Cleaning an oven is an awful chore that we area all guilty of putting off from time to time. Putting it off for too long can lead to problems though.
If you don’t clean your oven often enough, you can end up with old burnt debris in your food. It will also put extra strain on your oven’s components, and it could even be a fire risk in extreme cases.
Once you have decided that it’s time to tackle your oven, the next step is to work out what cleaning chemicals you should use. Read on for our rundown of the best oven cleaners available in the UK.
Best Oven Cleaner Products in the UK
1. Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner
Who hasn’t heard of or used Mr Muscle cleaning products? Mr Muscle have always offered cleaning products that are easy to use and will tackle even the nastiest of cleaning tasks, and their oven cleaner is no different.
The Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner is incredibly easy to use, with minimal elbow grease and effort.
If your household are messy cooks or just cook meals that splash, and you keep putting off cleaning the oven, this oven cleaner will tackle all this burnt on grease and food with ease.
In addition to ovens, some people report success with microwaves, grills, and barbecues.
Most users report that this oven cleaner does a great job of cutting through even the most dried-on grease. However, if you leave it on the surface too long, the foam itself can dry and need a little elbow grease to remove.
2. Nilco Oven Cleaner
Nilco’s oven cleaner is a heavy-duty cleaner that will not only tackle domestic ovens but can clean industrial equipment too.
This oven cleaner is designed for use on both vertical and horizontal surfaces, including ovens, grills, barbecues, and griddles.
Whether it’s burnt-on food, spills, fat, or grease, the Nilco oven cleaner can produce great cleaning results in just an hour.
The benefit of the thick formula of the Nilco oven cleaner doesn’t drip down vertical surfaces and end up on the floor eliminating extra work.
However, some users report that it doesn’t perform as well as some alternatives on thick baked-on food, and it may leave some stubborn bits behind.
3. HG Oven, Grill & Barbecue Cleaner Spray
HG’s oven cleaner spray offers a combination of cleaning and degreasing. In addition to cutting through burnt-on food on ovens, grills, and barbecues, the HG cleaner spray can be used to remove discolouring on both stainless steel and induction hobs.
HG recommend that the chemical is left on surfaces for just 3 to 5 minutes before wiping away, so it is ideal for busy households. If the dirt is particularly baked on, you can always just repeat the process if needed.
The industrial strength of this oven cleaner means that users report great results on caked on food, even if it has been allowed to build up for years in between cleans.
In addition, the spray mechanism of the bottle makes it easy and accurate to apply too. When used regularly, the HG oven cleaner will make keeping your oven clean easy.
However, some people have found that the oven cleaner can leave behind streaks that need wiping with a lot of water to remove.
4. Wpro Oven & Grill Cleaner
The Wpro professional-grade oven and grill cleaner offers one unique feature compared to others on this list – and that is it’s deodorising feature and scent. Many oven cleaners are quite strong scented, which can be problematic for some households.
The Wpro oven cleaner and degreaser can make light work of grease on cooker hoods, oven doors, metal filters on extractor fans and grills, and you can simply spray it on, leave it to do its thing, then wipe it away with a little clean water. No elbow grease required!
However, on some surfaces, users are reporting that this oven cleaner and degreaser can leave behind a greasy film on the surface.
In the case of really caked-on dirt, you may also need to use the product multiple times to achieve the best possible results.
5. Clean Pro+ Professional Hygiene Systems Oven and Grill Cleaner
The packaging of the Clean Pro+ oven cleaner might not look as fancy as some competitors, but that doesn’t mean it can’t achieve great results.
This oven and grill cleaner is designed to be suitable for both domestic and professional use, with the manufacturer formulating it to tackle protein, carbon, and fat deposits.
This oven cleaner is designed to be non-drip; however, some people do report that the thin nature of the chemical means that it can run down certain vertical surfaces, limiting its cleaning power in these situations.
Despite this, the Clean Pro+ oven cleaner can easily cut through grease build up on trays, grills, oven shelves, hobs, and more.
Some users have even found that it works a treat on the carbon build-up on the inside of log burners.
6. Dr Magic Oven and Grill Cleaner
Dr Magic is another popular household name amongst families up and down the country. Like their other products, the oven and grill cleaner is designed to make light work of the worst household tasks.
This one chemical can help you to tackle multiple chores too, in addition to just the oven. That is simply because it can be used on not just ovens and grills, but also pans and just about any other stainless-steel surface.
The spray bottle might be harder to use accurately than some of the others on this list, however it will cut through the vast majority of stubborn, baked on food in just one application.
This oven cleaner is very strong, so always make sure that you wear protective equipment, ventilate the room, and take adequate precautions when using it.
7. Ecover Oven and Hob Cleaner
Cleaning has traditionally always used harsh chemicals, however Ecover prove that it doesn’t have to be like that.
Ecover’s oven and hob spray is made with only plant-based ingredients that will still tackle grease and burnt-on food, just without any overwhelming fumes or environmental harm.
Like most of the other products on this list, the Ecover spray is designed to be sprayed on, left to work, and then wiped off.
However, unfortunately this cleaner does not tackle thick burnt-on food or stubborn marks as well as some of the others in this list.
Top Tips for Using Oven Cleaner Products
Store bought chemicals are an absolute godsend when it comes to tackling nasty chores and cleaning jobs, however there are always ways that you can still get more out of them. Follow these top tips to get the best possible results.
