10 Tips for Maintaining Your Oven

With cooktops costing hundreds of dollars to replace, according to average appliance repair costs, it would be wise for homeowners to maintain their ovens regularly.

Easily prevent an expensive and troublesome breakdown with regular cleaning and upkeep. You also get the most out of your home warranty contract this way, as most policies assume you do basic maintenance already.

You don’t have to be a specialized technician to do the job either.

10 Tips to Maintain Your Stove and Oven

1. Basic Cleaning Tips

Let’s start with some tips to clean your oven.

• Clean up any sudden spills while you’re cooking. Do a full cleanup every 3 or 4 months.
• When cleaning, unplug the appliance and do not remove the knobs. Doing so can cause an electrical short.
• Avoid the self-cleaning option available on most ranges, as it burns out the electrical parts faster.

Don’t forget to clean the cooktop as well. We’ll go into detail about how exactly you should clean the oven.

2. Cleaning Without Heat

As mentioned, the self-cleaning option can cause component failure. Instead, try cleaning without heat.

1. Put a pot of boiling water inside the oven. The steam will loosen debris for easy wiping.
2. Wash the oven racks in the dishwasher.
3. Make a solution of ½ cup baking soda with water to form a paste.
4. Apply it to the dirty parts of the oven while avoiding the heating elements.
5. Let it sit overnight and wipe it off.
6. Use a rag soaked with vinegar to clean leftover areas.

Next, let’s go over some oven cleaning tips for the range and cooktop.

3. Refreshing the Filters

The filters of your oven trap grease, odors, and smoke that emit from your cooking. Because dirty filters are less effective, remember to clean your filters.

1. Remove the filters.
2. Dip them in boiling water while slowly adding half a cup of baking soda and some dish soap.
3. Let them sit for 10 minutes. Be wary that this process causes odors in your home for a while.
4. Scrub the remaining debris with a brush in the sink.

For cleaning the cooktop, there are different processes for gas and electric stoves. Consult your owner’s manual for details.

4. Maintaining an Electrical Cooktop

For an electrical model:

1. Take the burners off and clean them individually with a damp cloth. Do not submerge them in water.
2. Clean the drip pans in the dishwasher.
3. Use a solution of baking soda and water to remove the remaining food particles. Allow for up to 8 hours of soaking.

5. Gas Cooktop

For a gas cooktop, remove the covers off the burners. Wash the covers with dish soap and use a towel soaked with vinegar for the burners. Do not spray any cleaning solution onto the burners, as it can damage them.

6. Lubricate the Blower Motor

The blower motor controls a fan that blows hot air around inside the oven during cooking. Lubricate the motor with oil at least twice a year to keep internal temperatures constant. Your owner’s manual tells you what type of oil to use and how to apply it properly.

7. Be Careful with the Glass Window

The transparent window on most ovens can shatter if struck and exposed to heat for too long. Be careful not to impact the window during use by pushing pans all the way in before closing the door.

8. Ensure Airflow

Avoid having dirt, debris, or other obstructions blocking the airflow and keep the motor running efficiently by vacuuming the back of the appliance occasionally.

9. Check for Defects

General troubleshooting is an essential oven maintenance tip. Check your manual for details and remember there exist separate processes for gas and electric ovens.

For example, if one heating element shines brighter than the others, it may be damaged and reduce the lifespan of your oven.

10. Calibration

Use an oven thermometer to verify whether the temperature on the control panel is the actual internal temperature. If you find a significant mismatch, get information from your owner’s manual for recalibrating the oven.

Give Your Ovens Home Warranty Coverage

Even with the best maintenance, every oven eventually fails. Prepare yourself when it does with a home warranty from one of North America’s most trusted providers.

Call Liberty Home Guard at (866) 495-6462 or ask for a quote today.