Are you tired of the persistent dirt in your oven? But it seems impossible to prevent splatters and spills which turn into smoke and unpleasant smell.
While this is true, it is not impossible to clean that dirt even if it has been there for a while. For that, you need the best oven cleaner you can get.
With spring being in its full swing, the season of thorough house cleaning has begun.
I always like to start my spring cleaning with the kitchen. The part of the work I hate the most in this room is cleaning the oven. At least that was true until I found the perfect oven cleaner that meets my needs.
If you, too, are struggling with layers of burned dirt on the surface of the oven, and you have tried every trick in the book, from popular products to baking soda and vinegar, know that I understand your struggle.
Best Oven Cleaner
Because of that, I had decided to show you the factors I considered when I was purchasing the oven cleaner. Also, in this article, I’ll present the top five cleaners so that you can see did they live up to my expectations.
What To Look For When Buying An Oven Cleaner?
1. Find a reliable brand
When it comes to cleaning products, I always like to buy from a reliable brand, and that’s why I often have an entire line of one manufacturer, ranging from tile to floor cleaners. Some of the manufacturers where it is nearly impossible to make the wrong choice are Astonish and Mr. Muscle. Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be careful when it comes to product reviews, functions, and ingredients, even with the most trustworthy of brands.
2. Use a dedicated oven cleaning product
Sure, there are tons of all-purpose kitchen cleaning products, and they work for most of the things in the kitchen, but the oven is an entirely different story. For this endeavor, you will need to find a dedicated cleaning product that contains ingredients that help cut through oil, grease, and food residues and which can be easily wiped away without damaging the oven surface.
Speaking of the surface, it can also be helpful to know what type of coating is inside your oven to make it easier to choose the cleaner.
Some oven manufacturers offer their own cleaning products meant specifically for their ovens. These cleaners come at a premium price, but there is no evidence they are any better than the more affordable supermarket products.
3. Look for ease of use
Oven cleaners come in various bottles and packaging. Look for the ones that are designed with ease of use in mind because the inside of the oven is not a simple place to reach. I like to use liquids that come in a spray bottle.
4. Aim for the right formula
Layers of grease are quite a challenge for cleaning, particularly when they are stuck in the inside of the oven, or even worse, on the oven walls. Thick or foaming solutions can be very helpful in this case, as they don’t run down the walls into the bottom of the appliance. Instead, they stick to the walls making cleaning as effortless as it can be.
5. The question of toxic chemicals
Because food residues, especially oily ones, can be very persistent after they’ve repeatedly been heated in the oven, cleaning them is close to magic. This is the reason why many oven cleaners contain harsh chemicals. One of the most common ingredients is sodium hydroxide (also known as caustic soda). This chemical can damage nostrils and lungs, burn skin, and irritate the eyes. It can damage some more sensitive materials, such as rubber. It is best to avoid this ingredient, but if you can’t, it is crucial to follow the instructions on the bottle to the letter.
You can look for more natural ingredients that are just as effective in breaking down the grease, such as citrus oils.
Related: Are You Looking For Countertop Convection Oven?
6. A pleasant scent
Sticking your head into the oven to clean it for about half an hour is not every girl’s dream. I know it isn’t mine. That’s why I like to use oven cleaners that are unscented or emit a pleasant scent such as lemon.
7. A fair price
I am always willing to pay more if that is going to bring me better quality, especially when it comes to everything that has to do with the kitchen. However, paying for an oven cleaner more than $$ would be nonsense, especially because many lower-priced products can be just as effective, if not even more.
Most Recommended Oven Cleaners: Detailed Reviews 2022
Now that you know all the things to pay attention to when buying an oven cleaner, we are free to move on to comparing the top five oven cleaners available in stores and online and see how they measure up to the challenges set in front of them.
Eventually, I’ll give you my opinion on which one of them is the best oven cleaner money can buy.
Carbona Biodegradable Oven Cleaner – A Green, Green Surprise
The first thing that caught my eye regarding this cleaner is the “biodegradable” word in its name.
I have been searching for a cleaning product that releases no toxic fumes for a long time, and I was so happy to see it has finally hit the market. But does it work?
As for ease of use, the bottle of Carbona cleaner is equipped with a sprayer that makes it much easier to reach the seemingly unreachable corners of the oven. However, the nozzle tends to clog after use, so you have to run it under hot water to avoid that.
It does a pretty decent job, but you need to spray it on the surface and leave it for a couple of hours before you wipe the dirt off with a paper towel. Sometimes it is even required to repeat the process one more time.
What I Liked
- A revolutionary biodegradable product
- No toxic fumes releases
- The nozzle makes it easier to clean.
- It gets the job done.
- The price is fair
What I Didn’t Like
- The nozzle can get clogged.
