A cleaning guru has shared her go-to method for tackling an oven that has not been cleaned for two years, revealing that a commercial-grade product works where baking soda fails.
Tendy Takaidza, owner of the YouTube channel The Clean Loft, demonstrated the transformation to her 48,400 subscribers, describing the oven as "gross" before showing it looking brand new.
Why baking soda wasn't enough
"This oven has not been cleaned for about two years," Tendy revealed in the tutorial. "I'm going to show the easy way to clean an extremely dirty oven... the transformation is going to amaze you."
Having already tried bicarbonate of soda, the former housekeeper admitted it had not done the trick. "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
While the product is "safe" on oven glass doors, Tendy noted it "does have a strong smell" and advised using it in a well-ventilated area, with windows kept open.
For the particularly filthy oven, she enlisted 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," she added.
Step-by-step cleaning method
Tendy begins by removing loose debris with a scraper, even using a hoover attachment to suck up dirt. She then protects heating elements with foil and shakes the oven cleaner before applying it throughout, including the glass door.
The product should be left on the burnt-on grease for at least two hours, though leaving it overnight yields better results. She removes the grease with kitchen roll before using a non-scratch sponge, such as S.O.S Steel Wool Pads or Brillo Soap Pads, for extra cleanliness.
The damp pumice stone is only needed for stubborn burnt-on patches. "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 step involves a damp cloth to remove all product residue, leaving a spotlessly clean oven. For an even better finish, Tendy recommended applying glass cleaner to make the oven gleam.
