From Thanksgiving dinner to those essential breakfast muffins, you put your oven to good use throughout the year. Unfortunately, while you might wipe down the stovetop and counters every evening, you probably don’t spend nearly as much time cleaning this appliance. If you’re hoping to take better care of this tool and prevent the need for oven repairs, use these do’s and don’ts to your advantage.

Do:

Clean up spills quickly.

Whether tomato sauce spills out of your lasagna or your sweet potatoes start leaking sugar, it’s crucial to clean up spills in your oven immediately after they happen. While you’ll want it to cool down a bit, so you don’t get hurt, wipe them up before they have time to harden. Sugar and batter, especially, will crystallize on the base of the appliance, leading to smoke and a burnt smell during future cooking sessions. For an all-over clean, use the oven’s self-cleaning setting at least twice a year.

Cover the dish.

To prevent burnt-on messes in the first place, cover your dishes with aluminum foil when cooking. In addition to preventing leakage, this will also help the inside of thick dishes, like cakes and casseroles, cook faster and more evenly. If you’re roasting something, such as a chicken, you can wrap the dish in an oven bag, which is made of food-grade polyester and nylon. This still allows heat to enter the bag and brown the skin—without grease seeping out. 

Don’t:

Line the bottom with foil. 

To avoid wiping up drips and spills, some home bakers opt to line the bottom of the appliance with a sheet of foil, which can be thrown out when the cooking is done. However, this technique blocks crucial vents,  prohibiting the flow of heat and possibly damaging your oven’s heating elements. In some cases, foil can even melt and stick to the appliance, causing permanent damage. To avoid the need for oven repairs, avoid this quick fix and be diligent about your cleaning habits instead.

Use the wrong cleaning supplies.

If your oven is coated with grease and grime, the self-cleaning feature could easily stink up your house, using extreme heat to burn off the thick mess. On the other hand, harsh cleaning chemicals with ingredients like bleach and ammonia can damage your oven and cause a fire hazard in combination with the appliance’s internal heating elements. Instead, mix up a combination of baking soda and water and use a sponge to scrub away stubborn messes—without endangering your home or guests. 

If you’ve made any of these mistakes and need professional oven repairs, get in touch with Complete Appliance Service. They are proud to help homeowners throughout northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati, OH, area, whether they encounter issues with their ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, or other appliances. Since 1980, they’ve been building a glowing reputation, which is echoed in their A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau^®. To learn more about their services, visit their website, and call (513) 661-3708 to schedule oven repairs today.