What To Do Right Away If Your Oven Starts To Smoke After Cleaning

Smoke pouring out of your appliance can sometimes be a warning sign that means it's time to deep clean your oven, but this won't be the case if you've just cleaned it. Though a smoking oven can be extremely scary, don't panic — your appliance and your household are most likely fine. Start by immediately turning off the oven to ensure it stops producing more smoke. You'll also want to turn on your kitchen fan right away to start venting the smoke out of your house. If the smell is strong or there's a lot of smoke, try opening windows and using additional fans to get rid of those nasty fumes. After you've dealt with the immediate issue of clearing the smoke, you'll need to address why this was happening to prevent your oven from doing it again.

Now, you may be wondering what your oven is trying to tell you if it starts smoking after you've just cleaned it. Sometimes, even after a very thorough cleaning job, some of the soap or commercial cleaner you used to get all that grime and grease off your appliance remains on the inside of it. Once the oven starts preheating, the chemicals from your cleaner will begin to burn off the interior of your appliance, producing smoke. If you used a self-cleaning feature, burnt food left in your oven afterwards could be causing the issue.

For those that used a self-cleaning feature on a really dirty oven, there was likely a build-up of ash and burnt food or grease in your appliance after the cycle finished. Failing to get rid of the debris afterward can cause it to smoke again when the oven gets hot. To fix this issue, wait until the oven has cooled down and use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe up any ashes or stubborn grease. If you cleaned your oven by hand, you'll need to remove any soap or cleaner residue to stop the smoke for good.

Unfortunately, this means you'll need to do the job again, but with a different method. Luckily, you can get your oven sparkling clean with vinegar and remove that pesky, smoking residue. To do this, combine one part water with one part of the natural cleaner and begin wiping down your oven. It's crucial to clean the door as well as all sides of the oven to ensure any residue from your previous cleaner is gone. Use a dry cloth to remove any wet spots of your vinegar solution, and your oven should be good to go again. If it continues smoking after this, there may be another issue besides leftover soap or ashes from self-cleaning. In cases where it's unclear what's causing the smoke, it may be best to contact a professional repair technician for help.