The 8 Best Oven Cleaners of 2023

When was the last time you cleaned the oven? For many of us, the answer might be never, and that’s understandable. Ovens harbor some of the toughest spills and stains in the whole house—blackened, greasy, and hard to reach—and it’s no wonder we throw up our hands, shut the door, and try to forget about the mess.

“It can definitely be one of the more strenuous tasks because it can involve a lot of scrubbing,” says Alyssa Landrum, an area representative at Two Maids. But a spotless oven has more than just aesthetic value. It also helps the oven come up to temperature, prevents oil spots from smoking and igniting, and cuts down on burnt odors. Those fumes can even alter the taste of what you’re baking! Blech.

Experts recommend that an avid baker or cook clean the oven approximately every three months. If you seldom cook at home, you can get away with it every six to nine months. And while that sounds like a lot, especially if you never clean your oven, you might be comforted to know that, when I tested them at home, I was pleasantly surprised—shocked, in some cases—by how easy the best oven cleaners are to use. They employ powerful chemicals, scrubby substances, time, heat, and/or elbow grease to scour ovens clean, and it often takes less than 30 minutes.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Easy-Off Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner at Amazon

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Best Budget:

Goo Gone Oven and Grill Cleaner at Amazon

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Best Professional:

Zep Oven and Grill Cleaner at Amazon

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Best for Baked-On Grease:

Fuller Brush Co. Oven Cleaner Spray at Amazon

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Best Fume-Free:

Everneat Oven Scrub Cleaner at Walmart

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Best for Self-Cleaning Ovens:

Easy-Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner at Amazon

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Best Eco-Friendly:

Astonish Oven & Grill Cleaner at Amazon

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Best for Oven Racks and Grills:

Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner at Amazon

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Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

A few quick sprays on the walls, floor, and door of a warm oven melts away carbonized food and greasy splatters in three to five minutes.

Keep in Mind

You must wear gloves and turn on a vent to use this product.

The best oven cleaner of the bunch worked remarkably fast (about five minutes in a 200-degree oven) and broke down years of baked-on food and oily stains when I tried it in my oven at home. It can work in a cold oven, too, which requires six-plus hours to let it penetrate, and while I appreciated that option, I was eager to see it work quickly. And did it ever!

I was careful to wear gloves when using it, as the label recommends, and I also noticed some irritating fumes after I sprayed it, even after closing the oven door quickly, but the odors seemed to dissipate by the time the oven was ready for rinsing. It’s important to turn on a vent when using this product as well.

It took two or three rounds of wiping with a wet sponge to get all the gunk and leftover product off the oven, but considering how much crust this cleaner removed, it was easy work. No scrubbing or rubbing was required, and the oven was practically sparkling when I was done. It’s cleaner than it’s ever been.

Price at time of publish: $5

Product Details: Type: Spray | Size: 14.5 oz. | Cleaning Time: 3 to 5 minutes in a warm oven, overnight in a cold one | Scent: Fresh

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

This cleaner’s thick foam clings to vertical surfaces and breaks down greasy residue.

Keep in Mind

While it softens stains, it requires some scrubbing to fully remove them.

Goo Gone is well-known for making products that dissolve sticky adhesives, so it’s not surprising that its oven and grill cleaner would be tough on grease. The best oven cleaner on a budget sprays in a thick foam that holds fast to the walls and ceiling of an oven to sink into the crust and dissolve it.

It also works in a cold oven and is ready to wipe with a sponge or paper towel after two to 10 minutes. My one complaint when I tried it at home is that it didn’t dissolve grease as quickly as some of the other products I tried, and it required a second pass to get the oil-splattered oven door squeaky clean.

The cleaner also releases some fumes upon spraying, despite being advertised as odorless, so opening windows or activating a vent would be wise when using this product. For the price and the size of the bottle, though, it’s one of the best oven cleaners on the market.

Price at time of publish: $15

Product Details: Type: Spray foam | Size: 28 oz. | Cleaning Time: 2 to 10 minutes | Scent: None

Walmart

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Why You Should Get It

This professional-grade oven cleaner can dissolve years-old stains in just a few minutes.

