The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Commercial Ovens

Keeping your commercial oven clean isn’t just about how it looks—it’s about safety, efficiency, and making your equipment last longer. Regular cleaning can save you money in the long run by delaying the need for replacements. Whether you’re running a busy restaurant or a catering business, a spotless oven is essential. This guide will take you through everything, from quick daily routines to deep cleaning tips that help protect your investment.

Jump to a section:

• Why Regular Cleaning Matters
• The Tools You’ll Need
• Step-by-step Guide
  • Daily Cleaning
  • Weekly Cleaning
  • Monthly Cleaning
• Mistakes to Avoid
• When to Call a Professional

Why Regular Cleaning Matters

Neglecting your commercial oven can cause more than just an eyesore—it can lead to serious problems. Built-up grease and food residue not only make your kitchen look less professional but also pose fire risks, create unpleasant smells, and lower your oven’s cooking efficiency. Over time, this buildup can result in uneven heating, which directly impacts the quality of your food.

Regular cleaning, however, solves these problems and offers plenty of benefits. It keeps your oven running efficiently, saves energy, and ensures your food is cooked consistently. Plus, it helps you meet food safety standards and extends the life of your equipment, saving you money on repairs or replacements. A clean oven doesn’t just mean a more hygienic kitchen—it’s key to running a safer, smoother, and more profitable operation.

The Essential Tools You’ll Need

Before you start cleaning your commercial oven, make sure you have everything you need. Having the right tools and supplies ready will make the job quicker and easier. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Food-safe degreaser: Breaks down tough grease safely and effectively.
• Non-abrasive scrubbers: Tough on grime but gentle on your oven’s surfaces.
• Gloves: Protects your hands when using cleaning products.
• Baking soda and vinegar: A natural option for lighter cleaning jobs.
• Stainless steel polish: Gives your oven a clean, professional finish.
• Microfiber cloths: Great for wiping everything down without leaving streaks.

Getting everything ready beforehand ensures the cleaning process goes smoothly and helps you get the best results.

Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide

Cleaning a commercial oven doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you break it into manageable steps. By understanding the basics of what needs to be done and how often, you can keep your oven in great condition without unnecessary stress. Here’s a quick overview of the cleaning process:

1. Preparation:
   Start by turning off and unplugging the oven to ensure safety. Gather the necessary tools and supplies, including food-safe cleaners, non-abrasive scrubbers, gloves, and microfiber cloths. Allow the oven to cool completely before beginning.
2. Daily Maintenance:
   Quick, light cleaning after each use prevents grease and residue from building up, making deeper cleaning easier later on.
3. Weekly Cleaning:
   Focus on more thorough cleaning tasks, like degreasing the oven’s interior and scrubbing racks and trays. This routine tackles buildup that daily cleaning might miss.
4. Monthly Deep Cleaning:
   Inspect and clean critical components like fans, seals, and burners. For steam or combi ovens, de-lime and de-scale the water system. This level of cleaning ensures your oven remains efficient and safe.
5. Addressing Stubborn Issues:
   For baked-on grease or grime, use non-abrasive tools and cleaners to gently remove the residue without damaging the oven’s surfaces.
6. Professional Assistance:
   For heavy buildup, performance issues, or neglected ovens, a professional cleaning service can help restore your equipment to peak condition.

Breaking the cleaning process into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks ensures that grease and residue never get out of control. This approach saves time, reduces wear and tear on your oven, and helps maintain a high standard of hygiene in your kitchen.

With this overview in mind, let’s dive into the specifics of each cleaning routine.

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Daily Cleaning

Keeping up with a daily cleaning routine is the easiest way to prevent grease and grime buildup, making your weekly and monthly deep cleans much less time-consuming. Here’s how to do it:

1. Cool Down and Unplug:
   Always allow your oven to cool completely before cleaning, and unplug it for safety. This prevents burns and ensures you can clean without risking electrical hazards.
2. Wipe Away Spills Immediately:
   Use a damp cloth to clean any spills, crumbs, or splatters from the interior and door. Doing this daily prevents food residue from hardening into stubborn, baked-on grime that’s much harder to remove later.
3. Remove and Soak Trays and Racks:
4. Take out the trays and racks and soak them in warm, soapy water for at least 10–15 minutes. This helps loosen grease and residue, making them easier to scrub. While they soak, you can focus on cleaning the rest of the oven.
5. Scrub and Dry:
   Use a soft sponge or brush to gently scrub the trays and racks, removing any stuck-on food. Rinse them thoroughly, then let them air dry completely before putting them back in the oven.
6. Spot Check the Oven Interior:
   If there are any spots where grease is starting to build up, give them a quick wipe with a cloth dampened with warm, soapy water. For tougher spots, a mild food-safe degreaser can be used sparingly.

