If you're a frequent baker, it is recommended that you run the self-cleaning option at least once every four months. If you're an avid user of your oven for general cooking, then it's recommended you run it once every year.
How often should you self-clean your oven? For most, a thorough self-clean every four to six months is plenty to keep your oven sparkling, says Carolyn Forte, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Appliances & Cleaning Products Lab.
Yes, you can leave the house while the oven is self-cleaning, but there are some precautions you should take: Ventilation: Ensure that the kitchen is well-ventilated. The self-cleaning process can produce smoke and odors due to the high temperatures involved.
Generally, the self-cleaning cycle can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. During this time, the oven will heat up to extremely high temperatures, typically around 900 degrees Fahrenheit, to burn off any food residue or grease.
Using the self-cleaning feature of a self-cleaning oven uses about 8 kWh of electricity. The process is smoky, so turn on your range hood fan and open your windows.
While the convenience of leaving the racks in might be tempting, the self-clean cycle involves intense heat that can lead to unintended consequences. Leaving the racks in during this process can result in warping, discoloration, and even potential damage to the oven's internal components.
"An oven with a pyrolytic cleaning function will make cleaning your oven easier," says CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair. "Since the majority of ovens have the grill inside the oven, if you grill and roast a lot of meats and vegetables then you should definitely consider an oven with this function."
Can I Stop My Self-Cleaning Oven Early? You can usually cancel your oven's self-clean cycle at any time, but you likely won't be able to access your oven right away. The cycle uses extremely high temperatures to clean, triggering the oven door to lock automatically. The door will unlock once the oven is cool enough.
You'll still have to wipe up any residue, drippings, and other “goodies” that are left over after the self-cleaning finishes. When you start your self-cleaning oven, it is going to get hot. Very hot! The goal is to create enough insulated heat to turn any grease, fat, and anything else that's been leftover into ash.
If your oven catches fire, the safety lock will make it impossible to open the oven until it completes its cleaning cycle. This means that the fire will be contained in the oven, and without oxygen, it will eventually burn out. Remember, do not try to put out an oven fire on your own.
It's largely safe for you and your home
One of the most important tests administered for high-heat self-cleaning cycles, he said, is making sure that the oven door locks once the interior temperature hits 600 °F.
“The self-cleaning mode heats your oven up to 900 degrees and incinerates everything in the oven,” explains San Angelo. “This includes on the glass—you may still need to wipe the glass after the self-cleaning cycle is done, but always make sure your oven is fully cooled.”
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide can significantly affect the air quality and health of those breathing in the gas. Safety tip: If you have a self-cleaning oven ensure that the windows are open during the process and keep a working carbon monoxide detector in your house.
When the cycle is finished, let the oven cool down. Then loosen dirt using a scrub brush or nylon scouring pad. Soak up any remaining water with a sponge or cloth and leave the door open to air-dry the oven. If you have a continuous cleaning oven, wipe up residue at least weekly.
Door is locked during the Self-Clean cycle
The oven will need to cool to approximately 200°F (95°C) before the door will open. Allow the oven to cool, for approximately 30-90 minutes, move the latch arm to the left to unlock the door.
Self-cleaning doesn't mean fully automated. For starters, you'll need to remove the racks and clean those by hand. Running the self-clean cycle with the racks in place can cause them to discolor and may remove the factory finish that helps them glide smoothly.
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First and foremost, don't leave your oven unattended during self-cleaning. You should plan to be in your home for the entire duration of the cleaning cycle to keep an eye on it and make sure everything is operating as planned. The next most important rules for oven self-cleaning involve ventilation.
Opting for a self-cleaning oven may save you time and elbow grease, but it won't save you money. The pyrolitic cycles also need a typical 1-hour cool-down period. This can amount to a long time running the appliance which should be factored in when looking to buy as the energy costs can stack up.
On Gas Ranges, you cannot use the cooktop burners while Self-Cleaning. On Electric Ranges: Burners on models manufactured 2015 and after will operate during Self-Clean. However, we strongly recommend waiting until after the cycle is complete to cook on the cooktop.
If you have a self-cleaning oven, we like the Easy-Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner, which is the rare chemical cleaners that can be safely used on self-cleaning ovens.
“The self-cleaning mode heats your oven up to 900 degrees and incinerates everything in the oven,” explains San Angelo. “This includes on the glass—you may still need to wipe the glass after the self-cleaning cycle is done, but always make sure your oven is fully cooled.”
Turning a unit off during self-clean is discouraged. Damage can occur if self-clean does not complete. If canceled or interrupted, the door stays locked until the unit cools to a safe temperature level. The amount of time it takes for the oven to cool to a safe level varies.