How to Clean a Commercial Convection Oven

Even in a professional kitchen, oven cleaning is too often a task that's put at the end of the to do list.

Some people find it an intimidating, messy, or tedious process. However, oven cleaning can be made easier by using the right products and process. It's also vital when it comes to maintaining good hygiene and safety standards. 

You might also be unsure how to navigate cleaning a type of oven you're unfamiliar with. For example, if you're dealing with a commercial convection oven. A convection oven (also known as a fan assisted oven), uses a fan to help circulate hot air around the oven. This means food can be cooked more evenly across all oven racks.  

Convection ovens also contain a third heating component which shortens cooking times.  This is unlike a conventional oven, which operates using only top and bottom heating features.  

Many businesses such as: restaurants, bakeries, and other food services choose to use convection ovens over alternates. This is because of all the benefits that come with using a fan assisted oven.  

Although some convection ovens clean themselves, it is important to know how to successfully clean your oven manually!  

Having a clean oven is very important, not just for the obvious benefit of it looking squeaky clean. Regularly cleaning your oven also ensures it will work to its best capacity. In addition, it will ensure all those nasty germs carried from food residue don’t pass on after every use.  

In order to make sure your oven cleanliness is high; we recommend having your oven professionally cleaned as well as regular daily cleans being essential.  

How to clean a convection oven?

1.   Assessing the type of clean needed

Although oven cleaning is always necessary, there are a few different variables that will assist you in knowing what type of clean is needed. This could be depending on how often you use your oven or how long since your last clean. This will help you decide whether that should be just a surface clean or if there are signs that a deep clean is needed.  

Some important things that indicate it might be time for a deep clean include things like:

• Lingering odours
• Smoking
• Loss of heat
• Or quite simply not remembering the last time you deep cleaned your oven!

2.  Removing oven racks  

Oven racks quickly become covered in grease and grime in the day-to-day use of your oven. Therefore, it is important to keep them nice and clean!  

Begin by removing your oven racks, we would advise covering your surfaces. Then, lay down your oven racks, making sure you are wearing rubber gloves. You should then spray oven cleaning product generously onto the racks or soak them in hot soapy water if you’re using the natural method.  

Allow them to sit for about 10 minutes. Finally, scrub the racks using a scouring pad and rinse thoroughly.

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3.  Choose your oven cleaners

If you use your oven frequently, it is inevitable that you will get those spits and drips from cooking.  

Although grabbing the first available heavy-duty oven cleaner seems the easiest and most efficient way to get rid of that grime, it is not the safest!  

We recommend avoiding using toxic commercial products where possible. It is important to remember that many store-bought cleaning products can contain chemicals like butoxydiglycol and sodium hydroxide, which can be harmful.  

There are some natural methods of oven cleaning we would recommend over harsh commercial products. There are time-proven to be effective- and are probably already sitting in your kitchen cupboard!

Still not sure what oven cleaner you need?

We have our own seaweed-based bio oven cleaner spray bottle. To order, just call 0117 325 9250.

Not only does it succeed in giving you amazing results, but it also doesn’t involve those harsh chemicals. This makes it safe for you, your family, and the environment!  

Safety First!

When cleaning your oven, it is important to stay safe, a few ways to do this are:

·      Making sure you wear gloves - this ensures any chemicals are not going to irritate your skin

·      Try to have correct ventilation – inhaling oven cleaners can be dangerous so keep those windows open!

·      Use safety glasses – helps prevent any spray or chemicals getting into your eyes!

4.  Apply the solution

Once you have selected your oven cleaner, evenly distribute the solution over the oven’s interior (focusing on those stubborn stains) and allow it to sit. This will begin to break down all that grease and food particles in your oven.  

A Pro tip: if using a natural cleaning method, we recommend letting the solution sit for several hours to allow for all the stubborn dirt and grime to be lifted!

‍5.  Scrub your oven

After allowing your solution to soak, all that pesky dirt and grease should have lifted, making this step a whole lot easier!  

Using an abrasive material like a wire brush or scouring pad, begin to scrub away any burned-on debris. Make sure to cover all those tough spots at the back and the bottom of the oven.

Once all walls and the oven door has been deeply scrubbed, it’s time to remove any left-over residue. You can do this by taking a damp disposable cloth and wiping out all left-over product inside the oven.

6.  Cleaning the stovetop or canopy

Once your oven is looking squeaky clean, you may notice your stove top and/or canopy needs a bit of TLC! No worries, if you follow these simple steps your stovetop will soon be looking brand new.  

Start by ensuring the stove is turned off and cool! Using either a home-made solution or nontoxic stove cleaner, apply all over the stove top and allow your cleaner to soak in. Once all grime has lifted, start scrubbing! Wipe away any residue using a damp cloth and your stove top should be looking pristine.  

Don’t forget about your oven canopy! Grime and grease can build up in and around your oven canopy, so it is important to keep yours nice and clean. Simply take a clean cloth or sponge and wipe the exterior after cooking. This will prevent any splashes and spills from building up.  

If there’s any tricky or stubborn food debris left on the hood, take a soft bristled toothbrush and gently scrub them away! Don’t forget to take a clean, soft cloth to dry and wipe away any product at the end to avoid any smearing.  

For those tough spots and a perfectly shiny interior, get a quote for canopy cleaning services.  

Should I use my self-cleaning function?

Cleaning your oven can be a very time-consuming task! This can make that self-cleaning function is look rather appealing.  

Using the self- cleaning function has many advantages, starting with the most obvious - it’s a huge time saver. It also involves no nasty chemicals!

Although there are many benefits to the self-cleaning oven function, equally there are negative things to consider.  

Oven deterioration due to high temperatures is often a main concern. There’s also the risk of smoke and the safety and cleanliness of the exterior of your oven!

 Make sure you read all about the advantages and disadvantages of the self-cleaning function.

While self-cleaning ovens have many benefits, they aren’t as effective as you’d think.

Day to day oven upkeep

Whilst it is essential to make sure your oven has had a deep clean to maintain its efficiency and cleanliness, general daily cleaning is vital.  

It makes any deep cleaning tasks a whole lot easier. Regular cleaning will also keep your oven working to its best ability while being sanitary and safe!

There are many things you can do when it comes to general upkeep. Cleaning up any spills instead of letting them sit and build up is a good place to start.  

You can do this once the oven is cooled, using a damp cloth to wipe any residue away.  

Covering up your dishes or bakeware will help prevent those spillages from the start. Finally, you can use simple washing up liquid and wipe the ovens interior, including the door. This will help reduce the amount of grime and bacteria building up inside your cooker!

Need some help?

If you seem to be cleaning your oven but not seeing the results you want, its most likely time for a deep professional clean!  

Here at A Cleaning Service, we offer the best for your business. This includes comprehensive insurance coverage and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

 Get in touch with us now to find out more about our oven cleaning services we have to offer! 

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