Weekly Cleaning

A weekly cleaning routine helps tackle the grease and grime that daily cleaning might miss, keeping your oven in top condition. Follow these steps for a more thorough clean:

1. Remove and Clean Racks:
   Take out the oven racks and place them in a sink or large container filled with warm, soapy water. If grease buildup is stubborn, use a food-safe degreaser to break it down. Let the racks soak for 15–20 minutes before scrubbing them with a non-abrasive sponge or brush. Rinse thoroughly and let them air dry.
2. Apply Degreaser to the Oven Interior:
   Spray a food-safe degreaser evenly on the interior surfaces, focusing on corners, edges, and any areas with visible buildup. These spots tend to accumulate grease and food residue that can be harder to remove. Allow the degreaser to sit for 5–10 minutes to loosen grime effectively.
3. Wipe Down Surfaces:
   Use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe away the loosened grime, starting from the top of the oven and working your way down. This ensures grease doesn’t drip onto already-cleaned areas.
4. Tackle Baked-On Grease:
   For any spots where grease is baked on, use a non-abrasive scrubber to gently scrub the surface. Avoid harsh tools like steel wool, as they can damage the oven’s finish.
5. Final Rinse and Dry:
   After cleaning, wipe down all surfaces with a clean, damp cloth to remove any remaining degreaser or residue. Finish by drying the interior with a microfiber cloth to prevent streaks or water marks.

Monthly Deep Cleaning

A monthly deep clean is crucial for maintaining the performance and longevity of your commercial oven. While daily and weekly cleaning routines handle surface grime, a deep clean tackles hidden buildup and ensures your oven operates at its best. Here’s how to do it:

1. Inspect Key Components:
   Take a close look at essential parts like burners, fans, and seals. Check for any signs of grease, food residue, or wear and tear. If you notice damage, clean the affected areas or replace the parts as needed to avoid performance issues.
2. Clean the Oven Interior Thoroughly:
   Spray a food-safe degreaser throughout the oven’s interior, focusing on harder-to-reach areas like the back corners and around heating elements. Let the cleaner sit for a few minutes to loosen tough grease before wiping it clean with a damp cloth.
3. Pay Attention to Glass Doors:
   For ovens with glass doors, use a mild glass cleaner or degreaser to remove smudges, grease, and residue. A microfiber cloth works best to achieve a streak-free finish.
4. Focus on Rubber Seals:
   Rubber seals often trap grease and crumbs, which can lead to poor door sealing and reduced efficiency. Wipe the seals gently with a damp cloth and a small amount of degreaser, ensuring they’re clean but not damaged.
5. De-lime and De-scale Steam Ovens:
   If your oven is a combi or steam model, it’s essential to maintain the water system. Use a specialized de-scaling cleaner to remove lime and mineral deposits that can accumulate over time. This helps keep the steam function working efficiently and prevents damage to internal components.
6. Check Ventilation Systems:
   Ensure that the oven’s ventilation or exhaust system is free of grease and debris. Blocked vents can reduce airflow, leading to overheating and uneven cooking.

By dedicating time each month to a thorough deep clean, you’ll prevent long-term issues, improve energy efficiency, and keep your oven running like new. Regular maintenance not only protects your investment but also ensures consistently excellent results in the kitchen.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cleaning your commercial oven is important, but doing it incorrectly can lead to damage or safety issues. To help you get the best results and protect your equipment, here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1. Using Harsh Chemicals:
   Harsh cleaners might seem effective, but they can damage sensitive components, like heating elements or seals, and leave harmful residues behind. Always use food-safe cleaning products specifically designed for ovens.
2. Scrubbing with Abrasive Tools:
   Tools like steel wool or rough brushes can scratch your oven’s interior surfaces. These scratches not only ruin the finish but also make it easier for grease and grime to stick, creating more cleaning work in the future. Stick to non-abrasive scrubbers or pads.
3. Skipping the Rinse Step:
   After using cleaners, always wipe down every surface with a clean, damp cloth to remove residue. Failing to rinse thoroughly can leave behind chemical traces that affect food safety and may even give food an unpleasant taste.
4. Cleaning While the Oven is Hot:
   Trying to clean an oven before it has fully cooled is not only unsafe but can cause cleaners to evaporate too quickly, reducing their effectiveness. Always let the oven cool completely before starting.
5. Neglecting Hard-to-Reach Areas:
   Ignoring corners, seals, and vents allows grease and grime to build up in these areas, which can lead to bad odors, fire hazards, or reduced oven efficiency. Take the time to clean these spots regularly.
6. Overusing Water:
   While water is essential for rinsing, using too much can seep into electrical components, causing damage. Always wring out your cloth or sponge before wiping and avoid direct spraying on sensitive areas.

When to Call in the Professionals

Even with regular cleaning, there are times when professional help is the best option. If your oven is struggling to perform—whether due to persistent grease buildup, uneven cooking, or a noticeable drop in efficiency—it’s worth bringing in the experts.

Professional cleaning services use specialised tools and techniques to tackle areas that are difficult to reach or clean thoroughly with standard methods. They can remove stubborn grime, deep-clean components like fans and burners, and even address ventilation or exhaust issues.

Not only does this save you time and effort, but it also helps to extend the life of your oven, preventing costly repairs or replacements down the line. If your kitchen relies on your oven running at peak performance, investing in a professional cleaning can make a world of difference.

Signs You Need a Professional

• Grease or residue buildup you can’t remove yourself.
• Uneven heating or slower cooking times.
• Persistent odours or smoke during operation.
• Poor ventilation or blocked exhaust systems.

A professional clean doesn’t just restore your oven—it keeps your kitchen running smoothly and your equipment performing like new.

Keeping your commercial oven clean doesn’t have to be a hassle. With the right tools and a regular cleaning routine, you can keep it running efficiently and looking spotless. A clean oven not only saves you money by extending its lifespan but also helps create a safer, more efficient kitchen.