How often should you clean your oven?

26 Oct How often should you clean your oven?

For most households, a professional deep clean every six to twelve months is about right: every six months if you cook most days or roast often, once a year if you use the oven lightly. In between, wiping up spills once the oven has cooled and cleaning the racks every few months stops grease baking on. If you see smoke, smell burning or cannot see through the door glass, it is overdue.

A simple guide by how you cook

How you use your oven	Deep clean
Most days, big family meals, regular roasts	Every 6 months
A few times a week	Every 6 to 12 months
Occasionally	Once a year
Moving house, end of tenancy or selling	Before you hand over the keys

These are rules of thumb, not fixed rules. The real test is what your oven looks and smells like.

Signs your oven needs cleaning now

• Smoke or a burning smell when you preheat, even with nothing inside. That is old grease and food burning off.
• You cannot see through the door glass.
• Black, sticky deposits on the base, back panel or fan cover.
• Food tastes or smells of old cooking.
• Racks that are brown and tacky rather than shiny.
• The smoke alarm goes off when you cook.

Why regular cleaning matters

Cooking and smells

Burnt-on residue smokes every time the oven heats up, and that smoke and smell can get into your food.

Safety

Built-up grease can catch fire. The London Fire Brigade’s kitchen safety advice includes keeping your oven, hob and grill clean, because a build-up of fat and grease can catch fire.

Keeping the oven in good shape

Heavy deposits around the fan and seals make the oven work harder, and harsh scraping later can damage surfaces. Regular cleaning is easier on the appliance.

What to do between professional cleans

• Wipe up spills once the oven is cool, before they are baked on by the next use.
• Use a roasting tray or liner under anything that bubbles over.
• Cover dishes that spit, such as roasts, with foil or a lid.
• Wipe the inside of the door glass with a damp cloth every few weeks.
• Check your extractor filter. A greasy filter drips back onto the hob.

Avoid scratching enamel or glass with metal scourers, and be careful with strong shop-bought oven sprays: always follow the label and keep the room well ventilated.

Do not forget the hob and extractor

Grease from the hob rises into the extractor and settles back down. If you are booking an oven clean, it makes sense to do the hob and extractor in the same visit.

What a professional clean involves

We remove the racks, trays and removable parts and soak them in a heated dip tank, clean the inside by hand, and clean the door glass. Find out more on our oven cleaning services page, see our prices, or read how much oven cleaning costs.

Book in South London, Surrey, Kent, Essex or East London

We cover areas including Bromley, Croydon, Surrey and East London. See all areas covered.

When to book a clean, beyond the calendar

Some moments make an oven clean especially worth it:

• Before Christmas or a big family occasion, when the oven is about to work hardest. Book early, because these weeks get busy.
• Moving out of a rented home. A dirty oven is one of the things that comes up at check-out inspections.
• Selling or moving in. A clean oven helps a kitchen look its best for viewings, and moving into a home with someone else’s grease is nobody’s idea of a fresh start.
• After a long period of heavy use, such as summer batch cooking or a house full of guests.
• When you notice the warning signs above, rather than waiting for the next “scheduled” clean.

Self-cleaning ovens

Some ovens have pyrolytic or catalytic self-cleaning features. They help, but they do not clean the racks, the door glass or the outside, and heavy deposits can still build up. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for those features, and book a professional clean for the parts they do not reach.

A simple yearly routine

• Every week or two: wipe up fresh spills once the oven is cool.
• Every month: wipe the door glass and the hob, and check the extractor filter.
• Every few months: soak the racks and trays.
• Every six to twelve months: book a professional deep clean of the oven, hob and extractor.

Stick to that and your oven will smoke less, smell better and be far quicker to clean each time.

Frequently asked questions

How often should an oven be professionally cleaned?

For most homes, every six to twelve months. Every six months if you cook most days, once a year if you use the oven lightly.

Is it bad not to clean your oven?

Built-up grease smokes, can make food smell and taste of old cooking, and can catch fire. Regular cleaning avoids all three.

How do I keep my oven clean between deep cleans?

Wipe spills once the oven has cooled, use trays or liners under dishes that bubble over, and clean the door glass every few weeks.

Should I clean the hob and extractor at the same time?

Yes. Grease builds up on all three, so cleaning them together gives a better result.

What are the signs my oven needs cleaning?

Smoke or a burning smell when preheating, door glass you cannot see through, black sticky deposits and a smoke alarm that goes off when you cook.