How to Clean Brown Stained Oven Door Glass

Stained and grotty-looking oven door glass is the result of days and in some cases even years’ worth of grime and grease collecting on the surface. It’s really unattractive and it can sometimes make food taste funny…

But you don’t have to live with brown stained oven door glass. Just follow our cleaning methods and your oven door glass will be looking as good as new in no time at all! Plus, we’ve got some tips on how to keep the glass clean.

 

Things to Consider…

When cleaning your brown stained oven door glass, you should think about the following points:

• Switch your oven off before you start cleaning.
• Wear gloves.
• Kids and animals shouldn’t be near you when you’re cleaning the glass.
• Some ovens open in a ‘pull-down’ manner and others open from the side – adapt the methods below to suit your oven.
• Remove any food from your oven.
• Check your oven’s handbook before you start cleaning with various products – not all products can be used.

We’ll now look at how to clean brown stained oven door glass in three parts: cleaning the outside, the inside, and the glass insert of the oven. Cleaning all three areas will mean that you’ve given all the glass in your oven door a thorough clean, and you won’t have any horrible brown stains left behind.

Although, if you’re stuck for time, just jump to the section that applies to you.

 

Cleaning the Glass on the Outside of the Oven Door

While the majority of the brown stain will be on the glass in the oven, you should clean the glass on the outside of the oven too. Why? This gets rids of any dirt that gets kicked up off the floor, and it makes the oven look fresh from the outside.

Take these steps to clean the glass on the outside of your oven door:

1. Grab some glass cleaner and spray it onto the glass.
2. Wipe this around the glass with a cloth.
3. Mix some bicarbonate of soda (65g) and water in a bowl to make a paste.
4. Spread a thin and even layer of the paste onto the glass.
5. Wait 25-30 minutes.
6. Spray a tiny amount of white vinegar on the glass – this will cause a chemical reaction.
7. Wipe off all the paste with a warm damp cloth.
8. Make sure the glass is dry.

Let’s move on to the glass inside of the oven door.

 

Cleaning the Glass on the Inside of the Oven Door

You can clean the glass on the inside of the oven in several different ways, check out our methods below.

Method 1: Bicarbonate of Soda

The most popular way to clean the glass in an oven door is to use bicarb. Bicarbonate of soda is great at removing tough stains, and it can also take out bacteria!

What you need:

• Cloth
• Sponge
• Bicarbonate of Soda
• Warm water
• Bowl
• Gloves

Steps to take:

1. Open your oven door and wipe away any bits of dirt with a warm damp cloth.
2. Grab some bicarbonate of soda and pour about 65g into a bowl.
3. Start adding water to this bowl, and stir the mix until you start seeing a paste forming – shaving cream consistency.
4. Spread your paste all over the glass – use your hands.
5. (If you have a ‘pull down’ oven you can sprinkle bicarb onto the glass and mix it with some water).
6. Wait 20 minutes.
7. The paste may change colour – this is natural because the paste is absorbing the brown dirt.
8. Get a warm damp sponge and use it to wipe away the paste – rub the glass but don’t scrub too hard in case you scratch it.
9. You may have to repeat Step 7 a few times.
10. The oven is ready to be used.

Additionally, you can add some glass cleaner to the glass to make it extra shiny. Just remember to wipe off any residue.

 

Method 2: Bicarbonate of Soda and White Vinegar

Bicarbonate of soda works exceptionally well on its own, but you can also use it with white vinegar to get an even better clean.

