Top 8 Best Oven Cleaner: Is It Worth Buying? A Comprehensive Pros And Cons Analysis

If your oven doesn’t automatically clean itself, oven cleaner might be one of the most difficult tasks in the kitchen, especially if you haven’t been promptly clearing up spills. But this job may be made simple with the correct oven cleaner.

To manage all of your cooking disasters, the Good Housekeeping Institute tests hundreds of cleaning products yearly and compiles a guide for the finest oven cleaners, grill cleaners, stainless steel cleaners, and more. We test the oven cleaners by slathering layers of barbecue sauce onto the oven and grill grates and let it burn. Several oven cleaners also function as grill cleaners. Then, we assess each cleaning product’s neatness or messiness during use and how fast, thorough, and effortlessly it cleans. We evaluate the label’s instructions for thoroughness and any necessary safety measures depending on the components.

Note: Most appliance manufacturers advise against cleaning your self-cleaning oven with oven cleaners because doing so could damage the interior or void the guarantee on your device. It’s recommended to abide by the instructions provided by your oven manufacturer, even if the label on the oven cleaner indicates that it’s safe to use. To reduce the mess your self-cleaning oven will have to clean up later, use a moist sponge to clean up spills as soon as they occur (and make sure your oven is at a safe temperature to reach inside). Baking soda, which is safe on the interiors of self-cleaning ovens, can help remove stubborn deposits.

Below, you may read more about our hand-picked oven cleaners, our testing process, and other topics. Our articles on the best grill cleaners, how to clean a microwave oven, how to clean a toaster oven, and how to clean an oven might also interest you.

How Do We Test Oven Cleaners?

We’ve tried out more than two dozen cleaners for ovens and grills. Because these products are often used in the same ways, we test them all the same way. We brush and broil several layers of a sticky BBQ sauce mix on stainless steel, enamel grill, and oven grates until they have an even, burned-on coating. Then, each product is put on the grates according to the instructions on the label. The products are then graded on how well they cleaned up our BBQ mess.

As our testers use the products, we also check to see if they are easy to use and if the instructions are complete. Every stroke and swipe needed to take the BBQ off the grates is counted, and the amount of time the product needs to stay on the grates is also graded. Lastly, we look closely at the safety and first aid instructions on each oven cleaner’s label to ensure we don’t recommend any products that could hurt people because they don’t have enough safety information.

What To Look For When Buying Oven Cleaners?

Form: Many different kinds of oven cleaners, such as aerosols, foams, liquids, and gels. Aerosols are the original way to clean an oven. They work very well, but most people associate them with oven cleaners’ weird, unpleasant smells. Almost all aerosol products on the market today don’t have fumes, have little to no smell, and can be used safely with good ventilation and skin protection. Foams, liquids, and gels are other types of oven cleaners that work well and are easy to use. They are also less likely to get into the air and make you feel sick than aerosols. Clinging gels are great for the vertical sides of the oven because they won’t slide off before they have a chance to work. Some people say that liquid oven cleaners aren’t good for oven racks because it’s hard to make sure that they stay coated. Carbona’s 2-in-1 Oven Rack & Grill Cleaner, our pick for racks, solves this problem with a bag that keeps the racks coated for as long as they need to be.

Standing Time: Oven cleaners can be left standing for anywhere from 30 seconds to more than 8 hours. If you’re cleaning your oven at 5 pm so you can use it again in an hour to make dinner, you won’t want to use a cleaner that takes 5 hours to work. Instead, try a spot cleaner like the Mr. Clean Extra Durable Magic Eraser or a fast-acting deep cleaner like the Zep Oven & Grill Cleaner. You could use an oven cleaner for less time than the manufacturer suggests, but there will probably still be burned-on food stains in your oven afterward. You need to give these cleaners enough time to work to get the best results.

Smell: Look for a “fume-free” formula that reduces the number of unpleasant smells in the air. Many brands also have options with essential oils and other ingredients that make the oven cleaner smell like lemons or other nice scents.