Keep in Mind

It’s tricky to remove the childproof cap.

Given how quickly this Zep cleaner obliterated sticky stains on my oven door, I’m not surprised that professional cleaners swear by this product (and this brand). It powers through old, oily drips and crusty blackened marks and leaves behind nothing but a shiny, smooth surface.

As with many of the best oven cleaners, this one requires open windows or a running vent to pull fumes out of the kitchen while you’re using it. You should also use rubber gloves and goggles when applying it, and other surfaces, such as the floor, should be covered to shield them from overspray. And I had the darndest time removing the cap! (At least that proves it’s really childproof.)

That said, if we could recommend only one cleaner for a long-neglected oven covered in splotchy stains and old grease, it would be this one. It truly is professional-grade.

Price at time of publish: $5

Product Details: Type: Spray | Size: 19 oz. | Cleaning Time: 5 to 10 minutes | Scent: None

Fuller Brush Co. Oven Cleaner Foaming Spray

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Why You Should Get It

This pick works in a warm or cold oven, and it takes about 10 minutes to demolish grease—even old, baked-on, sticky stuff.

Keep in Mind

It might take a bit more rinsing to clear the oven of this cleaner.

Greasy stains might be the toughest to tackle when cleaning an oven. Not only is the oil itself hard to handle, but its stickiness also attracts other dirt, so the difficulty is doubled.

The task didn’t seem too troublesome for Fuller Brush Self-Scouring Oven Cleaner, though: I sprayed it in a warm oven (heated to 200 degrees and then turned it off, as the label directs), closed the door, waited 10 minutes, and was astonished at the results. Years of gooey, crusty grime were dissolved, needing only to be wiped off with a damp sponge and dried with a paper towel.

I did use gloves and turned on the ventilation hood while I used this spray, as you should with most cleaners. And it took two or three rounds of rinsing to rid the oven of residual grime and cleaner. But considering the super-clean results, I consider these a small price to pay.

Price at time of publish: $20

Product Details: Type: Spray | Size: 14 oz. | Cleaning Time: 10+ minutes | Scent: None

Everneat

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Why You Should Get It

The best oven cleaner without fumes uses plant based ingredients and a metal scrubber for extra cleaning power.

Keep in Mind

Its metal scrubber is not safe for self-cleaning ovens.

Composed of plant-based ingredients including baking soda, washing soda, calcium carbonate, and pumice stone, Everneat’s Oven Scrub Cleaner is surprisingly powerful.

It comes with a metal scrubber, which you dip into the cleaner and then use to scour away carbonized food, spills, and even greasy splotches. Choose between two spa-like scents (both derived from essential oils) or an unscented version. You can also buy an oven-cleaning kit that includes a spray bottle of surface cleaner.

Unlike our favorite chemical cleaners, this scrub does require some elbow grease—but not as much as one might expect. And when the scrub dries, it leaves a cloudy haze on the oven door, which might have to be rinsed a few times to remove. The metal scrubber is also not safe to use on self-cleaning ovens.

But these are small complaints considering how lovely it is to clean the oven with something that smells so good and scrubs so thoroughly.

Price at time of publish: $20

Product Details: Type: Liquid and metal scrubber | Size: 16 oz. | Cleaning Time: Less than 5 minutes | Scent: Purify (peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, and tea tree essential oils), Lift (rosemary, lemongrass, and lemon essential oils), or Clear (no essential oils)

4.8

Amazon

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Why You Should Get It

It’s one of the few chemical cleaners on the market recommended for self-cleaning ovens.

Keep in Mind

The oven must be cold and empty, with the self-cleaning cycle turned off, to use.

If you happen to have a self-cleaning oven, you might wonder why you’d buy an oven cleaner at all. And it’s true: You might not ever need one because your oven is likely designed to heat up to 900 degrees to incinerate food spills and grease stains on its interior, turning it all to ash.

But running the self-clean cycle has its drawbacks: It can heat up the house, and take two hours or more. Hence, why you might pick up a can of Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner, which is one of the few commercial products safe for self-cleaning ovens. To use, make sure the oven is completely cold and empty, and that the self-cleaning cycle is not running.

