Do you have a cake that just won’t bake as the recipe describes? Perhaps you’re finding cooking times aren’t as expected? It could be because your oven is dirty, damaging its performance, affecting everything from the taste of your food to the temperatures that certain meals cook at best. Here’s everything you need to know.

Kitchen cleaning guides - is a dirty oven affecting your cooking success?

What’s the Effect of a Dirty Oven?

If your oven is dirty, it can cause issues when rustling up your favourite dishes. Burnt on grease and grime can start to make their way into the flavour of your food (carbon particles taste a little smoky), and meals may even take longer to cook than usual. While many people simply adjust their processes, it’s not so easy for more sensitive recipes such as bread or cakes. A dirty oven can seriously affect outcomes, especially if you’re constantly opening the door to check whether food is done. You may also find your recipes don’t bake evenly thanks to the extra layers of grime the heat needs to pass through. This is additionally stressful when cooking for others or when your timings need to be accurate such as at Christmas.

Why Are Ovens So Hard to Keep Clean?

As you cook and bake, small food particles gather at the base, trays, filters, heating element and even around the fan. Grimes accumulates for reasons spanning from using baking trays with small holes in them (to help with even cooking) to spitting fat or spillages. As time goes on, this food becomes more and more burnt with every use of the oven. This makes it really difficult to clean because the grime has become so ingrained and stuck on each part of the oven.

Is a Dirty Oven Dangerous?

On the whole, a dirty oven isn’t dangerous, just inconvenient more than anything. That said, where stray food has gathered in thicker layers, it may start to produce smoke. This is especially true if your oven doubles up as a grill. When the grill is ignited, it may give off smoky fumes, and this can easily set off your fire alarm in some cases. Try to keep additional grime to a minimum by wiping down your oven and grill after cooking, but always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when doing so.

Why Use Professional Oven Cleaning Services?

Asking for your oven to be professionally cleaned at regular intervals is one of the best ways to ensure your cooking remains up to scratch. It can also prolong the life of your oven, making sure it works great for years to come. It takes time and patience to keep ovens working at their best, so hiring a professional cleaner for the job is the ideal solution. They’re trained in the best practices, including cleaning solutions that will have your oven sparkling again in no time. They’ll clean every part of your oven, including the racks and glass doors.

Need your oven and microwave regularly cleaned?

Efficient Cleaning London provides cleaning services for domestic properties, including regular kitchen cleaning. This includes wiping down all appliances such as ovens and microwaves inside and out, preventing a build-up of grime that can cause havoc with your cooking. We work across South West London and Surrey, including Surbiton, Wimbledon and Shepherd’s Bush. Get in touch to arrange your professional clean now.