Cleaning Tips for Your Home Oven and BBQ
No one usually relishes any home cleaning job, but there are a few appliances that are particularly worrisome for us when it comes to facing the cleaning task. Two such appliances are the oven and the BBQ grill. How many times have we closed the oven door or the BBQ lid and said to ourselves, “I’ll get to that later” only then to leave it for months on end.
Why don’t we just get to it? Or if not, just hire professional BBQ and oven cleaners in Melbourne, or wherever we live? The main thing stopping us is how much we dread the difficulty and drudgery of the job, right? Well, here are a few tips that will hopefully make the task easier in future:
Tip 1: Fire Up the BBQ Before Cleaning
Don’t worry, we aren’t about to suggest that you attempt cleaning the BBQ while it’s burning away. But firing it up and leaving it on high for about 15 minutes is a good way to burn off any remaining food bits that are there, after which you can just scrape away using a stainless-steel brush made for grills --- once it’s cool to the touch again, of course.
Tip 2: Soak the Scraped Grates and Plates
Once you’ve scraped the worst off, you can soak the grates in hot, soapy water for a few minutes, all of which makes them much easier to simply scrub clean with a brush. If it has been quite a while since the last cleaning, you might need to employ an extra-strength stain remover or cleaning agent to help with those stubborn spots. The more frequently you do it, however, the easier it will be to do.
Tip 3: Get Vented Covers
When you’re not using the BBQ, ensure it’s closed up to prevent moisture buildup and other issues that will force you to clean it even when you haven’t been using it. Vented covers are best because they allow moisture to escape, thus you’ll keep the BBQ clean and dry for longer.
Tip 4: Vacuum the Oven First
For the BBQ we suggested burning off stuck-on food, but the best way to prep your oven is with your vacuum cleaner. You likely use your oven far more frequently than the BBQ, so there’s a lot more residue, food dust and carbon bits and crumbs in there. Vacuuming them out before you start on the cleaning job is a good idea to ensure your cleaning tools don’t get all gunked up with dry easily-removed food waste.
Tip 5: Weapons of Choice for the Oven? Baking Soda and Vinegar
This tip is great for those who are worried about using harsh chemicals to clean their ovens. Vinegar and baking soda is a cheap and effective way to get the job done. Mix a half-cup of baking soda with water to create a paste, which you then spread on your dirty oven walls, including the glass oven door.
Leave the paste on there for at least a couple of hours --- or overnight if you want --- then mix white vinegar and water 50:50 in a spray bottle and apply to the areas where baking soda was placed. It should start to foam when you do, and that foaming action is an incredible way to remove stubborn food stains.
Tip 6: Use a Toothbrush!
Finally, if you have a spare toothbrush or at least one you no longer need, it can become one of the best weapons in your oven-cleaning arsenal. The small brush head is ideal for getting into the tight corners of your oven that a scouring pad or other cleaning tool might miss as you get in there to clean it up. Dip the toothbrush in your chosen cleaning solution and see the embedded dirt in those tight corners start to disappear!
