Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I don't think ours works because I left the Mr muscle and cloths in front of it last night but it was still filthy in the morning ;)

Seriously , how do these things work? Our gas oven has a button that says "clean" as well as the usual "bake" and "broil" options.

So , bearing in mind that I'm not a huge fan of housework, and cleaning ovens was bottom of my list of favourite household jobs, what will happen when I press said button?

What does the self clean button do ?
How long does it take?
what input is required from me?
are any extra cleaning products needed?
do i put them in before or after pressing the button?

In the Uk I discovered a lovely company that came to your house and did the loathed job for me. However seeing as I'm currently not working , I can't really pull the "I don't have time" line

Any help would be great as oven is fast approaching the stage where it sets off the (incredibly badly placed) smoke alarm whenever you cook above a certain temp. :)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

It's just a pyrolytic clean, you sweep out the ash after. Mine have both said don't use any chemicals to clean at all, particularly on the seal as it knackers it.

It does take a long time, maybe 3hours or so? I remember we had to find a weekend that we were going to be around for the duration to do it - didn't fancy leaving it unsupervised the first time in case the house burnt down too ;)

It locks itself whilst it cleans so there's no danger of Jr opening a door and carbonising himself.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Apparently it just heats up to a very hot temperature and vaporizes (boils, sublimes?) off any gunk. We haven't tried it yet. The idea scares me.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I've used our self clean function a couple of times, and, boy, is it fierce. Set off the smoke alarms and almost poached the dog who happened to sit by the oven door.
It's effective but as Biiink says, it takes forever and isn't for the faint hearted.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

If you are going to use the self clean function and there's nothing wrong with doing so.

One major suggestion. Take out the oven racks before you start. The process ruins the chrome like finish on the racks and pots, pans and the like no longer slide easily on the racks if you clean them along with the oven.

Mrs_P always removes the racks and cleans them with oven cleaner or some other such item.

Cheers
Steve

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I love mine - use it once a month or so when there's been a particularly bad food explosion in the oven or else a bit of a build up :o

Like Biiiink said, just gets really, really hot for a while, then you open and wipe off the ash. Remember to take out the racks first (and leave a window open) - then mine gives you the choice of 2-4 hours I think.

Enjoy :)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Others have told you what happens - extreme heat for a few hours to burn off the soil. They haven't told you the most important point:

the oven door LOCKS while this is going on. So NEVER use the self-clean cycle BEFORE cooking the big holiday meal. The cycle will start, the door will lock, and the mechanism will bollix up leaving you with a locked-up, nonfunctional oven at exactly the wrong time. Wait until AFTER the big family dinner to do this. Trust me, you can thank me later.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I'd just move, it's easier.

;)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Ok this sounds like a really bad idea , due to some wonderful design feature we have a smoke alarm about 2 ft from our kitchen, its wired into the condo system so no way of turning it off (unless anyone out there wishes to enlighten me!).

I love our open concept condo but the smoke alarm placement is really bad . If i'm cooking something that is likely to get smokey we have the wonderful system whereby Ben holds a dish over the smoke alarm whilst I open the oven.:rofl:

So i guess its icky chemical time for me as I dare not risk setting off all the smoke alarms in the place. If nothing else they do my head in!!

Thanks for the posts but looks like I'll have to do it the old fashioned way <stomps away grumbling>

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

OH turned ours off once with the end of a brush shaft - if that's any help:rofl:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Same here, or I used to wave the tea-towel at it as soon as the alarm started. Good exercise as long as you change arms now and then.:rofl:

I love my self-clean oven, I clean it once a year whether it needs it or not, LOL. It takes about 3 hours, so you need to schedule it for when you are staying most of the day. And don't forget it takes ages for the oven to cool day to the point that it unlocks.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

My oven is filthy, but I am not going to use the self-cleaning feature until the weather is warm enough that I can open the window and turn the fan on in the dining room. The oven gets really hot and it doesn't smell great, so doing it when the house is shut up is likely to make the house smell not great.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Enlightenment. :)

Temporarily disable the smoke alarm by standing on a chair beneath it, place a plastic bag over the alarm and secure the bag with a large elastic band.

Once oven has been cleaned and smoke dissipates remove plastic bag. :)

Cheers
Steve

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

About right. Have you any idea how much power the self clean uses? Just make the most of it by turning off the heating and all sitting in the kitchen for the day to balance the expense.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

According to wikipedia approximately 44 cents for every two hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_appliances

Not exactly going to break the bank.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

It's ever so worth it. I love the self cleaning feature of my oven. You can save a bit of money by turning the self cleaning cycle on after you've baked something in the oven. In that case, the oven already is warm, and has less heating up to do to reach the temperature at which the dirt is turned to ash. But, even if you don't do that, the electricity is cheaper and far more pleasant than some radio-active (joke) chemical would be.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Mine doesn't have a self clean so i push the OH button instead :rofl:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

The child in me loves when the oven gets dirty. I have been known to throw the odd frozen chip in there before running the self clean. There's something soothing about watching things not-so-spontaneously burst into flames. Perhaps I need help:blink:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

mine doesn't have 1 of those either:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

now you have me really worried. Our condo has heat detectors which are wired directly into the buildings fire alert system. If they go off then the whole building fire alarm goes off and the fire brigade arrives!!!

