Cleaning a heavily soiled oven is one of the most dreaded household chores. Fortunately, as a cleaning expert with years of experience testing natural methods, I've found a simple, 100% natural trick that degreases it completely overnight—while you sleep. Even for ovens caked in grease, this no-effort approach restores them to like-new condition using just a baking dish and white vinegar. Here's how it works.
1. Preheat your oven to 80°C (176°F).
2. While heating, boil water in a pot on the stove.
3. Once at 80°C, turn off the oven.
4. Place the baking dish on the top rack.
5. Fill the dish with white vinegar.
6. Place the pot of boiling water on the bottom rack.
7. Close the oven door.
8. Leave it overnight.
9. The next morning, remove the dish (don't empty it yet), pot, and racks.
10. Leave the oven door open for a few minutes to vent vinegar vapors.
11. Add a squirt of dish soap to the vinegar in the dish.
12. Wear gloves, dip the sponge in the mixture.
13. Wipe the oven walls.
14. Rinse and dry.
Your oven is now spotless! This method is easy, fast, and highly effective—with zero scrubbing required. Grime and grease dissolve overnight naturally, without harsh chemicals like Decap'Four. Plus, it avoids energy-hungry pyrolysis cycles, making it eco-friendly and cost-saving.
The steam from boiling water and acidic vapors from vinegar create a powerful combo in the sealed oven. They soften baked-on grease and dirt overnight. Vinegar's acetic acid breaks down fats effortlessly, so a light wipe removes everything—no elbow grease needed.
For faster results, boil water with vinegar in a kettle first, then pour into the pot—vinegar-infused steam accelerates degreasing and descales your kettle too.
This trick also works great for microwaves.
Lemon juice is an excellent vinegar alternative—its citric acid performs similarly.
For extreme buildup, ammonia can substitute, but I recommend sticking to natural options for safety and health.
