No one looks forward to oven cleaning. You either have to use a heavy-duty oven cleaner that takes hours and heats up your house, or you have to take your oven out of service for hours. Instead, use ARM to make your own oven cleaner.
Cooking delicious bacon comes with an unavoidable downside – grease spills in the oven When that hot bacon fat splatters, it can coat the interior of your oven with a gross, sticky film
Luckily, cleaning up bacon grease spills in your oven is totally doable with some tried and true methods. In this article, I’ll share my best tips for getting rid of bacon grease in an oven quickly and safely.
Why Bacon Grease is Messy in the Oven
Before we dive into cleaning, let’s look at why bacon grease makes such a mess in ovens
When bacon cooks, the fat melts and liquefies. Once hot and liquid, it spatters easily. The oven’s confined space and circulating hot air cause grease droplets to fly all over.
Bacon grease is sticky when cooled. It adheres tightly to oven surfaces, especially the porous enamel coatings. Burnt bits carbonize and bond even more.
Spills happen easily when transferring sheet pans or grilling bacon. Grease drips to the oven bottom and bakes on.
Cleaning up these spills takes some work. But with the right methods, you can erase even the crustiest bacon grease.
Supplies You’ll Need
Before tackling a bacon grease spill, assemble these cleaning supplies:
- Baking soda or oven cleaner
- Warm water
- Clean cloths and sponges
- Stiff nylon brush
- Rubber gloves and eye protection
- Scrubby pad or steel wool
Optional items that help:
- Plastic scraper
- Squeeze bottle for applying cleaners
- Small wire brush for tough spots
Avoid abrasive scouring pads and metal tools that can scratch oven surfaces.
How to Clean Bacon Grease From Oven Surfaces
Here is a step-by-step process for cleaning bacon grease out of your oven:
Step 1: Remove Loose Debris
First, remove any large debris in the oven while it’s still a bit warm. This includes food remnants or large grease drips.
Scrape off debris with a plastic scraper or spatula. Then wipe down with paper towels.
Step 2: Apply Degreasing Cleaner
Apply a degreasing cleaner like oven spray or baking soda paste. Spray cleaners work well for large oven cavities.
For contained spills, mix baking soda and water into a spreadable paste. Apply to dirty areas and let sit 15-30 minutes.
Step 3: Scrub and Wipe Away Grease
Scrub the areas with a nylon brush or scrubby sponge. This loosens the greasy grime from the oven surfaces.
Wipe away all the grease and cleaner sludge with clean cloths, changing rags frequently. Use warm water to rinse.
Repeat scrubbing if needed on stubborn deposits. The warm water helps dissolve grease.
Step 4: Remove Baked-On Grease
For carbonized or heavily baked-on grease, use gentle abrasives to remove it. Soft plastic scrapers or balled aluminum foil can help scrub it away.
If needed, use steel wool or a wire brush lightly on very stuck-on spots. Avoid scratching oven surfaces.
Step 5: Clean and Dry Oven
Give the oven one final wipe down with a clean, wet cloth. Make sure no cleaner residue remains.
Leave oven door open and use a fan to fully dry the cavity before using again. Moisture causes flare-ups when reheating.
And you’re done! With some elbow grease, even the messiest bacon grease spill comes clean.
Other Tips for Cleaning up Bacon Grease
Here are some additional tips for tackling bacon grease oven messes:
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Cover pans and use foil liners when cooking bacon. This reduces splatters.
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Wipe up spills promptly before they bake on. Doing so makes cleaning much easier.
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For microwave ovens, put bacon between paper towels. Clean the interior regularly.
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Avoid using metal scouring pads or steel brushes that can damage oven surfaces.
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If scratches occur, use automotive buffing compound to remove them and restore shine.
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Repaint stained oven surfaces with high-temp appliance paint to renew the look.
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Line the oven bottom with foil or a catch tray to simplify cleanup of drips.
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Schedule a deep clean after heavy bacon usage to prevent buildup.
Enjoy Bacon Without the Mess
Crispy bacon makes everything taste better but can create an oven mess. By following these cleaning steps, you can get rid of grease spills for a fresh oven interior.
Cleaning Your Oven with Baking Soda and Vinegar
You can use vinegar in a spray bottle instead of baking soda to make sure you get rid of all the baking soda after cleaning. Here’s a quick way to clean your oven with baking soda that you can do right away after an accident.
- Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the stain.
- Water or a 3:1 mix of water and white vinegar can be used to spritz. If you use vinegar, baking soda will bubble.
- Let sit for 15-20 minutes, after your oven has cooled.
- Use wet paper towels to clean up baking soda and food that has been broken up.
- Use a 3:1 mix of water and vinegar to clean the inside of the oven.
- Be satisfied at a job well done.
Heavy Duty Oven Cleaning with Baking Soda
Let’s face it. Sometimes we don’t always make cleaning the oven a priority. Sometimes months, even years, can go by between oven cleanings. It happens. It doesn’t matter how dirty your oven is; baking soda can still make it shine again. Try this alternate recipe instead:
- 1 pound ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon salt (regular table salt is fine)
- 2 tablespoons water
In a bowl, mix the ingredients together until you get a thick, sandy paste that’s about the consistency of cake frosting. If you need to, add more water 1/2 tablespoon at a time. This recipe will make enough to deep clean an oven floor. Triple the recipe if you are doing the back, sides, ceiling, and oven floor.
Remove the racks from your oven. Using a spatula, cover the entire metal or glass surfaces with the paste. Shut the oven door and leave it overnight in the cold oven. The paste will harden by morning.
Once the paste has set, use the rubber spatula and warm, damp paper towels to break up the baking soda and dirt and wipe them off. You’ll reveal the oven’s original, stain-free surface underneath and your oven will have gone through an extreme makeover.