Cleaning an Oven with Vinegar (A Step-by-Step Approach)

5 simple steps to steam clean your oven with vinegar

By on 26th November 2020 (updated: 21st June 2024) in Blog

Vinegar for oven cleaning

Can You Clean an Oven with Vinegar?

Cleaning your oven with vinegar is not only cost-effective, but it’s also a natural and simple solution to removing any stubborn dirt that you can easily do among other household chores. As the UK’s largest oven cleaning franchise, we know that there are plenty of oven cleaners out there, but sadly, not all are eco-friendly, and many contain highly corrosive chemicals that you may not want to use around pets or children.

The vinegar steaming method is a great way of removing day-to-day dirt and grime, but it is no substitute for a professional Ovenu clean. Our vinegar oven cleaning methods below can be used to maintain your oven between deep cleans from our Oven team, without the need for harsh chemicals or elbow grease.

Related: cleaning your oven with baking soda 

5 Steps to Steam Clean Your Oven With Vinegar:

There are several ways you can clean your oven, but one of our favourites (because it’s just so easy) is to do a DIY vinegar steam clean at home. This method allows you to simply add ingredients, and let them do the magic for you!

You’ll need:

1 Oven-safe bowl or pot
3/4 Cup of water (180ml)
Half a cup of vinegar (120 ml)
2 tbsp of baking soda
A kitchen sponge

Step 5 mixture – if needed:

  • Half a cup of vinegar (120 ml)
  • 2 tbsp of baking soda
  • 150ml of water
  • A kitchen sponge
  1. Remove everything from your oven except one oven rack, placed on the lowest shelf before preheating the oven to its highest temperature.
  2. Create the oven cleaning vinegar mixture by filling half of the oven-proof bowl with water and half a cup of vinegar.
  3. Place the pot in your oven and leave for 20-60 minutes, allowing the steam to rise and grease and dirt to be removed from the oven walls, floor, and ceiling.
  4. Turn off your oven and allow it to cool before wiping your oven clean with a dry cloth.
  5. For leftover stains that won’t budge: Make a cleaning paste with 120ml of vinegar, 2 tbsp of baking soda and 150ml of water, add some to a kitchen sponge, using the sponge to wipe, rinse and repeat until these spots are clean.

*Remember not to leave any traces of baking soda residue, as this can damage your oven once hot!*

We also recommend leaving your oven rack and trays in a cleaning bag overnight for that good-as-new feel. You can read our guide on How Oven Cleaning Bags Work here.

Using Apple Cider Vinegar to Clean your Oven

Another great, natural alternative to cleaning your oven is using apple cider vinegar and sugar. This method is super easy because you’ll find most ingredients in your pantry or at your local corner shop!

You’ll need:

  • 1 cup (235ml) of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp of sugar (caster or granulated is fine)
  • A microfibre cloth
  1. Ensure your oven is warm – but not hot.
  2. Mix apple cider vinegar with sugar – this solution will naturally help soften any dirt and grime within your oven.
  3. Let the mixture sit in your oven trays for between 1-2 hours, depending on how dirty your oven is.
  4. Wipe your oven clean of all excess dirt and grease with a damp microfibre cloth. If dirt remains, spray your oven with more apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 30 minutes before wiping it away.

For a detailed look at ALL of our recommended at-home oven cleaning methods, see our ultimate guide on how to clean your oven.

How to clean a fan assisted Oven with baking soda and water

You’ll need:

  • 130g of baking soda
  • 3 tbsp of water (45ml)
  1. Wipe your fan-assisted oven with a clean paper towel, ensuring all excess dirty grease and grime is removed.
  2. Mix 130g of baking soda with 3 tablespoons of water (45ml) to form a cleaning paste before applying it inside and outside of your fan-assisted oven.
  3. After the cleaning paste has been left for 1-2 hours to break down burnt grease and baked dirt, you can spray it with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water to cause it to foam.
  4. Wipe excess paste and dirt with a damp microfibre cloth and repeat as necessary.
  5. Dry your fan-assisted oven with a paper towel before buffing your oven with a dry microfibre cloth.

The best way to clean your oven glass with baking soda and vinegar

Oven door glass can withstand high temperatures and allow us to check on our delicious food, but it can get dirty and foggy over time. Wondering how to make it sparkly clean? Luckily we’ve collected the best ways to clean oven glass here.

You’ll need:

  • Cleaning gloves
  • 1 cup of baking soda
  • 1 tsp of vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • A microfibre cloth
  • A kitchen sponge
  1. In a glass bowl, mix the water, baking soda and vinegar until you have a spreadable paste.
  2. With safe cleaning gloves, carefully rub the cleaning solution on the inside of your glass oven door.
  3. Turn your oven to 100 degrees and allow it to heat for 45 minutes.
  4. Gently scrub and wipe any remaining pieces with a kitchen sponge.
  5. Thoroughly wipe all the loose dirt grime with a damp microfibre cloth.

If you have a significant build-up of dirt and grease inside your oven or on your shelves and trays, then you may need to repeat the steaming and soaking process several times. Although there is an alternative…

Our eco-friendly products and specialist technicians understand everything needed to get your oven looking new again, all with the minimum amount of mess and fuss. So don’t delay, get in touch today and let your local oven cleaning service company take care of everything.

owner of ovenu

Rik Hellewell is the Founder & Managing Director of Ovenu and a member of the Approved Franchise Association. He established Ovenu in 1993, cleaning 4,000 ovens and proving his concept over five years before starting the franchise business. Since then he has helped over 200 franchisees achieve their dreams of running successful businesses of their own. Established for over 25 years, the Ovenu concept has proven successful across the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the USA.