New Code Sent!
How often should you clean your oven?
Your oven helps you prepare countless recipes for your family, and spills and splatters are bound to happen. Whether you have a wall oven or a range, your cleaning schedule may vary depending on several factors.
Use this guide to learn how to respond to spills, discover signs that it may be time to clean your oven, compare cleaning methods and pick up helpful tips.
Sign Up for More Insights to Stay Connected
Enjoy articles like this? Get helpful guides and appliance care tips sent straight to your inbox.
Your subscription was successful
Thank you for signing up. Keep an eye on your inbox for our next newsletter.
Factors that may affect your oven cleaning schedule
How often you use your oven makes a difference in how often it needs to be cleaned, but other factors can also impact your cleaning schedule, including the types of foods you cook and how quickly you clean spills. Your cleaning schedule may be influenced by:
Usage rate
If you use your oven multiple times a day or many days a week, you may need to clean it on a more regular basis than you would if you only use the appliance for the occasional weeknight meal.
Cooking habits
Your cooking habits may also play a part in how often your oven needs a clean. If you regularly cook bubbling casseroles or baste roasted meats inside your oven, splatters and stains are likely to build up on the racks and base of your oven over time.
Immediate wipe-ups
If you wipe up easy-to-reach spills as soon as possible, when your oven has cooled to a safe-to-touch temperature, you may reduce the need for more frequent deep cleanings.
Oven settings
If your oven has steam cleaning then you should use it as needed for light spills between cleanings. Self-clean cycles are intended for heavier buildup and are generally called for about every three months.
Signs that your oven needs cleaning
A visibly messy oven cavity is an obvious indicator of an oven that needs cleaning, but there are a few other signs to look out for.
Film on the oven door glass
Strange smells when you cook food
Smoking while the oven is in use
Oven racks that are difficult to slide
Oven cleaning methods
There are several ways to help get your oven fresh, clean and ready to prepare your next family dinner, whether you use self-cleaning, steam cleaning or manual cleaning methods. Read on to learn more about oven cleaning methods.
Self-cleaning ovens
Self-cleaning ovens use high temperatures to help remove grease and other food residue from your oven interior. Self-cleaning cycles use temperatures up to 800ºF that burn food buildup, so that all you need to do is wipe away the ash with a wet cloth once the cycle is complete. Be aware that pets should be moved to another room when you’re running a self-clean cycle.
Select Whirlpool® Wall Ovens and Ranges offer a Steam Clean Option that uses heat and water to clean up light spills. This can help you avoid smoke and odors that may result from a higher heat self-cleaning cycle.
Steam clean may offer quicker and lighter cleaning between deep cleans, while self-clean can be ideal for longer cycles that help get rid of tough, caked-on messes. Compare self-clean and steam-clean oven options to find the best fit for your kitchen.
Manual cleaning methods
If your oven doesn’t offer a self-cleaning or steam clean cycle, you can still give your appliance a thorough clean. Check your owner’s manual for model specific guidance. Generally, manual cleaning steps may include:
1. Remove and clean the racks: Soak, scrub, rinse and thoroughly dry the racks.
2. Clean the oven interior: Remove anything remaining in the oven, such as pots or baking sheets, apply a baking soda paste, let it sit, then wipe away with vinegar or lemon juice and a damp cloth.
3. Deodorize as needed: Heat a low-temperature water solution with lemon juice, vinegar or vanilla to help neutralize lingering odors.
4. Clean the exterior: Wipe down the door, glass, cooktop and exterior surfaces with appropriate mild or surface-specific cleaners.
5. Dry and replace: Make sure cleaned surfaces and racks are completely dry before putting everything back.
Tips for keeping your oven clean
Help keep your oven clean and ready to make your next meal with the following tips and tricks.
Wipe spills immediately: Once your oven interior has cooled to a safe-to-touch temperature, clean spills and splatters to help prevent a bigger, burnt-on mess later.
Maintain your oven: Keeping your oven clean by following the instructions in your user care guide can help prevent stuck-on food, foul odors and smoke while your oven is in use. Learn more home maintenance tips to help maintain your appliances.
Keep stainless steel clean: Many ranges and wall ovens have stainless steel exteriors that have special maintenance instructions. Keep your oven exterior clean and polished to preserve the appearance of your appliance.
Avoid using foil as an oven liner: Though lining your oven with tinfoil may seem like a simple way to prevent spills, it can actually alter the heat distribution inside your oven and lead to hot or cold spots in your recipes.
Oven cleaning FAQs
Deep cleaning your oven means knowing how often to clean inside, around and even beneath your appliance. Read answers to common questions below to learn more about keeping your oven clean.
The general guideline for oven maintenance recommends deep-cleaning your appliance seasonally or every three months of regular use. However, spot-treating spills and splatters between deep-cleans can help reduce mess overall.
If your oven is cranking out multi-course meals almost every single day, you may need to give it a deep-clean more frequently than every three months. Heavy duty use can create grease and grime buildup inside your appliance, so deep-cleans every three weeks are recommended.
Make cleaning under and behind your oven part of your annual or seasonal cleaning routine. You might want to consider pulling the appliance out at least once a year to sweep and mop away any residue that has collected beneath it.
If you manually clean your oven, you can use it once the racks, interior, door and cooktop are clean and completely dry. For self-cleaning ovens, wait until the cycle is complete, the oven is cool and any ash is wiped away. Cool-down can take about 30 minutes, depending on the oven.
Yes. You should remove racks, cookware and loose items before starting a self-clean cycle. This can help prevent damage and make it easier to wipe down the interior once the cycle is finished.
Consider deep-cleaning your oven about every three months, depending on your cooking habits. If you often wipe down spills when they occur, or the oven is used less frequently, you may not need to use the Self-Clean cycle quite as often.
Whether your oven is gas or electric doesn’t determine how often it needs cleaning. Instead, consider how often you use it and what you cook. Frequent use and messy dishes like casseroles or roasted meats can mean more splatters and buildup, which means more frequent cleaning. Try to wipe up easy-to-reach spills when the oven has cooled to a safe-to-touch temperature to help keep buildup in check.
Whirlpool® Ranges and Wall Ovens make keeping up with maintenance easy. Select Whirlpool® Wall Ovens offer the Adjustable Self-Clean Cycle, which lets you clean without harsh chemicals using the high temperature self-clean cycle. You can adjust the cycle for various soil levels to keep your oven looking clean.
Shop Whirlpool® Ranges and Wall Ovens
Was this article helpful? Pass it on
Explore more with Whirlpool brand