I found it to be true to its name, with no noxious odors, and just as effective as my other favorite cleaners on old stains baked into the walls and door of the oven. The deep-cleaning function takes a while (75 minutes), but it’s mostly hands-off time where you can set a timer and do something else. The product can also be used for spot-cleaning if you notice a small stain in between self-cleaning cycles.

Price at time of publish: $9

Product Details: Type: Spray | Size: 14.5 oz. | Cleaning Time: 1 minute for spot cleaning; 75 minutes for deep cleaning | Scent: Lemon

Astonish Specialist Antibacterial Oven & Grill Cleaner

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Why You Should Get It

The lack of harsh chemicals means you might not even need gloves with this product (though they can’t hurt if your skin is sensitive).

Keep in Mind

This cleaner requires more elbow grease than other options.

If you’re skeptical of “natural cleaners” and how well they tackle grease and baked-on gunk, we don’t blame you. Those buzzwords give us pause, too. But the Astonish Specialist Oven & Grill Cleaner and Sponge is the real deal.

Simply dampen the applicator (which has an abrasive scrubber on one side and a soft sponge on the other), rub it into the cleaning paste, then apply the paste to the oven in circular motions. Let it sit for five minutes, then wipe it off with the sponge side of the applicator. It dissolves greasy, sticky stains and leaves behind a squeaky-clean surface.

This product, which is made in the UK, is a little hard to find on this side of the pond, but it is available on Amazon. Unlike most chemical cleaners, which dissolve deposits and grease without scrubbing, this one requires some elbow grease—but it’s not arduous.

Price at time of publish: $10

Product Details: Type: Paste and sponge-scrubber | Size: 8.8 oz. | Cleaning Time: 5 minutes | Scent: Orange

Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner

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Why You Should Get It

The biodegradable cleaner can be safely poured down the sink and won’t damage septic systems.

Keep in Mind

While most of the work is hands-off, it requires an overnight soak.

This box contains everything you need to clean oven racks, barbecue grills, and stove top burner grates. It contains a bottle of cleaner, a giant plastic zipper bag, and disposable plastic gloves to protect your hands.

Slip the racks into the bag, pour in the entire bottle of cleaner, close the bag, turn it over to distribute the liquid, and let everything sit for eight hours. Afterward, use the gloves to pull the racks from the bag, rinse and dry them, then slide them back into the oven.

Because the cleaner is biodegradable, any leftover solution can be poured down the sink; it’s even safe for septic systems. You may understandably wonder if a specific cleaner is necessary for the task, but this really does make it easier to clean your grates, taking the struggle out of the process and keeping any mess contained.

Price at time of publish: $15

Product Details: Type: Liquid gel with zipper bag and gloves | Size: 16.8 oz. | Cleaning Time: 8 hours | Scent: None

The Bottom Line

The best oven cleaner, Easy-Off Heavy Duty, won high marks for obliterating even the blackest, most burnt-on oven crust in all of five minutes. If you have a self-cleaning oven, we like the Easy-Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner, which is the rare chemical cleaners that can be safely used on self-cleaning ovens.

What to Know About Oven Cleaners Before Shopping

Ingredients

Many of the best oven cleaners include sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide (lye), ethers, ethylene glycol, methylene chloride, and other caustic (high-pH) ingredients that are irritating to skin, eyes, and lungs—but also very effective at dissolving grease and stains. “The chemical itself isn’t so important, as long as it’s specifically meant to clean an oven,” Landrum says.

To protect yourself from these caustic substances, the National Capital Poison Center recommends shielding the arms, hands, eyes, and airways when using them. Wear gloves and a face mask, and ensure proper ventilation. Even brief contact with the skin can cause irritation and burns. Oven cleaners should never be ingested; keep them away from children and pets.

Landrum also suggests protecting the floor in front of the oven with a large plastic bag or similar material: “The bottom of the oven door can leak cleaner into the drawer underneath and onto the floor,” she says. “Laying a trash bag flat in the front of the oven will catch anything that leaks through that crack.”

