10 Surprising Things You Can Clean with a Can of Oven Cleaner
We have our own method for (easily) cleaning the inside of your oven. And yet, we still think everyone should have a can of oven cleaner on hand. Because you can use it to clean lots of other things in your home. Here are 10 suggestions.
First, a note: Always use gloves when you’re working with oven cleaner, and ensure proper ventilation to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
1. Cast Iron Pans
To completely strip a cast iron pan of its seasoning and start over, spray the entire cooking surface with oven spray and put the pan in a sealed plastic bag overnight. The next day, scrub the oven cleaner with a brush, then rinse with soap and water, making sure to dry it immediately. Now it’s ready for a re-seasoning — a great tip for anyone buying their cast-iron secondhand.
Related: How To Restore a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet
2. Tile Grout Lines
If there’s grimy buildup in your kitchen or bathroom tile lines, grab a pair of rubber gloves, pop open a window, and spray oven cleaner on the lines. Wipe off after a few seconds, then rinse the grout with water.
3. Glass Fireplace Doors
For 10 minutes, allow oven cleaner to sit on your smoke-stained glass fireplace doors, and then wipe clean with a damp rag or sponge. Clean the glass afterward with a vinegar and water mixture after making sure there’s no oven cleaner left on the glass.
4. Glass Cookware
You thought you’d never get those yellow stains off your Pyrex? Try oven cleaner for a sparkling clean. After putting on rubber gloves, cover the stained glassware with oven cleaner, then seal it in a heavy-duty trash bag overnight. Go outside the next morning to open the bag (just make sure to avoid the fumes), then wash the cookware.
5. The Exterior of Enameled Dutch Ovens
Removing black marks from the outside of your enameled Dutch oven is as simple as using a bit of oven cleaner. First, heat the pot or pan on the stovetop. Once it’s warm, spray with cleaner, allowing it to sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.
6. Stainless Steel Sinks
If you have a stain-ridden stainless steel or metal sink, spray the stained areas with oven cleaner, wait a few minutes, and scrub away with a Magic Eraser.
7. Stove Tops
As with Pyrex and Dutch ovens, oven cleaner does a great job removing old, burned-on food residue from stovetop surfaces. Spray the stuck-on food, allow the cleaner to sit for 15 or 20 minutes, and then rub it clean with a sponge or Magic Eraser.
8. Bathtub Rings
Stubborn soap-scum rings in a porcelain bathtub are no match for oven cleaner. Just spray the affected area with oven cleaner and allow it to sit and do its work for two or more hours. Then, wipe and rinse! Just be careful not to get any oven cleaner on your shower curtain — the chemicals can ruin plastic and fabric
9. The Plate of an Iron
Oven cleaner is also an effective method for cleaning burnt-on clothes or other gunk of an iron. To protect the non-metal portion, cover it with wax paper, then spray the (cool!) metal surface with oven cleaner, allowing it to sit for ten minutes. Next, rinse the cleaner off, and clean out the holes with damp cotton swabs. Make sure all the oven cleaner is cleaned off the iron plate by ironing an old t-shirt or towel first.
10. Hot Hair Styling Tools
If your straightener or curling iron has product build-up (or you just want to give it a good clean), try a bit of oven cleaner when the iron is turned off and unplugged. Allow the cleaner to sit for an hour, wipe it with a wet rag, and then dry with a cloth. Don’t use the iron until you’re sure it’s totally dry.
This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: 10 Unexpected Things You Can Get Sparkling Clean With Oven Cleaner