Extending the life of your oven

One of the most-used appliances in the home, the oven, is costly to replace when it comes to the end of its lifespan and a burden on the environment when it has to be disposed of. But what if there are ways of extending its life, of getting more value out of your cooker? Thankfully there are.

A dirty oven can greatly affect its efficiency. Apart from imparting an unwelcome taste to the food you cook, an unclean cooker will not heat to the required temperature and distribute the heat unevenly.

It’s therefore advisable not to clean once a year when food deposits become stubbornly ingrained. Better to do so once every two or three months. It will make the process not only so much easier but save you a lot less time, effort and stress.

Even better, be aware of food spillages each time you cook, like the overspilt cheese sauce and make sure you wipe them off. Small deeds can save major headaches in future.

When you clean, make sure you use a non-corrosive cleaning product. A lot of these are effective stain-lifters but they contain corrosives such as caustic soda, which will damage your oven, reducing the effectiveness and lifespan of your appliance. There are a few natural cleaners, including lemon juice and vinegar.

You may own a self-cleaning oven, which might suggest all your oven-cleaning woes are behind you. However, you’re advised to limit using this function as it runs at a very high temperature which will soon burn out the oven’s components.

You can always get your oven serviced and you would be advised to do so if you suspected its efficiency is in any way impaired. You might notice, for instance, that the oven isn’t heating as it should. You can run a little experiment. Bake a cake, following the instructions straight from the recipe. If it isn’t cooked properly by the end of the time guideline, you know your oven needs servicing.

To check how evenly your oven is heating, lay out several slices of white bread on a baking tray and place it on the middle shelf of the oven heated at 175°C. Cook for five minutes and then remove the tray to observe if the slices have coloured unevenly. If the case, you know that you have some differing heat spots. Time for that service.

If you want a professional oven cleaner, don’t hesitate to call us. We offer a comprehensive service that will keep your oven working efficiently and for longer.