Protect the floor
Oven cleaners can very easily end up all over your floor, and all this does is give you more work. The caustic nature of some of these chemicals can even damage some surfaces, so you would need to tackle it as quickly as you can.
Lay out newspaper or old towels underneath the oven and try to tuck some underneath the oven itself to catch any drips that roll down.
Once you’re done, simply fold the newspaper up, put it in a bin bag, and take it outside straight away to avoid any drips around your home.
Wrap the racks in a bag
Some oven cleaners today are supplied with a bag that you can use to clean the oven’s racks. If your oven cleaner of choice isn’t supplied with a bag, you can always use a large, zipped plastic bag or a regular black sack.
Simply take the racks outside and spray them with the oven cleaner. Put the racks in the bag, and seal it.
Leave the racks outside for the time specified on the cleaner, then wipe them down thoroughly with a damp cloth before bringing them back inside.
Take precautions
Cleaning the oven is a difficult task, and the chemicals available need to reflect that. As a result, most chemicals are corrosive, and so protecting yourself is an absolute must.
Always cover up, wear gloves, and wear goggles at the very least when handling this kind of harsh chemical.
In addition to covering up, you should also ensure that your kitchen is well ventilated during the cleaning process.
Many oven cleaners can smell quite strong, and the fumes can linger, so you want to help them dissipate as quickly as possible.
Read the label
As with any cleaning chemical, always read the label. Some oven cleaners are not suitable for use on certain types of surfaces, so care should always be taken.
One example of this is that certain cleaners are not suitable for use on glass or certain types of ovens, so always check the label before getting started.
How to Choose an Oven Cleaner
The market today is awash with oven cleaners, and it can be tricky to know where to start. When it comes to choosing your oven cleaner, there are several things that you should consider.
Ingredients
There will be differences between the chemicals used in different oven cleaners. This should always be an important consideration when choosing an oven cleaner, especially if you may be allergic to some or if you have pets or small children that could accidentally get access to the oven cleaner.
Type of oven
The type of oven that you have should play a huge part in your decision. Some oven cleaners are not suitable for use with some ovens, and if you are unsure, you should always check with the manufacturer of your oven.
As an example, catalytic ovens have a special coating that almost looks and feels like sandpaper. This type of coating is designed to catch grease and debris.
These ovens have a dedicated heat cycle that runs the oven at 220°C or higher for thirty minutes to burn this trapped food off. Whilst this is handy, it does mean that you should be careful about which chemicals that you use to avoid damaging the catalytic lining.
Oven Cleaner FAQs
Why should I clean my oven?
Without regular cleaning, ovens can easily end up incredibly dirty. Not only is this nasty to look at, but it will also end up smelling when your oven heats up too when this old food starts burning off. This is especially noticeable if it is oil or grease.
In addition, it is much safer to cook in an oven that is clean. Dirty ovens that are full of debris and grease can pose a fire risk as if they get hot enough, some of this debris could start to catch.
An oven covered in dirt also must work harder to heat up and maintain the cooking temperature. This can result in damage or stress to the oven’s components, stopping your oven lasting if it should.
Are there harsh chemicals in oven cleaner?
The nature of oven cleaner means that the chemicals are harsh and can irritate skin. Unfortunately, the chemicals must be strong to cut through burnt-on food and grease.
This does mean that you must take precautions when cleaning your oven. Make sure that you cover up, wear gloves, and protect your eyes. Always keep these chemicals away from kids and pets, and make sure your kitchen is ventilated too.
How often should I clean my oven?
As a rule, try to clean your oven every three months. This is more than enough to keep it fresh and stop food debris and grease building up on the inside. If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, you can use this to just deal with any light build-up that you have.
In addition to a regular cleaning schedule, you should try to clear any major drips and spills as soon as you can safely do so.
You should also clean the oven if you notice that there is burnt food falling into what you are cooking, or if there is smoke or the oven smells particularly strong.
How do I clean the inside of my oven?
The inside of an oven is most likely to get dirty over time. To clean the inside, you should always first switch off the power at the mains.
Lay newspaper underneath the oven to catch any debris, and then spray the inside of the oven with your chosen cleaning product. Avoid spraying the oven cleaner on the fan, gas supply, or pilot light if your oven has one.
Wipe away the cleaning product and debris using a cloth and plenty of clean water.
How do I clean oven racks?
Oven racks can be easily cleaned by taking the racks out and cleaning them in a resealable plastic bag. Some oven cleaners are supplied with these, however if yours isn’t, you can always use a regular black sack.
Simply spray the racks with the oven cleaner, and place inside the bag. Seal the bag and leave the oven cleaner to do its thing for the recommended duration.
How do I clean the glass in the oven door?
Dirty oven glass can be a nightmare when it comes to keeping an eye on your food, especially if you are cooking something where you shouldn’t open the door.
Try to scrape away any food that ends up on the door regularly using a glass scraper and avoid using any harsh scourers that could leave tiny scratches across the glass.
The glass in some ovens can be removed for cleaning, which will make the task much easier. Check your oven’s instruction manual for guidance on how to remove the glass safely.
Some of the oven cleaners in this guide are also suitable for use on the glass door, but always read the label before you start.
Conclusion
If we had to choose just one of these oven cleaners to recommend, it would be the Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner. This oven cleaner is a great all-rounder that will tackle most burnt-on food and grease with ease and with minimal hard work.
Lover of coffee, painting, and all things cute and fluffy. I’m always on the lookout for easier, more gentle ways to tackle awful household chores.
