7 Things You Should Never Do With Your Oven

7 Things You Should Never Do With Your Oven

The oven is an indispensable home cooking appliance that you no doubt believe you have mastered. But is this truly the case? You might unknowingly be committing a few errors that could be affecting how well it functions. So, what are they?

Letting Food Debris Accumulate

Do not let bits of food from cooking collect on the bottom of the oven as the weeks go by. Wipe the surface clean as spills and crumbs occur because food debris can cause smoke and unpleasant odours when exposed to the heat of the oven. It might even catch fire! If this happens, don’t open the oven door, but simply wait for the material to burn itself out.  

Not Removing the Nobs When Cleaning

Oven nobs are right where the action is, so it is easy for them to get splashed with food and grease. You might end up wiping them down every day. It’s a little naïve, though, to think they can be thoroughly cleaned while still attached! In fact, all that dirt build-up underneath might eventually damage them. Remove them and leave them to soak in warm water with a few millilitres of vinegar. 

Spraying Cleaner Directly on the Nobs

As previously stated, for the best results, you must remove the oven knobs when you clean. This is not only for reasons of efficiency. In fact, when spraying a cleaning product on the oven’s outer surfaces, avoid the knobs as mush as possible as they are connected to the appliance’s electrical circuits. 

Protecting the Oven Floor With Aluminum Foil

Many people are tempted to line their oven’s floor with aluminum foil to protect it from falling food or spills. A definite faux pas! Over time, temperature fluctuations could scorch the sheet (unless you change it out regularly). Moreover, this is not considered good practice when it comes to cooking: aluminum reflects light and can impact your oven’s internal temperature when it is on and lead to errors when determining doneness.

Self-Cleaning With the Windows Closed

An oven’s self-cleaning function is a great time saver. When activated, the appliance heats up to extremely high temperature to carbonize any grease and dirt that has accumulated on its inner walls, making them easy to remove afterwards (with a damp cloth or vacuum). The issue, though, is that this operation—which can last close to 4 hours—generates strong smells that permeate the entire house and sometimes a little smoke. This is not dangerous; however, it is recommended that you open the windows to air out the house during the cleaning cycle. 

Forgetting to Rinse

With your trusty sponge and cleaner, you have scrubbed your oven’s interior surfaces until they shine. But before you move on to the following chore, finish the job by wiping its walls down with a clean damp cloth to remove any chemical residue. After all, this where you will be cooking your next meal! 

Placing a Baking Sheet Directly on the Heating Element

Never obstruct your oven’s heating element. Some people place a baking sheet directly on the element, but it heats up to too high a temperature for anything to be left on top of it. You could damage your appliance or cause an injury. 

So, are you taking as proper care of your oven as you thought?

RE/MAX Québec

By RE/MAX Québec

By RE/MAX Québec

A leader in the real estate industry since 1982, the RE/MAX network brings together the most efficient brokers.