- It takes a lot of time to clean the oven effectively.
- It can require repeated application.
Astonish Oven & Cookware Cleaner – Not as Good As I Expected
You probably remember that I wrote that Astonish is one of the most reliable kitchen cleaners manufacturers, but do you also remember the part where I said that there is no such thing as an all-purpose kitchen cleaner?
Knowing that, what do you think about how did this product do on my test? Let’s see.
Supposedly, Astonish oven cleaner can be used for ovens, pans, cookware, cooker tops, tiles, and sink. Though I can’t argue with it being one of the greatest products for cleaning the greasy backsplash and cooker top, I’m not so sure it is the most suited choice for cleaning the oven. Particularly because the container is weak, flimsy, and difficult to use in unreachable areas.
The formula tends to dry out and get crusty. While this can be solved by keeping it in a plastic bag and adding water to the top, it is an unnecessary hustle.
What I Liked
- A reliable brand
- Cleans the cookware well
- Non-acidic formula
- Affordable
What I Didn’t Like
- Not very effective for cleaning the oven
- Poor-quality container
- Difficult to use
- The product is prone to drying out.
Green Gobbler Heavy Duty Cleaner – Not as Heavy-Duty as Advertised
This is another biodegradable cleaning product that releases no toxic fumes. Green Gobbler is recommended for use on ovens, fryers, grills, smokehouses, and food processing equipment.
What I liked the most about this product is the foaming formula which clings to vertical surfaces and makes cleaning the oven a breeze.
Still, I would like for the formula to be even foamier for more effective degreasing. The bottle is easy to grip, and the nozzle makes cleaning seemingly unaccessible surfaces simpler.
However, compared to chemical cleaners, this can’t exactly be called a heavy-duty cleaner, and it requires applying it several times and leaving it on the surface for hours. So, for the amount you have to use and for the time you need to invest, the product should at least cost less.
What I Liked
- Biodegradable and fumes-free
- Foaming formula
- Easy-grip bottle
- The nozzle that allows access to the oven
What I Didn’t Like
- I wouldn’t call it a heavy-duty cleaner
- It requires multiple applications
- You need to use a lot of it for a single cleaning
Mr. Muscle Oven and Grill Cleaner – Not Strong at Every Field
Another manufacturer I usually trust, Mr. Muscle, rarely makes mistakes when it comes to kitchen cleaners. This product doubles up as a degreaser and cleaner, which is very convenient for cleaning the oven.
I have tried it out on a pitch-black oven with crusty glass and a grill tray with burnt and ashes residues. After spraying it on and leaving overnight, the cleaning in the morning was effortless.
However, while it cleans the oven like a magician, Mr. Muscle has one prominent flaw. The fumes are very strong, so it is important to use a mask while cleaning, and gloves are welcome too.
Furthermore, the tip of the sprayer can get clogged easily, and after that, the bottle is practically unusable.
What I Liked
- Strong and effective oven cleaner
- A trustworthy manufacturer
- It is both a degreaser and cleaner.
- It cleans even the most persistent stains.
What I Didn’t Like
- The fumes are intense, even when used outside to clean the grill.
- It requires the use of gloves.
- The sprayer tip can get clogged.
- For the price, and from the manufacturer, I’ve expected better.
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Easy-Off Professional Fume Free Max Oven Cleaner – It Could Be Easier Off
So, is Easy-Off really easy-off? For once, it features cold-oven technology that penetrates through the oven grease and cleans the oven surfaces.
I like that there is no need for protective gloves and that there are no harmful fumes.
As many of the products are lighter on chemicals, this cleaner also requires two or three treatments before achieving the desired results. It is also more useful to apply it to dirty surfaces and leave it overnight if the stains are more demanding than average.
The sprayer is handy, and it works well, that is until it gets clogged. When that happens, the bottle becomes utterly useless.
However, the price is a true bargain, and you get what you’ve paid for and more. The sprayer is lemon-scented, which is a huge plus.
What I Liked
- Light on chemicals and not dangerous for the skin
- No harmful fumes
- Lemon scent
- While it works, the sprayer is great
What I Didn’t Like
- It calls for more than one treatment
- Not very efficient for persistent grease and dirt
- The sprayer gets clogged easily, and the bottle becomes useless
Related: Most Recommended Grill Brushes
Final Words
Finally, it is time to discover which one is the best oven cleaner available on the market.
While each of these products excels in some areas, I find the Carbona Biodegradable Oven Cleaner the wisest choice. Not only is this product green, but it also helps you clean your oven more thoroughly.
If you don’t have a problem with using chemicals and you are planning on equipping yourself with gloves and a mask, you can also consider buying Mr. Muscle Oven and Grill Cleaner.