callmesuz
Premium
join:2000-07-27
| Self Cleaning Ovens
Do you use it? I've had one for almost 5 years, used it once. The cleaning feature. It was almost brand new. Was it a coincidence my range hood quit working the only time I used it? Also almost brand new. And it smelled so bad. We had one when I was a kid and it was used all the time. I'm kinda scared of it, the fact it gets to 800 degrees, the self locking thing. I've read it can mess up your cupboards on either side. Needless to say oven looks gross. I'd like to use it again or should I just get out the old Easy Off? |
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Hiker 2
Zeus
Premium
join:2002-10-27
Lebanon, NJ
| Nope to using it. I've read, from some very proficient chefs that, the high heat can and often does create small fine cracks in the porcelain or whatever the material is lining the oven interior.
I scrub manually...
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"The braggart's pompous tongue Is hated most by Zeus And seeing them advance superb In clank of gold, he struck their first Man down with fire before he yelled Triumph from the walls" - Antigone. |
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SmokChsr
Who let the magic smoke out?
Premium
join:2006-03-17
Saint Augustine, FL
| reply to callmesuz
Not to mention that if you haven't used it in a long time and you have too much gunk built up inside, it can catch on fire. On the bright side the fire normally is contained to the oven, but it still makes a mess. The locking feature will frustrate the FD when they arrive, and if it's a inexperianced crew they may destroy your oven to get in rather than ventilate and wait it out. (a little CO2 down the vent stack will take care of the fire) |
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dandelion
Premium,MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN
clubs:
 ·Comcast
1 edit | reply to callmesuz
I tried once and it didn't seem to clean at all yet the oven got very hot and it took forever to finish.....wound up buying the easy off for self cleaning ovens.
PS SmokChsr  that sounds like a very bad day! |
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robbin
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
| reply to callmesuz
I definitely use the feature. I have a number of rental properties and I always run the oven through the cleaning cycle when prepping for rental. Does a great job -- just a little ash to wipe up. You still have to clean around the edges of the oven and oven door. Also, do not leave the racks in -- it does mess up the finish on them. I should add that just because I mentioned rental properties you should think that these are cheap ranges -- I usually spend around $600 - 700 when buying -- nothing really fancy but definitely not the cheapest. I haven't noticed any problems developing from using the cycle. My oldest range is probably about 25 years old and still looks like new. |
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Waldothe3rd
Premium
join:2009-02-16
Sun N Sand | reply to callmesuz
Not only do I use mine constantly, but I just read an article that some folks put their BBQ Grill in there as well when cleaning! Gonna try that next... |
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walta
join:2001-05-22
Saint Louis, MO | reply to callmesuz
They do smell bad the first few times you use them but they do work well.
Walta |
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SmokChsr
Who let the magic smoke out?
Premium
join:2006-03-17
Saint Augustine, FL
| I've never used one myself, I just showed up when others used them and ended up calling the Fire Department. and no I didn't ever destroy the oven. The fun ones are when someone leaves a pan of something in the oven and then put's it into self clean. |
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garys_2k
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI | reply to callmesuz
We use ours a few times each year, never had an issue. The ash wipes up with a damp sponge. I put the stove-top under-element "dishes" inside, flipped upside down on the racks, when I run it. Cleans them up, too. |
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mityfowl
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX
| reply to SmokChsr
said by SmokChsr :I've never used one myself, I just showed up when others used them and ended up calling the Fire Department. and no I didn't ever destroy the oven. The fun ones are when someone leaves a pan of something in the oven and then put's it into self clean. I can't imagine cleaning an oven anymore. I've used self cleaning ovens without 1 issue ever for over 25 years.
If people are dumb enough to leave something in a self cleaning over during the clean cycle than they deserve what ever happens. But that goes for a lot of things.  |
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nonymous
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ
| reply to SmokChsr
said by SmokChsr :Not to mention that if you haven't used it in a long time and you have too much gunk built up inside, it can catch on fire. On the bright side the fire normally is contained to the oven, but it still makes a mess. The locking feature will frustrate the FD when they arrive, and if it's a inexperianced crew they may destroy your oven to get in rather than ventilate and wait it out. (a little CO2 down the vent stack will take care of the fire) I had a little fire in a self cleaning oven. Just a little one. Thing is first instinct was to open and put it out. Yet self locking stopped that. With the heat in the oven and small fire I think it is best my first instinct was stopped by self locked. Just turned it off and fire since very small went out on own.
