How to make it
- 1Make a spreadable paste
Mix baking soda and water in a bowl, adding water a tablespoon at a time until you have a thick paste that holds its shape but spreads easily — like soft butter. Add dish soap here if your oven has heavy grease build-up.
- 2Remove racks and spread paste inside the oven
Take out the oven racks. Using gloved hands or a spatula, spread the baking soda paste over all interior oven surfaces — sides, bottom, and door interior. Avoid the heating elements. The paste will turn brownish as it contacts baked-on grease — that is normal.
- 3Leave overnight — minimum 8 hours
Close the oven door and leave the paste to work for at least 8 hours. Overnight is ideal. The longer it sits, the more grease it breaks down and the easier the morning wipe-off will be.
- 4Spray generously with white vinegar
In the morning, spray white vinegar all over the dried baking soda paste inside the oven. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and creates a foaming action — this lifts the grease that the paste has loosened. Let it foam for 5 minutes.
- 5Wipe clean with a damp cloth
Wipe down all surfaces with a damp cloth, rinsing frequently. For stubborn spots, use a plastic scraper or old toothbrush. Rinse with a clean damp cloth until no white residue remains. Clean the racks separately in the sink with dish soap.
The effectiveness of this method is almost entirely about time. A baking soda paste left for only 30 minutes barely makes a dent. Left for 8+ hours, it softens even months of baked-on grease to the point where it wipes off without scrubbing. The chemistry is slow but the result is a clean oven achieved with almost no physical effort.
Surfaces guide
- Add 2 tbsp hydrogen peroxide (3%) to the paste for extra grease-cutting power on very dirty ovens
- Mix in a few drops of lemon essential oil for a fresher scent during and after cleaning
- For the oven racks: soak overnight in a bathtub with hot water, dish soap, and ½ cup baking soda — wipe clean in the morning
- For the oven door glass: apply paste to the glass only, leave 2 hours (not overnight), and scrub gently with a non-scratch pad