Can I Use A Cleaner On An Oven That Cleans Itself?

No! We don’t recommend it, and most appliance makers don’t, either. A self-cleaning oven removes leftover food and spills by heating the oven to a very high temperature. Even if an oven cleaner says it is safe to use in a self-cleaning oven, you should always check with the manufacturer before using it at home. Oven cleaners have strong chemicals that can damage the coating on your oven. This can ruin the way your oven looks and can also often void the warranty on your oven.

You should also never use an oven cleaner while the self-cleaning cycle is on. When you mix dangerously high heat with the chemicals in your oven cleaner, you can get into a lot of trouble in your kitchen. Even oven cleaners that work best when the oven is warm say that the oven should never be hot and should be turned off while you clean it.

Is It Dangerous To Use Oven Cleaners?

Oven cleaners were known for having strong smells and lots of fumes, making it hard to breathe when using them. Now, most options don’t have bad smells or fumes and don’t make users feel too bad. As with any cleaning product, you should avoid getting oven cleaner in your eyes or skin, and you should never mix oven cleaner with any other cleaning product.

It’s also important to ensure your kitchen has enough air flow and that other surfaces are well protected. You should always carefully read the label on an oven cleaner and only use it to clean the things the manufacturer says it can be used on. Oven cleaners can be too harsh on stovetops and stainless steel appliances. Instead, grab a bottle of your favorite stainless steel cleaner or one of our picks for stovetop cleaners.

Can I Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Clean My Oven?

Many sites say you can clean your oven by making a paste from baking soda, vinegar, and lemons. Even though we’ve tried it in our lab and found that it works on small spots, it takes a lot more time and scrubbing than any of the oven cleaners on this list, so we don’t recommend it. All the products on this list are designed to clean oven messes and will either do the job in half the time, with half the effort, or both.

1. Easy Off Professional Fume Free Max Oven Cleaner, Lemon 24 Ounce (Pack of 1)

Easy-Off Fragrance-Free Oven Cleaning is a tried-and-true choice among Internet house cleaners. One Amazon customer gushed, “It works and is worth its weight in gold!!!!” after describing how simple it was to use this oven cleaner. Other online reviewers agreed with them when they said they had to use the oven cleaner twice to truly get their post-Thanksgiving oven clean, but despite this, it still has an excellent 4.5-star rating, and a whopping 70% of reviews are 5 stars.

It can be used to spot clean and thoroughly clean your oven, and because it works on cold ovens and is free of caustic fumes, using it doesn’t require heating up or venting your kitchen. It loosens filth in 30 seconds, one of the quickest cleaning times we’ve encountered. Just remove with a moist sponge, cloth, or paper towel after applying and waiting for the necessary period of time. Learn More….

2. Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner ZUOVGR19 (2-Pack) Dissolves Grease on Contact

Zep Heavy Duty Oven & Grill Cleaning placed second overall and is a powerful cleaner. It only required nine swipes on our stainless steel grates and five swipes on our porcelain enamel grates to completely remove the BBQ test mixture after applying it to our unclean grates and letting it.

It may be used on ovens, cookware, racks, barbecues, etc. Nevertheless, the company advises applying the product while your oven is still warm for optimal results. But ensure the space is properly aired because the aerosol emissions could be unpleasant. To avoid any harm from overspray, wearing gloves and covering the nearby kitchen surfaces with newspaper is crucial. Learn More….

3. Carbona Oven Cleaner | Grease & Stain Fighting Formula | Odor Free | 16.8 Fl Oz Each, 1 Pack

A fume-free gel called Carbona Oven Cleaning penetrates and eliminates grease inside ovens, microwaves, baking pans, outdoor barbecues, and even glass fireplace doors. Even though numerous applications are required for particularly badly burned-on messes, it has received largely positive internet reviews, and most reviewers point out that it is odorless. Because it is a gel, it adheres to dirt even on vertical surfaces and lacks the overpowering smell that many aerosols do. Oven racks must be washed separately because the manufacturer advises against doing so while using this product, and extremely soiled ovens might take up to four hours to properly clean. Learn More…

