Clean Start

Cooking is an activity that brings many benefits. It is demanding so it can take our minds off problems, it’s intricate so we can test our skills and last but definitely not least – it brings the family together over delicious meals.

Many mouthwatering recipes require the use of the oven. In it we can bake the Thanksgiving turkey, a juicy pizza, a sweet cake and many other gourmet dishes. There is, however, one major setback – the collection of grease on the oven door glass…

So after the meals have been cooked and eaten comes the hard part – cleaning…

If you are fortunate enough to have a self-cleaning oven, do not think even for a second that you will be spared of this task – when it comes to grease on the glass, the self-cleaning process can only do so much. If you don’t want your next meals to taste weird (which will happen if you leave the grease there), you will have to clean it by hand.

Not to mention that the build-up of grease covers the glass and limits its visibility. Therefore, you can mess up some pretty tasty recipes because you couldn’t tell if the meal was ready or not.

The cleaning process does not have to involve expensive cleaning solutions, that don’t even work all that well. You can clean the glass spotless very easily, with things you certainly already have at home.

Step No. 1: Make sure the oven is turned off and cool.

Step No. 2: Open the door and position it horizontally.

Step No. 3: There are usually two or more vents located on the top of the door. Cover them with plastic or rags as if water or cleaning solution finds its way inside, you might make the glass permanently cloudy. That happens because these vents serve to introduce air into the oven when you turn it on. The water or cleaning solution may position itself between the two glass panes that comprise the door and when the heat goes up – diffuse into the air and get stuck to the glass.

Step No. 4: Grab a bowl and put 307g (1cup) of baking soda and 120ml (1/2cup) of water in it. Stir this mixture until it becomes a thick paste. The idea is that it doesn’t have to run, so add more baking soda or water as needed.

Step No. 5: Take a soft cloth and a bowl of hot water and soak the cloth in the water. Make sure it is very wringed dry and then use it to clean the glass off any superficial dirt.

Step No. 6: Using rubber gloves, apply the soda-water paste evenly across the glass. Then scrub it in with your fingers using circular motions. If there are spots where more grease has set, use a soft moist cloth and larger quantities of the paste.

Step No. 7: Leave the paste on the glass for about 15 minutes.

Step No. 8: Clean the paste with a soft wet cloth and remember to clean it from built-up paste periodically.

Step No. 9: Take a dry clean cloth and use it to dry the glass.

Step No. 10: Take a clean spray bottle and fill it with distilled vinegar. Set the bottle to spray in a narrow pattern.

Step No. 11: Spray the entire glass with the vinegar evenly and allow it to set for about 15 minutes.

Step No. 12: Using a damp soft sponge, clean the vinegar off the glass.

Step No. 13: Use a paper towel to clean any residual water and voila – your glass is clean!

So without taking too much of your time, or budget, this method is sure to leave your oven spotless and ready for preparing the next dinner.

Rita Rova writes money saving articles on behalf of Oz-Coupons.com; the Australian coupon code website that helps you save money by listing the latest discounts for top Australian store