Of all the chores around the house that we dread most, tackling the oven is one of the worst. However, we've come across a clever hack that claims to make the job easier, you just need to learn how to clean an oven with a dishwasher table.
Yes, a dishwasher tablet could be the secret to you learning how to clean an oven in record time. Any method that makes oven cleaning less gross will no doubt make you inclined to do it more, and that is a good thing when it comes to the efficiency of the appliance.
Millie Slater from Bright & Beautiful, a company that brings together eco-friendly house cleaning services nationwide, tells us, ‘Making sure your oven is regularly maintained will not only improve performance but can even increase the lifecycle of your appliance.’
Millie also points out that a clean oven will make food taste better too, ‘The built-up grease and grime can be unhygienic, causing harsh smells to make your sweet treats taste like Wednesday night’s curry.’
How to clean an oven with a dishwasher tablet
We’re always on the hunt for cleaning tips that work, and figuring out that you can clean an oven with a dishwasher tablet is a game-changer. The reason dishwasher tablets tackle oven grime so well is because of how they’re formulated.
Millie from Bright & Beautiful explains, ‘Dishwasher tablets contain a combination of detergents, enzymes, and other cleaning agents that work together to remove grease, dirt, and baked-on food from your dishes, which is why they are perfect for cleaning your oven too.’
What you will need
- A soft bristle brush and pan set
- A damp cloth, we like Marigold extra thick micro-fibre cloths from Amazon
- Rubber Gloves
- Powder dishwasher tablets (Finish Power All In One dishwasher tablets x80, Amazon, £10)
- Sponge
- Crevice brush (3 Pack Crevice Cleaning Brush, KULSUM at Amazon, £4.99)
- A washing basin filled with warm water
Step-by-step
1. Cool and empty oven
Before you clean an oven using any technique, it must be cool. Natasha Sweet, a product specialist at AEG, explains, ‘It’s important to ensure your oven is turned off and has cooled down from previous use and you will need to remove the oven trays and shelves.’
She also says, ‘Don’t forget to remove the shelf support, each oven will be different so be sure to check your manual but usually you should be able to lift the shelf support up to release it from the catch and carefully remove before placing to one side.’
2. Initial clean up
Before attempting to clean an oven with a dishwasher tablet, you’ll need to get rid of any loose dirt and crumbs on the surface of the oven. Millie suggests, ‘gently brushing away any debris and wiping over the interior with a damp cloth.’
Try using a soft bristle brush and pan first and then a crevice brush to get right into those hard-to-reach nooks before wiping it all away with your cloth.
3. Make a paste
The dishwasher tablet hack works best when you come at it with a two-pronged solution. For the interior of the oven, Millie suggests you ‘mix together a dishwasher tablet with a little warm water to form a paste.’ You may need two tablets if you have a large oven. Then, keep a dishwasher tablet to the side that hasn’t been dissolved in water that can be used to clean the glass door (more on that later).
3. Application time
Now it’s time to set the paste to work. Millie says you should ‘use a sponge to coat your oven with the solution, making sure to layer up in places that need extra attention.’ You then simply leave the solution on to soak, and Millie suggests you use the time to tackle your other kitchen chores, ‘This is a great opportunity to target some other areas in your kitchen, like giving the surfaces a wipe, emptying the dishwasher, and cleaning your tap.’
You could also tackle the glass oven door at this point with the tablet you’ve left to the side. Simply splash a little water on the top of the tablet to moisten it very slightly, and then use the rough texture in circular motions on the glass to lift baked-on dirt, keep going until it’s all loosened and then wipe clean with a cloth.
We must note that there is some controversy over whether using a dishwasher tablet on a glass oven door is safe, as it could scratch the surface. Our advice would be to test it in a small corner first and to go very gently if you want to use this method for how to clean a glass oven door.
4. Remove the paste
After around 30 minutes, you can begin to remove the paste and the baked on food with it. Millie suggests you, ‘take a scrubbing brush or rough sponge and gently scrub with circular motions, rinse the sponge or brush frequently to remove excess dirt.’ Then repeat until your oven is sparkling clean.
FAQs
How do you clean oven racks with foil and a dishwasher tablet?
This method for how to clean oven racks with minimal effort has taken Instagram and TikTok by storm. To try it, simply wrap your oven racks in tinfoil and place them on a towel in the bath. Add enough water to just about submerge the racks and then add two dishwasher tablets to the water.
Leave to soak for a few hours and then unwrap the racks and rinse off. It’s said that the dishwasher tablets have a chemical reaction to the tinfoil making the grease melt off.
What is the dishwasher tablet hack?
Because we’re always looking for quicker, more effective ways to tackle chores, hacks to help around the home reign supreme and the dishwasher tablet one really couldn’t be easier. It’s all down to the ingredients of the tablets, ‘Using dishwasher tablets to clean an oven is a game-changer. The powerful formula within the tablets helps break down grease and grime, making it easier to remove the toughest stains,’ says Zimbini Nkonjera, cooking category manager at Hotpoint. So next time you need to clean your oven, give it a go.
Will you be testing out this hack to blitz your oven clean?