“Natural” cleaners, on the other hand, employ gentler ingredients to dissolve grease (like the limonene, an ingredient derived from orange peels—Landrum highly recommends citrus-based cleaners) or scrub it away (as with pumice or baking soda). These products are easier on humans but still tough on stains, though they might require more elbow grease to thoroughly clean baked-on goo.

Scent

Chemical cleaners often produce fumes, which is why the directions usually instruct users to open windows, run a fan, or activate the oven’s vent hood when using them. Some products have added fragrance, such as lemon or “fresh” scents, to mask the fumes, but ventilation is still a smart idea.

The two more eco-friendly products we included on our list of the best oven cleaners, Everneat Oven Scrub and Astonish Specialist Oven & Grill Cleaner, smell great and require no masks or ventilation. Everneat uses essential oil blends to scent its products, and the Astonish cleaner is slightly orange-scented.

Cleaning Time

The cleaning time depends on a few factors: how grimy the oven is, whether you opt for the cold- or warm-oven cleaning method, and the label’s instructions. Landrum says that the longest she’s spent cleaning an oven is 45 minutes to an hour.

Cleaning a cold oven usually involves letting the cleaner sit for a few hours, or even overnight, while applying the product to a warm oven can take only a few minutes. Landrum stresses that only those cleaners specifically designed for warm ovens should be used that way: “I’ve made this mistake,” she says, “and the oven started smoking.”

Whatever the label says, “the most important part is to let the cleaner sit for a while to let the chemical do its job,” Landrum says. “After that, I typically use the abrasive side of a scrub sponge” to remove stains and excess cleaner.

Also vital to finishing the job is a thorough rinse: “Take a wet rag and go back through to wipe any residual chemical off,” Landrum advises. “If you don’t get it all out, you’ll smell it when you turn the oven on to use it. And you don’t want your food smelling like that.”

Your Questions, Answered

What’s the best way to deeply clean an oven?

If you have a self-cleaning oven, count your blessings—just run a self-cleaning cycle to turn all stains to ash in a couple of hands-off hours. “These ovens take care of themselves without the need for anything chemical or abrasive,” Landrum says.

If your oven is not a self-cleaning model, you’ll need one of the best oven cleaners. Read the directions on the label thoroughly and follow them to the letter. Be sure the oven is empty—you can even remove the racks so you can reach the back and walls more easily. Landrum recommends using a plastic scraper and a shop-vac to remove loose debris before spraying on any cleaner.

The instructions will tell you how long the cleaner needs to sit for ideal results. When the appropriate time has passed, wipe off the residue with a wet sponge or rag (something you can toss when you’re done), being sure to thoroughly remove any traces of the cleaner and residue.

Can you use oven cleaner on a self-cleaning oven?

Many chemical oven cleaners are not formulated for self-cleaning or continuous-cleaning ovens. These types of ovens have an interior coating that cleaners can etch and damage, which eventually causes the oven not to clean itself effectively when running a self-cleaning cycle.

But there are a few products that will work in a self-cleaning oven if it is stained and you don’t want to run a whole cleaning cycle. Read labels carefully to find one, like Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner on our list.

Is oven cleaner safe to use?

Oven cleaners contain caustic ingredients, which makes them effective at cleaning grease and stains, but those same chemicals irritate skin and eyes and can damage your lungs if they’re inhaled. As with any product, follow the label’s directions scrupulously. They often call for gloves to cover the hands, towels or newspaper to shield floors and cabinets from stray spray, and open windows to get rid of fumes. Goggles to protect the eyes are also recommended.

“Natural” oven cleaners can still work well on stubborn stains and grease, usually with gentler ingredients. These don't require ventilation, but you may still want gloves to shield hands and nails, and be sure to rinse the oven well to remove residue from cleaners and gunk.

Who We Are

Sarah Halverson has been writing for magazines and websites for more than 25 years, and she’s been cooking and baking for even longer than that. She purchased several of the featured oven cleaners and tested them at home. After she researched this story, her oven has never been cleaner. She also spoke to Alyssa Landrum, an area representative for Two Maids, a cleaning service with locations nationwide.