A former housekeeper has shared how to tackle years of baked-on oven grease using a single commercial-grade product that works better than baking soda or vinegar.
Tendy Takaidza, who runs the YouTube channel The Clean Loft, demonstrated to her 48,400 subscribers how she restored a "gross" oven to its former condition. "This oven has not been cleaned for about two years," she revealed during the cleaning tutorial.
The Method That Beat Baking Soda
Tendy said: "I'm going to show the easy way to clean an extremely dirty oven... the transformation is going to amaze you." Having already tried baking soda on the oven, the former housekeeper admitted the method had failed to deliver results.
"And for that reason I had to use this commercial grade product called Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner," said Tendy. "It does the job faster and with less elbow grease."
Safety Advice and Extra Tools
Although the product is also "safe" on oven glass doors, Tendy noted that it "does have a strong smell." She advised using it in a well-ventilated area and recommended opening windows while applying the cleaning solution.
Given the heavily soiled state of the oven, Tendy enlisted additional tools, including the Pumie Scouring Stick, "strong" paper towels such as Bounty, or a non-scratch sponge. "For your safety, I recommend you put on a mask and safety glasses because if this product gets on your skin or eyes, it will cause some irritation," Tendy added.
Step-by-Step Cleaning Process
Tendy begins by removing loose debris with a scraper, even using a vacuum attachment to eliminate all the dirt. She then shields any heating elements with foil paper before shaking the oven cleaner and applying it throughout the oven, including the glass door.
The product should remain on the burnt-on grime for at least two hours, though leaving it overnight delivers better results. Tendy then removes the years of burnt-on grease using paper towels, followed by a non-scratch sponge, such as S.O.S Steel Wool Pads or Brillo Soap Pads for additional cleanliness.
The dampened pumice stone is only required for tackling particularly stubborn burnt-on areas that lift away easily when rubbed. "It's not going to scratch your oven for as long as it's wet," Tendy promised. "Now all you need to do is wipe again."
The final stage involves using a damp cloth to eliminate all product residue, leaving a gleaming clean oven. For those wishing to achieve an even more impressive finish, Tendy recommended applying glass cleaner to make the oven sparkle.
