Avoid Using This Cleaner To De-Grime Your Oven At All Costs

The grease and grime that come from daily cooking have a way of sneaking up on you. You may not think you made much of a mess, only to find that over time your kitchen and its appliances have become inundated. While you may naturally want to grab just any cleaner to get rid of the mess as fast as you can, Fabuloso is one cleaner that you should specifically never use to clean an oven.

There is no doubt that in the cleaning world, Fabuloso is a common go-to for a variety of cleaning tasks. Marketed as an all-purpose cleaner, it boasts of cleaning everything from showers and tubs to sinks and floors. However, one of the things you should avoid cleaning with Fabuloso is your oven. While there is an allure of reaching for a nearby bottle to tackle the greasy mess, Fabuloso is not just ineffective for oven cleaning, but it can actually be harmful.

The ingredients in Fabuloso are designed to clean surfaces, but aren't specially formulated for the heat and grime of an oven. This cleaner is made for general cleaning, not heavy-duty degreasing — its cleaning power simply isn't up to the challenge. You could very likely end up elbow-deep in scrubbing only to achieve minimal results, which can leave you frustrated and, even worse, with an oven that's still dirty.

​​Furthermore, cleaners like Fabuloso might also contain harsh chemicals that can irritate skin and release harmful fumes when mixed with oven grime. Cleaners should always be used for only what they are formulated to clean. Oven cleaners, while potent, are designed for that specific appliance and come with safety instructions to ensure proper use. Fabuloso, on the other hand, explicitly advises consumers to never heat it. Heating an oven that contains residue from Fabuloso has the potential to release chemicals into the air — and into your food — that may cause respiratory irritation and contamination.

Oven-specific cleaners are formulated to tackle tough oven messes effectively and safely. They contain powerful degreasers and emulsifiers that dissolve baked-on grease. Coupled with that are protective formulas designed to be safe for ovens and prevent surface damage. Many oven cleaners come in foaming sprays or gels that cling to surfaces for better penetration and grime removal. Oven cleaners are also formulated with ingredients that are not likely to contaminate food.

Let your oven fully cool before you begin cleaning it, and never mix cleaning products which can create harmful fumes. Ensure proper ventilation by opening windows or using a fan to circulate air while cleaning. Always wear gloves and protective eyewear. How often you need to clean your oven varies, but the best way to avoid a marathon degreaser session is to clean spills and splatters promptly, as well as perform regular upkeep. The sooner you clean up messes, the easier they will be to remove.