Oven grease is a persistent household problem that builds up quickly and can take hours of scrubbing to remove. The high temperatures inside an oven cause oil and food particles to bake onto surfaces, forming a sticky, carbonised grease that hardens over time. If left uncleaned, this residue can reduce oven efficiency and affect the taste and quality of cooked food.
Unusual Hack: Shaving Cream
Countless cleaning hacks promise to make oven cleaning easier, but lifestyle writer and mum Shifrah Combiths from The Kitchn decided to test one of the most unusual methods yet: using shaving cream. The results left her genuinely impressed. She explained: "I love a good hack that makes life easier, so I had to try using shaving cream — yes, shaving cream — to spot-clean my oven. I'd heard it worked wonders and couldn't wait to see if it lived up to the hype. To my surprise, it performed even better than I expected."
How to Clean Your Oven with Shaving Foam
According to Team Clean, the process involves spraying the oven door, sides, and bottom uniformly with shaving foam, ensuring every surface is comprehensively coated. The foam should remain in place for roughly 30 minutes to break down grease and grime. After that, remove everything with a damp cloth. Then, heat the oven while empty to eliminate any lingering odour from the shaving foam, ensuring future cooked food tastes fresh without unwanted chemical scents.
Shifrah, however, left the product to work for just 15 minutes. She said: "Using a plastic scraper, I wiped up the excess shaving cream - there was a lot of it! I grabbed a cleaning sponge and made a few passes over each treated area. The shaving cream itself had little visible effect on the grease-splattered areas, whether they were on the glass or on other portions of the oven door. But then I used a scrubby sponge to wipe the shaving cream covering the burned, crusty mess, and I couldn't believe it: The mess slipped right off the oven's surface. The shaving cream magically penetrated the mess and softened it to the point that it let go of its hold. What a difference - with hardly any effort!"
Alternative Methods
An expert on Martha Stewart's website urged that vinegar is a perfect household item to remove stubborn grease. They explained that vinegar helps loosen buildup, making it easier to wipe away grime. The method involves wiping away loose crumbs with a dry cloth, then pouring one cup of household white vinegar into a large bowl filled with water. Heat the oven to 210°C and let the mixture steam for 30 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep the door closed for 20–30 minutes. Once cool, spray the interior with a 1:1 vinegar-water solution and wipe clean with a sponge or microfiber cloth.
Baking soda manufacturer Arm and Hammer also suggests that bicarbonate of soda proves effective at breaking down grease and grime. Its slightly abrasive properties can handle dried, stubborn food remnants, usually producing results in approximately 15 minutes. To make a cleaning mixture, mix half a cup of bicarbonate of soda with three tablespoons of water to form a paste. Remove the oven shelves, then spread the paste over dirty surfaces, avoiding heating elements. Allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the paste and loosening grime with a damp paper towel. Finally, wipe down the interior with water or a water-and-vinegar mixture.
The brand warned against using "traditional oven cleaners," as they often contain aggressive chemicals such as potassium hydroxide, monoethanolamine, sodium hydroxide, and butoxydiglycol. When using these products, homeowners risk exposure to substances that can irritate the respiratory system and potentially cause burns to the skin, lungs, and eyes.
