Oven Maintenance Tips

Do you like roasting and baking a lot? If so, the oven is an important appliance in your kitchen and you likely use it every day.

Prolong your oven’s life, minimize risk of fires and avoid repairs by following these simple maintenance tips:

Unplug the oven before cleaning the interior by hand. Unplug the oven if you are going to clean it from inside using water. It is necessary safety measure to eliminate a risk of electrocution.
Clean your oven regularly. Did you know that oven works better when it is well cleaned? If the oven is full of grease, oil and crumbs, it will take much longer to heat.
Clean the oven by removing spills and drips as soon as possible after each use because they will smoke and may catch on fire.
Deep clean your oven once a month to prevent dirt build up.
Take a box of baking soda and mix it with water to make a paste. Then, spread the paste inside of your oven and let it set at least six hours. Get a sponge, damp it and scrub, scrub, scrub. Also, you can place a bowl of water in the oven for 20 minutes and heat on a high power to remove dirt and grease easier.
Do not remove burner knobs to clean beneath them because you are essentially moistening an electrical system, which could cause it to short circuit or electrocute you.
Use a light-duty cleaner to clean surfaces which have lettering to prevent its fading
Follow the user manual to operate a cleaning program for self-cleaning oven correctly. After the self-cleaning cycle, let the oven cool for at least six hours before wiping it down.
Keep clean the front panel, window, and outer door glass. It prevents spills from staining the panel or glass when oven heats up.
Remove oven racks to clean them separately in the sink. Let them soak in soapy water for 10 minutes. Then, using regular kitchen sponges, scrub the racks.
Clean the exterior of your oven every week.

In addition to cleaning, follow these tips for your oven to operate properly:

Avoid leaving heavy items on the door

It may cause the door to wear out more quickly.

Check the seal on your oven

The seal is designed to prevent loss of hot air when the oven is on. Place the dollar bill part way across the seal and close the door. If the bill slides out easily, the oven is not sealing properly. Get it replaced by a professional.

Replace the light bulb

Check your oven’s manual to find out what bulb you need to buy. Usually it is a universal 40-watt appliance bulb. Let the oven cool completely and unplug it. Remove a glass covering or dome to reach the bulb. Screw in the new bulb.

Check temperature accuracy to ensure efficient cook times

Use an oven thermometer to ensure the cabinet is as hot as the readout says it is. To test your oven without a thermometer, heat it to 350° (177° C), and wait for it to come to temperature. Form two little pans out of the aluminum foil. Place a small amount of granulated sugar in each one. Bake the first pan for 15 minutes, then take it out. Raise the oven temperature to 375° (190° C) and bake the second pan for 15 minutes as well. If your oven is at the right temperature, the first sugar sample will be white, and the second one will be golden brown and melty. It happens because of the caramelization process that begins above 356° (180° C), and sugar begins melting at 367° (186° C). So, if both are white, your oven is heating to a lower temperature. If both are caramelized, the temperature is higher than it was set.

Replace the gas line when buying a new gas oven

The movement from switching ovens creates a lot of vibration, which could cause leaks in the gas lines.

Using these maintenance tips, your oven will perform efficiently for years to come.

If any problem with your oven occurs, check the oven warranty to find out if the issue is covered. In case the oven is not under the warranty, you are welcome to call us and schedule an appointment with our professional technician. He will do his best to fix your appliance as soon as possible.