What you need:

• White Vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Cloth
• Sponge
• Bicarbonate of Soda
• Warm water
• Bowl
• Gloves

Steps to take:

1. Open your oven door and wipe away any pieces of dirt with a warm cloth.
2. Pour about 65g of bicarb into a bowl.
3. Add some water to the bowl and stir the mix until it turns to a paste-like consistency.
4. Spread the paste all over the glass.
5. Wait 20 minutes.
6. The paste may change colour.
7. Get a warm damp sponge and use it to wipe away the paste – rub the glass but don’t scrub too hard in case you damage the glass.
8. Repeat Step 7 a few times, if you want to.
9. Grab the spray bottle.
10. Pop 1 part of white vinegar to 1 part of warm water in the bottle.
11. Mix gently.
12. Spray this on the glass to get rid of any extra dirt.
13. Wipe any excess solution off the glass with a warm damp cloth.
14. The oven is ready to be used.
15. Open a window so the smell of vinegar doesn’t hang around for too long.

If you don’t fancy giving these methods a go there are specialised products you can buy to help clean the glass in your oven door.

 

Method 3: Specialised Products

There are several products you can buy to clean your brown stained oven door glass. Some products work better than others, and some require more work than others.

Here are some products you could think about using:

• Dirtbusters Stove Glass Cleaner – See on Amazon.co.uk
• Oven Mate Glass and Ceramic Hob Cleaner  – See on Amazon.co.uk
• Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner – See on Amazon.co.uk
• Oven Mate Daily Oven Cleaner – See on Amazon.co.uk

You should always read the label on the back of a product before you use it. Plus, you should check your user manual to make sure your chosen product can be used on your oven.

 

Cleaning the Glass Insert in Your Oven Door

If you’ve followed the methods above and you still can’t see through your oven door because of some grubby stains, it means that you need to clean the glass insert in the oven door.

Not all oven doors have this feature, and not all glass inserts can be removed for cleaning purposes. Check your oven’s user manual to see if you can clean your glass insert.

If you can, here’s what you need to do:

1. Get someone to help you.
2. Remove the screws in the door that keep the glass insert in place.
3. Once the glass has been removed pop it to one side on a kitchen towel.
4. You should consider hoovering up any dust you see in your oven at this point (not always applicable).
5. Follow the steps above under ‘Bicarbonate of Soda’ to clean the glass insert.
6. Make sure the glass is dry and pop it back in place – make sure you screw it back on properly.

If you would like to use a degreaser to clean the glass insert you can do so. Make sure you wipe off any excess residue.

 

Professional Help

If you don’t have any luck with the methods and options above you can always call in professional help.

Stained oven door glass can be a pain to clean, especially if it’s been there for years and years. So sometimes it’s easier to call someone in to help who specialises in oven cleaning.

Professional help can be expensive, so ask yourself if this route is absolutely necessary before you go ahead with it.

But if you do choose this option, always do your research, ask plenty of questions, and only go with a reputable oven cleaning company.

 

Tips on How to Keep the Glass in Your Oven Door Clean

It’s always important to keep on top of your oven door cleaning. Here are some tips to remember:

• Wipe down all the glass in your oven after every use.
• Thoroughly clean your oven once a week.
• Use bicarb to do a quick clean of the glass in your oven’s door.
• Keep a cheap solution/product near the oven so you remember to clean the glass.
• You can use antibacterial wipes too if you’re stuck for time – just make sure they’re okay to be used on your oven.

 

Conclusion

Cleaning a stained oven door never sounds appealing, and it’s a task a lot of people like to put off. But when you start cleaning the glass in your oven door, you’ll see how beneficial it really is. Not only will your oven look sparkly and new, but any lingering smells will disappear too. Not to mention the countless other hygiene benefits!

When using pre-made sprays for cleaning your oven, make sure there is no residue left behind on the internal glass surface or in the rubber door seals. You don’t want to risk any fumes being released onto your food while cooking.

 

FAQs

Can I take my oven door off to clean the glass thoroughly?

Check your user manual for advice on this. Every oven is different so it would be difficult to give a definitive answer.

What will happen if I don’t clean the glass in my oven door?

You’re putting yourself at risk by not cleaning the glass. The glass is home to lots of bacteria and dirt, so every time you cook that grime could potentially be going into your food.

My oven has a self-clean feature, should I use this?

This is another option you can try. But never leave your oven on when you go out, stay in the house when the self-clean is taking place.