About this Recipe

You clean the inside of your oven pretty regularly, but you may not get around to the sides of the oven very often. Usually, that's because it can be tough to move the oven to clean it properly and because you don't see the sides of your oven at all since they're usually hidden by cabinets. It can be quite shocking to see what's actually lurking in those hidden spaces though, and there's always some kind of mess on the side of our ovens. So that's why it's a great idea if you can pull out your oven at least once per year or more so you can get to cleaning your oven all over.

You can time this with the same time you'll be cleaning your oven on the inside as well and just give it a super deep clean all at once. That way you'll be in cleaning mode and get an impeccably clean finished product that you can walk away feeling good about when all is said and done. Cleaning your oven doesn't have to be done with chemicals either. We try and steer clear of them in our home too, so we're on board with using natural oven cleaning products that won't emit toxins in your home.

We've tried quite a few different natural oven cleaning products and cleaners over the years including baking soda and vinegar which works really well for the inside of your oven. Did you know that you can also use essential oils to clean your oven too? You can use essential oils in your homemade cleaning products and make your own natural cleaners.

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We found the best product for oven cleaning was the Young Living Thieves Cleaner, and it worked really fast and easy. If you haven't tried this natural cleaner, you have to try some because it works wonders. All you do to make your own natural cleaner is put about a 1/4 of a cup of Thieves Cleaner in a spray bottle and then fill up the rest of the bottle with water to dilute the solution. Then gently shake it up to mix everything together, and you're ready to go.

When you're using this as an oven cleaner to clean the sides of your oven, pull out the oven from the wall. Make sure you get help if needed since they can be really heavy. The best way to get it out from the nook it's in is to wiggle it back and forth rather than trying to pull it straight out from the wall. So pull one side out and then the other, continuing this until it's out from its space.

Spray both sides of the oven with the natural cleaner you've made and then let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to soften everything that's stuck on. Take a cloth with warm water, or a gentle kitchen sponge and wipe any of the loose grime away. You may have to use a gentle kitchen scrubber to scrub away any tough stuck on food, or even a plastic or wooden scraper. You can also use a plastic spatula or a wooden spoon if you don't have a scraper handy. Keep spraying your natural cleaner as needed and scrub as much as needed until all of the stains are removed. While you have the oven pulled out from the wall be sure you clean the floor and the walls or cabinets surrounding the oven too since there will likely be a mess there too.

You can use your natural cleaner on all of these surfaces too and clean them just like you did the oven. Then give the sides one final spritz of the natural cleaner and wipe clean with a clean, fresh cloth and polish the sides until they shine. Before you know it, you'll have a fresh and clean oven. Not only is this natural cleaner great for cleaning your oven, but you can also use it to clean your countertops, stovetop, fridge, and use it to clean your bathroom as well. It will leave your home nice and clean, plus it smells amazing too.