If you want to know how to clean a glass oven door, yours is probably in need of some love. Learning how to clean oven glass is all about finding effective solutions for stains and grease that are often very hard to remove. After all, they've been caked onto the oven doors by high heat.
There's more to it, too. Most ovens don't just accumulate grease on the inside and outside of the oven door. Gunk also builds up between the glass, which makes the task that much more laborious.
So, if you've yet to master the art of how to clean an oven, this is a vital step. Learn how to clean oven doors, and the rest will be a lot easier. Which is where expert advice comes in.
How to clean a glass oven door: expert tip
We spoke with Smeg, industry experts, on how to prevent build-up in the first place. 'Smeg ovens offer a single sheet of glass, free from metal surrounds, to offer a smooth surface and ensure no food debris or grease can be caught in the oven's door. Try to choose a multi-layered oven glass where possible too. Smeg ovens are layered with three or four sheets of glass which can be easily removed, allowing any cloudiness or spillages that build up over time to be removed.'
Rest assured, however, that no matter what oven you have, you can make your glass oven door sparkle like it should once more.
How to clean a glass oven door – the natural method
This is a natural method that you can whip up with pantry staples – vinegar and baking soda. Start by putting on some rubber gloves and covering the floor area with newspaper. Then spray the outside pane of glass with white vinegar. Wipe this down with a microfibre cloth or paper towel.
Then for the inside pane, remove any stuck-on food with a glass scraper and sprinkle baking soda liberally over the surface. Rub this in using a scouring sponge and some elbow grease is good too. Leave this for half an hour or so and then wipe off the residue with paper towels.
David Mason, the owner of The Knobs Company, has an unusual hack for making the natural oven door cleaning method a bit easier: 'cover the glass with a thin towel or cloth. This will help keep the vinegar or other cleaning product from contacting the glass directly. When you are finished, just remove and discard the towel or cloth.'
You can also do this trick with foil – 'place a piece of aluminum foil on the glass. The foil will help catch any drips or splatters. When you are finished, just remove and discard the foil.'
How to clean between oven glass
Next, for the in-between. Each oven is a bit different, so the exact method you take to clean yours will depend on the model you own. Before you get started, you will need to consult the manual that came with your oven. If you don’t have that any more, don’t fret because you’ll be able to find it online by searching the model of your oven.
Why does the manual matter? It’s because oven manufacturers have designed their appliances to make cleaning between the panes of glass possible, but the way you do this varies between models. Some of the best ovens, for example, feature removable glass panes that make cleaning simple, while others have glass panes that are fixed in place. Still, there is a way to clean both, which we'll get to below.
Whichever approach you need to take, always wait until the oven is off and cool before you start.
How to clean between oven glass doors by removing them
Depending on the style of your oven, you may find it easier to clean the oven glass with the door removed. Note, you should check your manual to make sure the door can actually be removed. If your oven manual indicates you can remove the door in order to clean between the panes of glass in the door, get prepared.
You’ll need an old towel to lay the door on to protect it once you’ve taken it off. Position this on a work surface or, if you don’t have enough room, on the floor.
Next follow the manufacturer’s instructions to remove the door. Wearing a pair of work gloves is a good idea to protect your hands and ensure you have a firm grip on the door. Bear in mind, too, that an oven door could prove awkward to maneuver, so calling on someone else to assist with this step is your best bet. Make sure you lift the door with a firm grip on the sides. Don’t lift it by its handle.
Put the door on the towel, handle side down. You may now be able to remove the inner pane(s) of glass ready for cleaning – but only do this if your oven manufacturer’s instructions indicate it’s made this way. If you disassemble the door when it’s not recommended, you could invalidate the oven’s warranty.
Top tip: Some ovens are designed with glass you can remove without having to take the door off. If that’s the case with yours, take the glass out carefully according to the instructions and replace when you’ve cleaned and dried it.
How to clean grease from between glass oven doors
With the glass out, now you can sprinkle the surface with baking soda, following this with a generous spray of white vinegar. Let this bubble and fizz for 15 minutes or so then scrub well with a gentle scourer and remove any residue with a damp microfibre cloth before drying completely.
You can also use a dish soap solution for the panes, and dry with a soft lint-free cloth before replacement and re-hanging of the door.
Be sure to let the glass panes fully dry before putting them back together again.