Normally I wouldn't object to a truck full of fit blokes arriving on my doorstep but I do seem to recall we get charged for false alarms we cause!:p


Definately wont be able to try self clean until summer but don't think oven will last that long without some cleaning attention

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I love the self clean button:thumbsup:

I haven't experienced excessive amount of smoke, in fact when I 1st got my new oven, it filled the house with smoke every time I used it, apart on self clean:blink: (oven has since been swapped for one that isn't a fire hazard.

You could always use the self clean function on a chilly day - without the heating on full.

As Steve says take out the shelves or they will lose their easy slide feel.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

just on a side note , we don't have our heating on at the moment. In fact we haven't put it on at all this winter. I'm sitting here in a short sleeved t shirt. The lounge and bedroom windows are open and last night we put the summer duvet back on the bed cause we were sick of roasting at night.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Perhaps everyone else in your building likes it hot. You just get the bleed through, I suppose if hydro's included everyone wants to get their 'money's worth'.;)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

think the south west facing windows also help , it actually gets really hot when we have a sunny day. It makes deciding what to wear when going out quite tricky to judge

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Have you got time to post here? Shouldn't you be unpacking?:p:rofl:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I'm just about done. It's been a busy week but we're getting there. Got a few more trips to Richmond hill to pick up some odds and ends and to try and sell a set of patio furniture and a BBQ but then I'll be able to relax and enjjoy the new lifestyle.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I hadn't built up the courage to use our 'self clean' button yet, either. Every bloody time the oven is on and we open the door, the smoke detector goes off. I hope this will solve it.

Looks like a fun event for a Sunday afternoon :blink::D

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Pyromaniac maybe...... ;)

I haven't tried mine yet; it does need it, but I am scared :ohmy:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Had a similar problem when we lived in Ontario, the apartment was rediculously hot, 28c if I remember rightly. Usually you can set the air conditioning to cycle cold air up from the basement which cools things down nicely but you have to do something to turn off the compressor first so that it doesn't burn out. Stupid thing with apartments, the aircon is only available between certain dates, doesn't matter how hot it is outside!

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

So does your new oven self clean? <no thread drift accusations for me - well not much>

Oh, and as you're about done, what time do you want us Friday night for drinkies and dinner?:lol:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Your problem is that Mr. Muscle only works in the UK - here you need Mr. Clean!:p:D:rofl:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

The instructions with my self cleaning oven say that you must start the process from cold but it doesn't say why :confused:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

we have used it once(notice the we, i pressed the button, the wife worried what was going to happend for 3hrs) we must have a really fancy oven as it has a quick clean-minor steel furnace, and a long clean-ground zero atomic type. i was dissapointed, still had marks and bits in it.

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Don't bother with all that technology.........see attached link
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=508081

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Okay - so it sounds like we all have similar cookers................ can anyone tell me where to find a grill pan with a handle...... you know ........the broil tin so that I can try to use the broiler as a grill more effectively?

I have this awful blue enamel tin with what I can only describe as a vented lid which is a killer...... the food does not drain properly while cooking and the smoke....... well I end up with the tea towel flapping duty....... and it is a new cooker with a new "broil" tin/tray type thing.

(I know they are different here when it comes to "grills"...... when we were looking at cookers they even had them with the broiler in the bottom......... yes ..... right at the bottom where you would usually put your baking trays......... can you imagine that............. cooked feet........... cooked pet............. it just seemed really strange........... or maybe that is just me :)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Broil - grill; took me a while to understand that one. And, no, my cooker does not have a grill pan, let alone an handle. :rofl: Had to go and buy one!!!! :curse:

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

Yes it got me too - I actually told someone I had a cooker with no grill because I thought broil was some kind of simmering function!

If anyone finds a real grill pan - do let me know :)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I use the BBQ for things I would have bunged under the grill at home. Like you, I can't be bothered with the fire/mess on broiler pan afterwards. It kind of makes sense though, grilling on the "grill", doesn't it?! I just wish it was inside ;)

Re: Self Cleaning Ovens
 

I do have a friend who swears by using the BBQ - even in the winter! (His wife also agrees because the house won't smell when he cooks.) However Mr Madmac is not so keen............ wonder why? A wee bit of fresh air never did anyone any harm :rofl: