- Shop
YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
Laundry Wash
Dishwasher Soap
Everyday Cleaner
Bathroom Cleaner
- Learn
Posted By: Truly Free Home
|
Posted On: 1/29/2025
Before we get into the how-to, let's talk about what you're avoiding.
Most store-bought oven cleaners rely on sodium hydroxide—also known as lye or caustic soda—as their primary active ingredient. It's extremely effective at dissolving baked-on grease and carbon deposits. That's why it's in nearly every conventional oven cleaner on the market.
But that effectiveness comes at a steep cost.
According to the CDC, sodium hydroxide is highly corrosive. It can cause severe chemical burns to your skin, eyes, and mucous membranes on contact. Inhaling the fumes can irritate your respiratory tract, causing sore throats, persistent coughing, and symptoms that can last for days.
The Environmental Working Group specifically flags oven cleaners as "especially hazardous" among all household cleaning products. They note that caustic formulas can burn your skin, lungs, and eyes—even with brief exposure.
Other common ingredients you'll find lurking in conventional oven cleaners include:
Look at the back of any conventional oven cleaner bottle. You'll see warning labels recommending protective gloves, safety goggles, and "plenty of ventilation."
That's not reassuring when you're cleaning the appliance where you cook your family's meals.
Here's what most people don't realize: even after you wipe down your oven, chemical residue can remain on interior surfaces. The next time you preheat your oven, that residue heats up and releases fumes directly into your oven cavity—and potentially onto your food.
If you have young children, pets, or anyone in your household with asthma or chemical sensitivities, this becomes even more concerning.
You shouldn't have to worry about whether you scrubbed your oven "thoroughly enough" before making dinner.
For years, the conventional cleaning industry has sold us a lie: that we need harsh, caustic chemicals to cut through baked-on grease.
That's simply not true anymore.
Modern plant-powered degreasers work by breaking down fats and oils at the molecular level—without caustic chemicals. They're formulated with plant-derived surfactants that tackle grease, grime, and carbon deposits just as effectively as their chemical-laden counterparts.
You get a clean oven without the fumes, residue, or safety concerns.
And you can feel good about what's touching the surfaces where you prepare food for your family.
Here's everything you'll need for this method:
All of these products are made with plant-derived ingredients, free from dyes, optical brighteners, and synthetic fragrances. They're safe for your family, your pets, and your septic system.
And yes—they actually work.
Here's the exact process we use and recommend to our customers.
Remove the oven racks and place them in your sink or bathtub (if they're too large for the sink).
Fill the sink with hot water and add a generous squeeze of Truly Free Home Dish Soap.
Let the racks soak while you work on the rest of the oven. The longer they soak, the easier they'll be to clean—so don't rush this step.
Pro Tip: If you have extremely dirty racks with years of buildup, let them soak for 2-3 hours or even overnight.
While the racks are soaking, use a dry cleaning cloth to wipe out any loose burnt debris that's collected at the bottom of your oven.
This includes crumbs, ash, and anything that's not stuck on.
Getting rid of the loose stuff first makes the deep cleaning much more effective. You're not just smearing debris around—you're creating a clean surface for the degreaser to do its job.
Now it's time for the magic.
Spray Truly Free Home Heavy Duty Degreaser generously inside the oven—on the walls, floor, ceiling, and the back panel. Don't forget the oven door.
Be thorough. Really coat every surface.
Then let it sit for 15-30 minutes.
This is where the plant-based surfactants go to work, breaking down the baked-on grease and carbon deposits. The longer you let it sit, the easier the scrubbing will be.
If your oven is especially dirty (we're talking years of neglect), you can let it sit for up to an hour.
What you'll notice: The degreaser doesn't produce harsh fumes. No burning eyes. No coughing. You can leave the room and come back without worrying about toxic exposure.
While the oven interior is degreasing, go back to your oven racks.
Use a cleaning sponge or Eco-Cloth to scrub away the loosened grime. The hot soapy water should have done most of the heavy lifting.
Rinse the racks thoroughly under running water and set them aside to dry.
Pro Tip: For stubborn spots on the racks, spray them directly with Heavy Duty Degreaser, let sit for 5 minutes, then scrub.
After the degreaser has had time to work (15-30 minutes minimum), wet a cleaning cloth with warm water and start wiping away all the loosened burnt food and grease from inside the oven.
You'll see it come off easily.
For stubborn, burnt-on areas that won't budge, use an oven-safe scraper to gently remove the tough spots before wiping again.
Rinse your cloth frequently as you work. You may need to do a second pass to get everything completely clean.
Once the interior is spotless, do a final wipe-down with a fresh, damp cloth to remove any remaining residue.
Then reinsert your clean oven racks.
What you won't smell: Chemical fumes. Caustic odors. Anything that makes you worry about using your oven for dinner tonight.
Don't stop at the interior—your oven exterior deserves attention too.
Grab a fresh cleaning cloth and wipe down the outside of the oven, including the door, handle, and control panel.
For brown cooking stains and tough stovetop grime, spray Heavy Duty Pot & Pan Spray directly on the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe off with ease.
Pro Tip for Stainless Steel: If you have a stainless steel oven or stovetop, finish with Truly Free Home Stone & Steel Polish to give it an extra shine and protect the surface.
Here's the honest answer: it depends on how much you cook.
If your household uses the oven frequently (multiple times per week), aim to deep clean your oven every three months. This prevents major buildup and keeps the process manageable.
If your oven sees less action, a thorough cleaning twice a year should keep things in good shape.
Quick wipe-downs after messy cooking sessions can help prevent major buildup between deep cleans. Think of it like this: a two-minute wipe-down today saves you from a two-hour scrub-fest six months from now.
Once you clean your oven without toxic chemicals, you'll notice the difference immediately:
No lingering chemical smell. You can use your oven the same day without worrying about fumes contaminating your food.
No protective gear required. No gloves. No goggles. No opening every window in the house.
No health concerns. You're not exposing your family to caustic chemicals or respiratory irritants.
It actually works. Plant-based degreasers break down grease and grime just as effectively as caustic formulas—without the health risks.
And here's the best part: you can feel good about what you're using. You're not adding to the chemical load in your home. You're not contributing to indoor air pollution. You're not worrying about residue on the surfaces where you cook.
You're just getting a clean oven—the safe way.
