glass? How do you get baked-on grease off oven racks? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and more!

A modern kitchen interior with a spice rack on the top and an oven with a cloth on the handle, How to Clean Oven Door Glass [5 EASY ways]

Oven Self-Cleaning

Some ovens come with a self-cleaning option that burns off any food residue and grease at high temperatures. You'll first need to remove the racks in your oven. They won't withstand the high temperatures well, so they'll need to be washed separately. It would be best if you first clean out as much loose food in the bottom as possible. This will help the self-cleaning feature work as well as possible and make clean up afterward easier.

Before you start the self-cleaning function, lock your oven door. This is a safety measure to prevent anyone from opening the oven and being blasted by a wave of intense heat. Once everything is removed from the oven, and you've locked the door, you can start the self-cleaning feature. If you want a light clean, two hours should be all you need. For a deeper clean, you may need up to four hours of cleaning.

Because of the high temperatures involved in the self-cleaning feature, the process can emit fumes. It's best if you let your oven self-clean when you can avoid being in the kitchen.

The oven will turn itself off when the self-cleaning cycle is complete. Make sure you let it cool sufficiently before you open it; otherwise you'll experience a wave of intense heat. Because the self-cleaning feature is designed to burn off grease and food residue, you may have a layer of ash in the bottom of your oven. Simply wipe this away with a damp cloth once your oven is cool.

Steam-Clean

Like the self-cleaning feature, many ovens have a steam-cleaning feature. This process is significantly shorter than self-cleaning and doesn't use such high temperatures. Instead, steam-cleaning uses steam to loosen grease and food residue.

Read your owner's manual to learn how much water to use and where to pour it. Typically, the water can be poured directly into the bottom of the oven. If you don't have a steam-cleaning feature, you can fill a pot or a pan with water and set it on one of the oven racks. You can also add a bit of vinegar to help increase cleaning power.

If your oven features a steam-cleaning feature, simply press the button to start the process. It should last around 30 minutes. If you don't have this feature, you can set your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or 230 degrees Celsius and let it bake for 30 to 60 minutes.

Baking Soda Compound

Baking soda is a great way to clean your oven door. You should start by creating a mixture of baking soda and water with enough baking soda to create the texture of whipped cream or shaving cream. Open your oven door and spread a moderate layer over the inside of the glass. Let it sit for roughly 20 minutes before taking a damp microfiber cloth and wiping the baking soda mixture away.

Baking soda is so effective because it neutralizes acids and breaks down grease. If there is still hardened residue, you can take a razor blade and gently scrape it away. You can reapply layers of baking soda compound as many times as needed to get the inside of your glass clean.

Water and Soap

Water and a bit of dish soap, especially Dawn to help fight grease, are very effective at cleaning the inside of oven doors. Use a microfiber cloth to apply the soapy water and wash away grease and food residue. You'll want to use clean water to rinse away any remaining food and soap, and you can either dry the glass with a soft cloth or let it air dry.

A woman wearing gloves and using a sponge to clean the glass door of an oven

Magic Eraser

Magic Erasers are great for getting off the toughest stains and grime. This includes in your oven. You'll want to start by wiping up as much loose food in the oven as you can with a wet rag. Wet a Magic Eraser and use a bit of elbow grease to scrub away any stains and stuck-on food. If your oven is particularly dirty, you might need more than one Magic Eraser to get it clean. Like magic, your stains will disappear!

Click here to purchase Magic Erasers from Amazon.

How Do I Clean The Outside of My Glass Oven Door?

To clean the outside of your glass oven door, take your favorite glass cleaner and spray it on the glass. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the cleaner away. If there are any streaks left behind, you can use a dry microfiber cloth to buff them out.

A woman polishing the glass door of an oven

How Do You Get Baked-On Grease Off Oven Racks?

Getting oven racks clean is perhaps the hardest part of cleaning an oven. Here are a few methods you can use:

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Both baking soda and vinegar are known for their cleaning properties. To use them to clean your oven racks, you'll want a large container or a bathtub. Lay your racks flat and sprinkle them with a good amount of baking soda. You'll then want to pour on the vinegar. The baking soda and the vinegar will create a chemical reaction and foam up. Fill the tub or container with hot water and let the racks sit overnight.

Once the racks have been sitting in the baking soda and vinegar mixture for at least 12 hours, you can drain the tub or container and rinse the racks. Using a sponge or similar device, scrub away the loosened grease and food residue.

Dish Soap and Dryer Sheets

Similar to using a combination of baking soda and vinegar, you'll want to lay your oven racks flat in a bathtub or large container for this method. Cover the racks with a layer of dryer sheets and drizzle dish soap over them. Fill the tub or container with hot water and let the racks sit overnight.

After you have let the racks sit for at least 12 hours, you can remove them from the mixture of dryer sheets and dish soap and rinse them off. The softening agents in the dryer sheets help loosen grease and baked-on food. You can use the used dryer sheets to scrub away any remaining stains or food particles.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a very effective cleaner, but it is also dangerous because it emits noxious fumes. Use ammonia to clean your oven racks; place your racks in garbage bags, and fill them with just enough ammonia to cover the racks. Tie off the bags as tightly as possible and leave them outside overnight in a well-ventilated area.

After the racks have been sitting in the ammonia for several hours, open the bag away from you in a well-ventilated area. As an extra precaution, wear a mask and gloves while handling the ammonia bags. Rinse the racks off with fresh water and use a sponge to scrub away any remaining grease or food residue.

Click here to purchase ammonia from Amazon.

Commercial Cleaners

Many commercial cleaners are designed to fight grease and loosen food particles. Some commercial cleaners produce noxious fumes, such as ammonia, that you have to be wary of. Others are non-toxic and can be applied directly in your oven. They use a mixture of chemicals to dissolve grease and loosen food particles, similar to the DIY methods discussed above. Whatever you decide, choose your commercial cleaner carefully.

Click here to purchase Carbona's biodegradable oven cleaner from Amazon.

Can Steel Wool Go On Oven Glass?

You should not use steel wool on the glass door or the inside of your oven. It will cause deep scratches that can wear away the paint inside the oven and even the protective film on special designs like porcelain finishes. You can, however, use steel wool on the oven racks.

Instead of steel wool, you should use soft sponges and microfiber cloths inside the oven and on the glass. These will still effectively remove grease and food residue without damaging the surface.

Click here to purchase microfiber cloths from Amazon.

Will Baking Soda Harm A Self-Cleaning Oven?

Baking soda is a clean and non-toxic substance that is recommended over other potentially harmful cleaners. Especially in self-cleaning ovens, it's important to maintain the integrity of the interior oven surface. Otherwise, the self-cleaning feature won't be as effective. Baking soda can clean ovens effectively without harming the surface and is completely safe for use in self-cleaning ovens.

A jar with baking soda in it

Does The Oven Door Have A Cleaning Slot?

Oven doors have a slot along the bottom of the door that allows access between the glass panels of the door. To clean the inside of your glass oven door, feel along the bottom of your oven door for the slot. Once you've located this cleaning slot, you can stuff a towel in between the panels to clean out any dirt and debris that has gotten trapped.

In Conclusion

It's fairly easy to clean your oven door, especially if your oven comes equipped with a self-cleaning or steam-cleaning feature. You can also use a baking soda mixture or a Magic Eraser to get your oven door clean. When it comes to getting your oven racks clean, it takes a bit more work, but you can use many of the items you have lying around your home. These include a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or dryer sheets and dish soap. We hope you've learned something new about cleaning your glass oven door and wish you the best of luck in getting your oven clean.

Before you go, check out some of our other posts we think you might like:

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