The oven is such a hardworking, versatile appliance – it can make everything from cookies to roasts. Sometimes, though, when we check on the latest batch of brownies… Well, the glass oven door is all smudged.
You try to wipe it off later, and it doesn’t work. That’s when you realise: the smudge is between the glass panels.
When cleaning an oven, we often overlook the space inside the oven’s glass door. And it can get dirty, but it can feel like too much effort to take the door apart to clean the space.
So – how to clean between oven glass without disassembling the door? The main trick is to find a thin tool you can use to get between the panels. Wrap the tool in a thin cloth or paper towel that’s been saturated in a cleaning solution, and move it around to wipe the glass!
Proper maintenance keeps your oven working for longer. And that includes cleaning the glass oven door – inside and out.
How Often to Clean a Glass Oven Door
Try to clean up spills, splatters, and other stains as soon as possible. This will prevent them from baking onto the glass from the heat later on.
Clean the inside glass after every use for the same reason.
Then you can deep clean the glass door when you clean the oven – every 3-6 months (depending on how often you use it).
Have you just cooked for a big party? Or do you want a break from chores? Let an expert home cleaning service do the work for you!
Cleaning Outside a Glass Oven Door
To clean the outside glass, you can use your preferred all-purpose cleaner or oven cleaner. Wipe the surface clean with a microfibre cloth.
To clean the interior glass, wait until the oven and glass have completely cooled. For any spills or splatter, sprinkle a bit of salt to absorb the mess.
Wipe off any loose dirt or grease from the glass. Make a thin paste of baking soda and water, then apply it all over the interior with a non-abrasive sponge or microfibre cloth.
Wait for 10-15 minutes, then use the sponge to gently scrub the glass clean. Remove the baking soda paste with a damp cloth, then rinse with a second damp cloth. Wipe the surface dry.
Alternatively, you can clean the oven door using a dishwasher tablet!
For baked-on grease and food, use the flat edge of a razor blade or a cooktop scraper. Work at an angle to prevent scratches.
How Do You Clean Between the Two Pieces of Glass on an Oven Door?
It’ll take a bit of innovation and some elbow grease. Note that this will depend on whether the oven door has a slot that lets you get between the glass.
Yep – most oven doors have a slot to clean between the glass! The slot (or air vent) is usually along the bottom edge of the door.
Before Cleaning the Oven Glass Door
Always make sure the oven is switched off and has fully cooled down. Remove any trays or racks from the inside.
Next, you’ll need to access the base of the oven glass to find a slot or hole. This is an air vent, and it’ll let you access the space between the glass panels.
Depending on your model, you may find this slot just by opening the door and feeling beneath the edge of the inside glass.
On other models, you’ll have to remove the bottom drawer. If you can’t easily access the slot, you may have to lift the door off completely. Check your owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website for instructions.
Run your fingers along the base until you can feel the gap in the oven door.
Whichever tool you use for oven cleaning, never force it between the glass. If it doesn’t fit, look for a thinner implement. Otherwise, you risk cracking the oven glass or damaging your door.
What Cleaner to Use Between the Oven Glass?
To clean inside the glass door, you’ll need to saturate a cloth or some paper towels with a cleaning mixture. Then you’ll wipe that cleaner inside the oven door glass.
Check your owner’s manual to see if it’s safe to use oven cleaner on the glass.
If not, you can use a DIY solution, such as:
- White vinegar: Mix equal parts vinegar and warm water
- Dish soap: Add a few drops of dish soap to warm water
Mix the solution in a spray bottle so you can re-wet the cloth or paper towel as needed.
For the white vinegar solution, add a few drops of dish soap for extra cleaning oomph!
How to Clean Between Oven Door Glass Without Removing It
Maintaining a clean oven door means cleaning between the glass as well as outside and around it!
Sometimes, though, it’s too much work to disassemble the door or take out the glass panels. Thankfully, there are a few cleaning hacks that’ll make the job easier.
Using a cleaning tool
Now, time to clean the inside glass on the oven door without removing it. You’ll need a long, thin implement, which you’ll wrap in a thin cloth or some paper towels.
Some tools you can use include:
- A wire hanger straightened on one end
- A clean fly swatter (use the bottom end)
- A dowel or similar thin, wooden stick
- A long, thin ruler (or similar)
NOTE: A ruler or dowel is less flexible than other options, which could make cleaning more difficult. However, since the material is more solid, it’s better for scrubbing off stains.
Wrap a thin cloth or some paper towels around one end of the tool, and secure them with some rubber bands.
Spray the cloth or paper towels with your cleaning mixture, then carefully insert the DIY cleaning tool into the slot or vent along the base of the oven door.
Carefully wipe it back and forth, like a windscreen wiper. For brown stains and other grime, you can work the covered end in circular motions to try and scrub them off.
Change out the cloth or paper towel as necessary, and spray more cleaning mixture as needed. When the oven glass is completely clean, use a fresh paper towel dampened with clean water to wipe off any residue.
Lastly, attach a dry paper towel to the end of the tool to remove any remaining moisture and buff the inside surface of the glass.
Using a dryer vent brush
A dryer vent brush is a long, thin shaft with bristles on the end. It’s used to clean along the edges of the dryer door and in the vent pipe, but is also great for cleaning in tight spaces (like under the microwave).
Try this Clothes Dryer Vent Trap Cleaner Brush or Dryer Cleaner Vent Brush.
You can dip the bristles directly in soapy water or the vinegar solution, and use the brush to clean between the glass panels.
If you don’t want to risk scratching, wrap some paper towels around the bristles before cleaning.
Dry the brush, then wrap a new paper towel around the bristles to dry the inside of the oven glass.
Disadvantages of Not Taking Apart the Oven Door for Cleaning
If there is grease residue, baked-on food, or other stubborn grime inside the oven door glass, cleaning without disassembling may not be as effective.
That build-up of grease and food debris inside the door could lead to mould or become a fire hazard.
Moreover, not taking apart the door means you might not wipe off all the soap residue or moisture. This could lead to water spots on the glass, or the moisture could turn to steam and damage the door.
Leftover soap residue could also burn on the glass.
For many modern ovens, you no longer need to disassemble the door to access the glass. Some panels simply lift out of the door so you can clean them.
Cleaning between glass panes without taking them out is good for routine or everyday cleaning, which prevents food and grease from building up too much in your oven door.
Still, it’s best to take apart the glass every once in a while so you can deep clean the oven door. And while you’re at it, you can tackle the rest of the appliance as well – and then bake yourself a treat as a reward when you’re done.
