Things You Should Never Do with Oven Cleaner
Your oven is bound to build up some grime over time. An oven cleaner can be a great solution to cleaning grates, reviving baking sheets and even scrubbing white porcelain tubs. However, an oven cleaner should be handled with care since it is a harsh solution. Here are a few precautions you should take when handling oven cleaner.
- Don’t use it on a self-cleaning oven. The oven cleaner could corrode the oven’s special enamel coating. If you have a self-cleaning oven, check the product manual to find out which products are safe to clean with.
- Avoid some parts inside the oven. Take caution to avoid certain oven parts while using oven cleaner. The heating elements on the top or bottom of the unit and gaskets should be off limits. The cleaner could cause them to degrade and lose their airtight seal.
- Don’t use it without protection. Oven cleaner eats through tough build-up in your oven and can damage sensitive areas on your body like your skin. Wear rubber gloves to prevent the harsh chemicals in cleaners. It’s also wise to consider wearing goggles or another form of eye protection.
- Don’t use it without ventilation. Oven cleaner is irritating to the respiratory tract. This could cause issues if it’s inhaled. Turn on the vent hood in your kitchen and open windows to circle the air when exposed to fumes.
- Don’t expose others. Take precautions to not use the product around those who have asthma or other respiratory issues. These fumes can be especially dangerous to pets, especially birds. Be sure to always keep the oven cleaner somewhere safe where children cannot reach it.
Source: the Kitchn