Are Self-Cleaning Ovens Safe to Use?

Many modern ovens come with a self-cleaning function, but not many people know how they actually work. Self-cleaning ovens can be controversial, with some concerns over the high temperatures and potential toxic fumes. Whether to use the self-cleaning function is a personal choice, but it’s essential to know all the facts before you start. Our article looks at how the self-cleaning function works, the potential risks, and some safer alternatives. 

How Self-Cleaning Ovens Work

Self-cleaning ovens work via a process called pyrolytic cleaning, which uses high temperatures to burn away grease, grime, and food particles from your oven’s interior. The temperatures can get to as high as 880°F, which is high enough to totally incinerate any debris, turning it into a fine ash. 

While the self-cleaning function is running, your oven will automatically lock to prevent opening, as the interior becomes so hot that the air inside could cause serious burns. Once the self-cleaning cycle has finished, which could take between 2 and 4 hours, the oven door will automatically unlock. You are then able to wipe away the ash with a damp cloth, leaving the interior clean.

Less commonly, some ovens also have a steam cleaning option, which works a little differently. Water can be added to a small reservoir inside the oven and as the oven heats, it fills with steam that helps to soften baked on dirt and grime. After this cycle is complete, you can wipe away the softened grime. Self-cleaning ovens that use steam operate at a lower temperature but are also less effective at removing baked-on dirt. 

Benefits of Self Cleaning Ovens

Self-cleaning ovens sound like a dream come true. After all, who wants to spend hours scrubbing and scouring away burnt food? But do they actually do a good job? Some benefits of self-cleaning ovens are:

Convenience

With just a couple of button pushes, you can begin the self-cleaning cycle. No need to spray oven cleaner, protect your floor with old newspapers, or scrub. The oven itself does all the work – all you need to do is wait.

Eco-friendly

Using self-cleaning means you avoid using harsh chemicals like the ones found in most commercial oven cleaning products. This reduces the risk of inhaling chemical fumes and prevents toxic chemicals from coming anywhere near your food. 

Hygienic

Self-cleaning ovens make cleaning your oven’s interior easy, so you’re less likely to have decaying food scraps or rancid grease coating the interior of your oven. The high temperatures thoroughly sanitize your oven’s interior as well as remove unsightly grime. 

Potential Downsides and Dangers

Although self-cleaning ovens are undeniably convenient, they do have drawbacks. These include:

Potential oven damage

Overuse of the high temperatures needed for self-cleaning ovens can increase wear and tear on your oven’s components. Using it too often can seriously shorten your oven’s lifespan, leading to excess costs in the long term. 

Risk of burns

The high temperatures can cause the exterior of your oven to get hot enough to burn. This is particularly risky if you have small children or animals in your house. 

Possible fire danger

If there’s a lot of spilled grease inside your oven, using the self-cleaning function can ignite it, causing a fire. 

Fumes

The extremely high heat can produce smoke and fumes, which can make your home smell unpleasant and even be potentially harmful—particularly to people with respiratory issues. 

Energy usage

The high heat of a self-cleaning cycle requires a lot of electricity, which can lead to higher electricity bills. 

How To Minimize Danger

While there are some risks to using a self-cleaning oven, there are ways to minimize the danger and make the whole process safer. Make sure you always:

Wipe away excess grease

To reduce the chance of a grease fire, wipe away any large chunks of food or any grease spills. The less debris in the oven, the lower the chance of it igniting. 

Ventilate the area

Make sure you open windows in your kitchen or use a fan to ventilate the area so that you don’t end up breathing in smoke and fumes. If possible, it’s best to leave the room while the self-cleaning function is running. 

Block off the area

Make sure you stay away from your kitchen while the self-cleaning function is running. If your kitchen has a door, keep it closed to prevent children or animals from getting near the oven and suffering burns. If your kitchen is open plan, block off the entrance to the kitchen with something else, or shut your pets in another part of the house. 

Follow manufacturer instructions

Make sure you read the instructions in your oven manual before using the self-cleaning function to ensure you’re doing it correctly.

Use the function infrequently

To avoid damage to your oven, use the self-cleaning feature sparingly.

Alternatives To Using the Self-Clean Function

There are plenty of safer alternative methods to using a self-cleaning oven. While these options may take a little more elbow grease, they don’t risk burns or smoke from high heat. 

Steam Cleaning

Even if your oven doesn’t have a specific steam-cleaning function, you can still use steam to clean your oven. Either fill your oven’s steam cleaning reservoir or place an oven-safe pan filled with water on the middle rack. Heat the oven to medium heat for about an hour, then let the oven cool. The grime on the interior of your oven should have softened enough to easily wipe away. 

Commercial Oven Cleaner

If you’re not concerned about chemicals, try a commercial oven cleaning solution. The methods vary depending on the brand, but in most cases, you simply spray it on, leave it for the specified period, and then wipe it away. Just make sure you ventilate the area well and wear gloves and a mask. 

Homemade Cleaning Solution

You can make a paste of baking soda and water and spread it over the interior of your oven. Let this sit overnight, then wipe away the residue with a damp cloth. Repeat the process if necessary for stubborn stains. You don’t even have to turn the oven on! And one additional benefit of this method over using commercial oven cleaners is that baking soda and water paste don’t contain any toxic chemicals.