The Worst Job in the Kitchen has to be:

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marie74, May 12, 3:18am
I have managed over the years to gather some wonderful recipes from this thread. Now I am appealing to all you wonderful cooks out there. I have just finished cleaning my oven. Yes I know I should do this more often but for me it has to be the worst job in the kitchen. So I am looking for ideas on how to clean those blessed oven racks.They are so hard to clean, someone out there must have an easier way than trying to scrub your fingers raw. Help. The oven itself is no bother. its just those racks that get me every time.

nfh1, May 12, 3:20am
I wipe the oven over with a damp cloth as it cools down - it has never needed any other cleaning.It sounds such a dreadful job.

kinna54, May 12, 3:24am
Yep.I have a DH. He is priceless.

lilyfield, May 12, 3:30am
soak them each time after a greasy bake in hot water, plenty of detergent. or washing powderThey will just wash clean. If the tub is not large enough-use the bath. Frequently is the secret

marie74, May 12, 3:31am
I think if someone wanted to invent a container big enough to be able to fully emerse these racks in to soak them it would be great. Our laundry tubs and sinks are just not big enough these days.

cgvl, May 12, 3:32am
take them outside and spray with oven cleaner both sides. leave as long as you can and then I just (DH actually) put them into a tub of hot water and wipe clean.
I hate doing the dishes especially if I'm being creative lol, cleaning oven not so bad.

norse_westie, May 12, 3:34am
I'm with you OP. I use my oven a lot, especially for roasts. Even if I do wipe down while still warm the grease seems to build up.

TBH I have stopped fighting it. I now pay a guy to come in every three months. He cleans it so well I am nearly blinded by the shine and it seems to stay clean much longer.

elliehen, May 12, 3:35am
People who never roast meat do not get dirty ovens.Just a smug plug for vegetarian cooks ;)

duckmoon, May 12, 3:39am
Put flat on the bench, dust with baking powder and spray with vinegar, let the chemical reaction do the hard work

duckmoon, May 12, 3:39am
What company do you use!

biggles45, May 12, 3:39am
Yep I do the same. Clean up a treat.

dbab, May 12, 3:41am
Baking powder or baking soda!

audio-solutionz, May 12, 4:02am
option one = frequency. ONce a month and it only takes 20 mins.
2) oven cleaner outside on newspapers.
3) soak in a strong washing soda solution or dishwashing powder mix in a fish bin.
4) pay someone else.

elliehen, May 12, 4:05am
Once we went to dinner with someone out to impress and the poor woman wrung her hands all evening apologising for her 'dirty oven', from which vile smoke billowed before we sat down to eat.

When she finally opened the oven door she found that one leg of the chicken was firmly stuck to the wall of the oven and had been quietly charcoaling itself there ;)

biggles45, May 12, 4:07am
I do it monthly but still need oven cleaner outside.

nfh1, May 12, 4:09am
LOL joins elliehen on the smug bench and says - I roast meat but my oven is spotless.

-dalts, May 12, 4:21am
1. Put racks in a large thick plastic bin bag, add 1 cup of cloudy ammonia and tie the top tightly.Put outside (not on the grass in case it leaks) and leave for a day or two.The gunge just hoses off.Put a cup of ammonia in a crockery container into a preheated warm oven, turn it off and leave overnight.

2. Do what I do and get the oven chap in to do it for you. www.OvenCleanPlus.co.nz 0800555165

nfh1, May 12, 4:22am
I had no idea you could get someone in to clean your oven.I would have to clean it before they came if it was dirty!

mackenzie2, May 12, 4:23am
I put my racks in the dishwasher, they always come out sparkling clean. Never done them any other way

buddynz1, May 12, 4:24am
my wife`s company cleans ovens

kiwiscrapper1, May 12, 4:31am
Same here, I take them outside, place sheets of newspaper down and spray with over cleaner then turn over and spray again.then ask hubby to clean them!

jns, May 12, 4:46am
After I've sprayed the inside of the oven with oven cleaner I put the racks back in and spray them too.Then just rinse them clean.Easy!

norse_westie, May 12, 4:47am
A local guy I found in the Western Leader called Daniel.

norse_westie, May 12, 4:51am
This worked well when I had a very flash new oven that was apparently "self cleaning". It never needed anything but a wipe down. Unfortunately my current on is quite old and probably the cheapest on the market when put in (lots of houses built by developer dirt cheap). Although I do wipe it down when cooling, it doesn't get that dirty hence needing a good go over 3 monthly. But its sure not as easy to clean as my previous one. And it isn't as good at cooking either, only has fan bake and grill that work, the rest doesn't, and the hobs are really really really slow and uneven for cooking. But hey, plenty of good food gets cooked anyway. ;)

nfh1, May 12, 4:56am
Ah - yes you are right norse_westie - mine is self cleaning - but to be honest I did not actually believe the S.C. claim - but I suppose it must help.