4. Weiman Oven & Grill Cleaner – 24 Ounce – Broiler & Drip Pans, Oven & Ceramic Grill Interiors, & BBQ Grill Grates

Weiman Oven & Grill Cleaning, a holder of the Good Housekeeping Seal, removes baked-on residue in less than 10 minutes thanks to its grease-cutting foam. Although it performed well in our lab testing on both stainless steel and porcelain grates, and our experts considered it simple to use, it took more effort than some of our other recommendations to thoroughly clean all of our test grates. It may be used to clean the inside of your oven, grill, racks, and grates. A protective component in the mixture also aids in the rust resistance of grill grates and oven racks. To restore the view, apply it to the oven door’s glass with a soft bristle brush. Learn More…..

5. Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner Spray (2 Pack) Cleans and Degreases BBQ Cooking Grates and Racks, Pellet and Electric Smokers- 24 Ounce

Spray spots in your cold oven with Goo Gone Oven & Grill Cleaning, and wipe the grease away with a moist towel or sponge in three to five minutes. This fast-acting foam is citrus-based and may be used to clean your oven, grill, toaster oven, and pots and pans. It may take up to an hour to remove thick, baked-on food spills, but according to internet reviews, you won’t have to scrub, with one customer adding, “I was able to quickly WIPE away all the grime with a paper towel.” I didn’t even clean.” The scent of this oven cleaner has received conflicting reviews, with some saying they had no issues with it and others saying they had to open windows and wear a mask when using it. Learn More…..

6. Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner Bagged 16.8 Oz

Although Carbona’s 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner had the longest standing time of our recommendations, it was the top performer in our Lab tests, cleaning oven racks overnight with only a warm water rinse required afterward. This kit has a bottle of the oven rack and grill cleaner, a plastic bag, and gloves for protecting your hands; however, it can only be used once. Just use a brush to remove any large pieces of material to clean the oven racks, insert up to two racks in the bag, pour the cleaning solution inside, and shut the bag. After ensuring that the racks are covered with the liquid by moving the solution around in the bag and allowing them to sit for the night, you can remove the racks. While using the soaking bag, make sure that it is not accessible to children or animals, and do it in an area that has adequate ventilation. Learn More….

7. Mr Clean Magic Eraser Pads, 8 Count (Pack of 1)

We enjoy the extra durable version of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to spot-clean the interior of ovens because it works so well on a variety of surfaces and has gained the Good Housekeeping Seal. They are kept on hand in the lab for last-minute cleanups. Baked-on stains can be removed with the extra-durable Magic Eraser after being covered with a hot, damp cloth to help release the gunk. These scrubbers need more effort from you to complete the task because they are particularly resilient and stand up well to tough stuck-on stains. Unlike other oven cleaners, they do not include any chemicals that could harm or stain an oven’s inside surface. Learn More…..

8. Simple Green AllPurpose Cleaner Spray and Refill, Green, 3 Piece Set, Original, 1 Count

After you have polished the interior of your oven, it is time to do the same for the windows. Simple Green’s All-Purpose Cleaner can clean nearly every surface in your kitchen, including countertops, appliances, floors, and even kitchen towels. In our laboratory testing, we used it to clean glass and remove stains from carpets and cotton fabric samples. It can be diluted to remove minor spills and stains or concentrated for heavy messes. One reviewer raved, “I use this for nearly any cleaning circumstance, from cleaning my engine to cleaning my bathroom and kitchen.”

Cleaning the oven is one of the most annoying tasks in the house. We’d rather clean the bathroom thrice than deal with all the burned-on grease and grime. The GHI has done a lot of hard work to find the best oven cleaners to clean your oven faster. Several companies have cut back on the number of chemicals that could harm the environment in their products. This means that some of the cleaners we tested here could be better for your health and the environment. We’ve put each product’s green claims next to our review of how well it works, along with information about whether or not the packaging can be recycled. Learn More….

FAQ’s About Best Oven Cleaner