Many of us are committed to using environmentally friendly cleaning products 99% of the time… but when it comes to the really nasty chores, we revert to traditional toxic products because we believe they are stronger. Take cleaning the oven. It’s dirty work, and it can seem impossible to get the thing truly clean without resorting to nasty chemical measures.
But do you really want to eat food that’s been cooked in an oven recently scoured with powerful, toxic sprays and scrubs? No bueno.
The Recipe
- 2 T Sal Suds (A liquid cleaner from Dr. Bronners. Other liquid non-detergent soaps will do, but this one works best.)
- 2 t Borax (available at any hardware store)
- 1 T Baking soda
- Warm water
Mix these things together in a spray bottle, wait until the borax and baking soda are completely dissolved, and you’re good to go. The trick to spraying the oven is to hold the bottle very close to the dirty surface and spray it gently, so that the cleansing solution clings to the walls of your oven and doesn’t end up mostly airborne.
Let the solution sit for a half hour or so, and then put your rubber gloves on and scrub with a scouring pad and a natural scouring powder (ie not chlorinated).
TIP: The best way to clean your oven? Don’t let it get dirty. Putting down a cookie sheet or even a strip of aluminum foil on the lower rack can prevent icky gooey spills from adhering to your oven floor.
