This Non-Toxic DIY Cleaner Is the Answer to Your Oven Cleaning Woes

Be honest: When was the last time you cleaned your oven? If it’s been too long to remember, we can relate — and we’ve got you covered. Food photographer and recipe author Ashley McCrary, known on social media as Healthy Little Peach, just shared an ingenious oven-cleaning hack that works on even the dirtiest ovens. “I’m not ashamed to admit…..I clean my oven once a year,” McCrary shared on Instagram. “So when I clean it, I have to put in the work because it’s nasty, y’all!” 

The good news is, her homemade oven cleaner includes ingredients you probably already have on hand — and together, they form a powerhouse mixture that’s bound to refresh even the grossest ovens. Dawn dish soap fights grease, baking soda tackles burnt-on food, and white vinegar dissolves dirt and grime (and even staves off germs).

Here’s how to do it: Grab a bowl, and combine 1/2 cup Dawn dish soap, 1 1/2 cups baking soda, and 3/4 cup vinegar. You’ll see a reaction when you add the vinegar, so McCrary suggests letting it sit for a few minutes to allow the foam to go down. Take out your oven racks, coat the entire inside of your oven in the mixture, and let it sit for three hours or so. Then, scrub it down with your favorite sponge (you may need a little elbow grease, McCrary says, depending on how dirty your oven was to begin with). Finally, wipe down your oven with a damp rag and remove residue with a paper towel or dry microfiber cloth.