Features of cleaning the oven using steam

Perhaps, cleaning the oven at home from grease and other contaminants is a rather unpleasant procedure. Fat sticks to the internal surfaces during cooking, so those who like to cook often cannot avoid this problem. In order for the device to last longer while maintaining its ideal appearance, it is necessary to periodically remove this fat.

Steam cleaning, or hydrolysis cleaning, is a simple way to remove grease from the inner walls of the oven without resorting to aggressive household chemicals. But you need to know that the method does not guarantee complete cleansing of fat. Heavy contamination may still remain. Steam cleaning only makes subsequent cleaning easier.

What is hydrolysis cleaning? “Hydro” means that this method uses water. Indeed, in order to clean a household appliance in this way, water is poured into a baking tray with the addition of a small amount of cleaning agent. After this, the device door is closed and the temperature is set at 90-190 degrees Celsius. Water begins to turn into steam, which affects fat deposits. It is recommended to use steam when the dirt in the oven has not yet dried.

Advice

A cleaning agent added to water will help remove grease from the walls more easily.

Ovens with built-in steam cleaning function

A number of ovens, for example from Samsung, have a special “Steam Cleaning” function.What it is? With its help, dirt is removed in the same way.

1. First, all kitchen utensils contained in it are removed from the household appliance.
2. Then about 400 ml of water is poured into the bottom of the oven. After this, the door must be closed tightly.
3. The "Steam cleaning" function is activated.
4. The device will notify the owner with a sound signal when cleaning is complete. After it sounds, you can set the shutdown mode to complete the process.
5. Upon completion of all manipulations, the internal surfaces of the oven are wiped with a cloth. If there is water left at the bottom, it can be removed using a porous sponge.
6. You can leave the door ajar 15° to allow the enamel to dry completely.

Owners of ovens with the “Steam Cleaning” function should also know some rules.

• After opening the appliance door, you must be careful: the water remaining at the bottom of the oven is very hot.
• If the oven is heavily soiled, the steam cleaning procedure can be repeated many times.
• It is not recommended to leave water in the oven overnight.
• In case of severe contamination, cleaning agent can be added to the water.

Household appliances with hydrolysis have some special features. So, getting rid of dirt using steam is not recommended to be practiced regularly. Hydrolysis combined with cleaning agents can cause corrosion of the oven interior. However, a number of manufacturers of such devices use enamel when creating their household appliances, which can withstand the effects of alkalis and acids.

Some models of such devices have special electronic programs that regulate the steam exposure time.In some household appliances, the manufacturer recommends using a special cleaning composition instead of water for hydrolysis. Just like with water, they also need to fill the container and turn on the oven. Models with the Cleaning system require the use of special sprays. They replace the action of steam. Models of household appliances with the Aqua Clean system require only 1/2 liter of plain water and 50 degrees Celsius for hydrolysis cleaning. In just half an hour, the inner surface of such ovens gets rid of dirt.

Fun fact: You can also clean the inside of your microwave using the same method. Just pour water into a bowl and heat it for a few minutes.

In some oven models where hydrolysis is provided, water is poured not into a baking tray, but into a round recess provided specifically for this purpose.

What other solutions can there be for cleaning the oven?

The simplest method for cleaning the oven is to purchase household chemicals specifically designed for this purpose. Detergents for ovens can be purchased in stores in the household chemicals department. The cost of such reagents is usually low, and one bottle lasts a long time. When cleaning using this method, you need to know that any contamination is better removed if it is first moistened with water. The disadvantage of using such products is their overly aggressive effect on the inner surface of the oven. In some cases, household chemicals can damage the enamel.

Some kitchen ovens use a special self-cleaning enamel. Fatty deposits practically do not stick to such a coating.And if something burns, the dirt can be easily removed with a damp cloth without using household chemicals. Typically, the pores of such enamel contain catalyst particles. This promotes the process of fat decomposition. This cleaning method is called catalytic. This method is considered low-temperature, since it is performed by heating the oven to 140-200 degrees Celsius. To increase the effectiveness of this method, manufacturers suggest installing an additional filter that absorbs fat into devices with such a cleaning system.

Another way to clean a household appliance is pyrolysis. With pyrolytic cleaning, all food residues and fat are completely burned. But this is also the most severe method of cleaning. After using it, only ashes remain in the oven chamber. Pyrolysis inside the oven burns food and fat at high temperatures. At the same time, during this process the oven door is blocked, so it is impossible to even open it slightly on your own. At high temperatures, a household appliance experiences enormous stress. Such devices are offered by manufacturers Bosch, Gaggenau and others. They provide a level pyrolysis system. Some contaminants, such as food particles, can be burned at 200-300 degrees Celsius, which is why the level system was developed. It allows you to save energy during the cleaning process.

Which oven cleaning is better - catalytic, pyrolytic or steam?

Each cleaning method has both its advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at them separately.

Catalytic cleaning is found in both gas and electric ovens.With this method, fat is removed during cooking, so there is no need for additional costs for electrical energy. This cleaning method requires virtually no human supervision. But catalytic panels become unusable over time and have to be replaced. In addition, ovens with them are not so cheap. Self-cleaning enamel does not cover all surfaces of the oven, so individual elements still have to be washed by hand.

Hydrolysis purification occurs at low temperatures. To implement it, you don’t need to spend a lot of money. This method does not require much energy consumption. The most significant disadvantage of this method is that it does not remove all contaminants. The hydrolysis type of cleaning is rather an auxiliary method before washing the oven. However, if the particles of food and fat on the inner walls of the oven have not dried out, but are in a softened state, then such cleaning will be quite effective.

During pyrolytic cleaning, the oven does not require “disassembly” into its components. Eliminates the need to remove the pan. The pyrolysis type of cleaning is the most effective method of getting rid of contaminants. In ovens where it is provided, special high-quality materials are used that can withstand high temperatures. However, ovens with pyrolysis are more expensive than others, and pyrolysis may cause an unpleasant burning smell. Also, the side walls of some built-in ovens may become very hot during this process.

Each cleaning method has its pros and cons. However, steam cleaning the oven is the most accessible method and the least expensive.It can be implemented in almost any oven. In general, steam cleaning makes cleaning your home appliance easier. It can be done even without additional cleaning agents.