Opening it may have added extra air to small fire and the build up of heat let out probably would not have been good.
So now I make sure to clean up any small piles of stuff before self cleaning. No easy off either. Just water and a paper towel.
I'll have to remember the vent trick if I ever need that. I know it is there just did not think of it. Fire was little anyways. |
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Mce Saint
join:2007-10-03
Saint Louis, MO | reply to callmesuz
Yep, we use it. About once or twice a year (we don't use the oven often except around holidays to bake and the occasional frozen pizza, etc.). Never had an issue. |
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averagedude
join:2002-01-30
Mesa, AZ
·Cox HSI
| reply to walta
2nd using self cleaning feature.
Never had any issues.
We typically run the self cleaning feature in the winter so the extra heat can warm the house while the windows are open. No since in heating the house so the AC has to work to cool it down. |
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Boricua65
join:2002-01-26
Puerto Rico
| said by averagedude :2nd using self cleaning feature. Never had any issues. We typically run the self cleaning feature in the winter so the extra heat can warm the house while the windows are open. No since in heating the house so the AC has to work to cool it down. I did that very thing last year. Didn't have to turn on the heater for a while. I'm planning on running the self-cleaning this month or next month (it being the 2nd time). Even though it left a little last time, no fires and no problems. It did a pretty good job and all I had to do it use a damp rag to clean the rest  .
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Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian. Robert Orben
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mityfowl
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX
| said by Boricua65 :said by averagedude :2nd using self cleaning feature. Never had any issues. We typically run the self cleaning feature in the winter so the extra heat can warm the house while the windows are open. No since in heating the house so the AC has to work to cool it down. I did that very thing last year. Didn't have to turn on the heater for a while. I'm planning on running the self-cleaning this month or next month (it being the 2nd time). Even though it left a little last time, no fires and no problems. It did a pretty good job and all I had to do it use a damp rag to clean the rest . Done correctly all you should have is some ash. If you have more than just ash you haven't ran the over in clean cycle long enough. |
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zen1
@optonline.net | reply to callmesuz
self cleaning ovens are designed to be cleaned using the self cleaning feature, if you use oven cleaner, you could wind up with a rusted oven!!. |
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Jon
Premium
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL
| reply to averagedude
said by averagedude :2nd using self cleaning feature. Never had any issues. 3rd
We've used it a few times and it works awesome. No problems. |
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dolphins
Miami Dolphins
Premium
join:2001-08-22
Westville, NJ | reply to callmesuz
I've used this feature once after a spill. The only problem I had was not opening windows and disabling smoke/carbon monoxide detectors first.
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Prevent Malware |
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jabarnut
Light Years Away
Premium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
| reply to callmesuz
I think the key to using a self cleaning oven is to get the bulk of any major spilled crap out of the oven first.
That is, if there's a large amount of junk on the floor of the oven or elsewhere...and sugar (such as Pie filling, for example, that spilled on the floor of the oven), can be especially messy, and get baked on permanently if you don't get the bulk of it off first.
The owners manual will also tell you this, and where to clean in preparation for a self cleaning cycle. (Such as outside the door gaskets, etc).
Once you follow the instructions exactly, as far as I'm concerned there's nothing like it.
Once the cleaning cycle is done, the thing looks brand spanking new again inside.
I should also note that you may want to take the racks out first and clean them by hand.....I used to leave them in during the cleaning cycle with my last self cleaning oven, and while they do get nice and "clean", they also lose some of the nice chrome shine they once had.
Bottom line again, is read the owners manual, and follow the instructions explicitly....if you do, you'll love the results.
By the way, if you "scrub manually" instead, as some others have suggested (especially with some of the older cleaning agents from way back before self cleaning ovens even existed) , you may ruin the nice shiny finish inside on the oven porcelain.
Personally, I love the self cleaning feature.
I may even go do it now...not just because it's actually long over due, but also because it doesn't take much to get me excited.
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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ovenman
@rr.com | reply to callmesuz
3rd for self cleaning, and ive never taken out the racks, I've actually added the racks for the burners inside too. Never had a problem. |
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