How to clean between glass oven doors without removing them
Some oven door glass cannot be removed but you can still clean it via a vent. For this you’ll need something with which to reach in between the panes and a soft, lint-free cloth. GE Appliances recommends a wooden yardstick for the job. You might come across suggestions that you use a wire coat hanger. Our advice? Don’t take this approach as you could scratch the glass.
Make up a solution of mild dish soap in a bowl. Wrap the cloth around the end of the yardstick, and make sure you cover its end completely. Secure the cloth with rubber bands.
Dip the cloth in the dish soap solution, and then gently insert the yardstick into the vent. Do not force it and make sure your cleaning tool is slim enough that it won’t put pressure on the glass.
Wipe the dish soap solution between the panes, leaving for a couple of minutes, then using the cloth to work on spots and splatters as necessary.
When the smears are removed take the cloth off the yardstick, rinse it thoroughly, then re-attach it and use it to rinse away all the soap from between the panes of glass.
Finish by attaching a soft, lint-free cloth to the yardstick in the same way you did before to dry between the panes.
Top tip: You may be able to use this method for a door that can’t be removed from the oven. Bear in mind that, depending on the design of the oven, you may have to remove an access panel to see the vents.
How to clean between glass oven doors naturally
If you want to take the natural route, make up a paste of baking soda and a little water. Ensure the oven is off and the door cool then use a rag or a sponge on a wooden spoon (get creative here), spread it as thickly and evenly as you can on the inner glass. Again, leave this to work for about 20-30 minutes, this depends on how greasy the glass is. Next take a clean rag and wet it with warm water, then use your chosen tool to wipe up the paste.
This may work first time, if not, repeat again and don't worry about leave it on a little longer as there is no risk of ruining the oven glass with these natural cleaning agents.
How to clean oven glass – the steam method
If you, understandably, want to avoid as much hard scrubbing as possible, you should consider the steam cleaning method. Nick Burks, the founder and CEO of one of the Atlanta-based residential cleaning company Neet Home, recommends this method as safe and 'chemical-free' – 'the best part about using steam is anyone can do it, and all you need is a grime-filled oven, an oven-safe pot, and some water.'
It's not too time-consuming, smoke-free, and chemical-free. Here are Nick's step-by-step instructions for cleaning oven glass with steam:
1. Place an oven-safe pot or bowl filled with water inside your oven.
2. Set your oven to 450 degrees. The heat mixed with the water-filled pot will create steam.
3. After 20-60 minutes, cut the over off, and once cool, wipe off the condensation, and the grease in your oven and glass oven door will come off with it.
4. If stubborn spots persist, scrub your oven and glass door with a paste of baking soda, water, and vinegar (see instructions below)
Paste Ingredients:
1. Combine 1 cup of baking soda with 2-4 tablespoons of water to create a spreadable paste. Feel free to eyeball your mixture and add more or less water to your liking. The goal is a thick, spreadable paste.
2. Now, use a pastry brush or your hand to spread the mixture on the stubborn spot.
3. Then, spray some vinegar over your paste application. You'll see the combination start bubbling like a mini science experiment.
4. Finally, use a brush or a scrubbing pad with a bit of elbow grease, and any stubborn stop should vanish.
How do you get brown stains off oven doors?
Brown stains are by far the toughest type of dirt to get off your oven doors, whether you have one of the best freestanding ovens or one of the best integrated ovens. Adriana Aziz, cleaning expert and operations manager at MaidForYou, explains that brown stains 'can be difficult to clean, especially if the brown discoloration of
the oven door is due to smudging inside the oven glass.'
Depending on the extent of the problem, and the age of your stains, Adriana recommends going straight in with one of the best oven cleaners. The minimum time to let the oven cleaner sit on your stains is 15 minutes, but 'the longer you allow
the chemical solution to sit, the easier it is to remove the staining.'
Adriana recommends using 'a damp microfiber cloth to scrub the interior
and exterior of the door, making sure to rinse with water once your cloth
has become excessively soiled.'
Adriana cautions that is the staining is inside the oven glass, you will need to dismantle the door, but 'be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions before
proceeding.' Also. don't forget to adequately ventilate your kitchen while using a strong oven over cleaner, and 'be sure to utilize gloves when cleaning your oven doors.'
How to clean oven doors with vinegar
Adriana says that 'vinegar can be used in place of a commercial oven cleaner; however, it will require a larger amount of the solution. We generally use a mix of 1 part vinegar to 1 part water in a spray bottle and use the same method that we would with a commercial cleaner. It may take 2-3 sprays and wipes but it usually does the trick.'
Now you can see what you're cooking!