| Author | Content |
Kylaluaz
Weed, CA
(Zone 7b)
October 28, 2009
11:30 PM Post #7219123
| Hi all,
Okay, I am moving. And therefore, I must clean the oven. Every time I move in to a new place I think, well, I won't use it that much and I will keep it clean as I go. hahahaha
So anyway, here is this oven. And really, it is not all that bad, but I did bake chicken in there a few times, enough for the juices to splatter and become permanent cooked on patterns on the oven floor, etc.
I really hate those oven cleaner products though... and yet my recollections of the times I have tried to clean an oven adequately without using corrosive toxic stuff are memories of utter failure. Maybe my elbow grease is worn out, I dunno.
But I thought it might be worth asking if anyone reading here has a good formula for a non toxic oven cleaner. ????
Anyone have any tips or ideas or suggestions?
All would be most welcome.
thanks!
Kyla |
dparsons01
Albuquerque, NM
(Zone 7b)
October 29, 2009
12:47 PM Post #7220606
| Hi Kyla. My first thought is maybe you have a self-cleaning oven as that feature has become more common. That would be optimal. Last time I did this I used one of the Oxygenated cleaners for cleaning the top of the stove. It did not work as easily as the highly caustic oven cleaners, but it did get the job done and wasn't something that I couldn't touch or breath around without doing damage to myself. Elbow grease was required.
Do note that most oven cleaners are basically lye, which is dangerous at concentration but not carcinogenic. |
Kylaluaz
Weed, CA
(Zone 7b)
October 29, 2009
11:56 PM Post #7222783
| Thanks, D! Worth a try, that oxygenated version, I will have to look and see what I can find. Sadly, no, it is not a self cleaning oven. Unless that feature has been hidden from view very cleverly. ;-) |
gloria125
Greensboro, AL
October 31, 2009
09:55 PM Post #7228727
| Well its probably not worth the investment just to clean an oven, but I like my steamer for cleaning all kinds of grungy things. A steamer, some scrub brushes, and a "magic eraser" will clean just about anything. Its nontoxic. Just remember do not aim the steam toward any electrical outlets or connections.
Here's one - not the one I have.
http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-500-Watt-Demand-Steamer-Cleaner...
The basic things to look for is lots of attachments to make it versatile -- and a big enough tank so you don't have to reheat water to get one job done.
The steamer will de=wrinkle clothes, clean and sanatize refrigerators, bathrooms, dog areas, rabbit cages, and basic grunge of any kind. My shop vac has a wet vacuum alternative-- but usually surfaces do not get that wet. Just mop up the dirty sludge with paper towels or microfiber cloths.
This message was edited Oct 31, 2009 9:01 PM |
picante
Helena, MT
(Zone 4b)
November 05, 2009
05:00 PM Post #7244984
| Gloria, have you ever tried killing weeds with your steam cleaner? I'm asking because I read about a weed-control program in Oregon that uses steam generators on trucks.
Julie |
gloria125
Greensboro, AL
November 05, 2009
07:09 PM Post #7245444
| Hi picante! Ive read about it, but I haven't tried it yet. From what I have read, you need to confine the steam (as using a cut-off milk jug as a funnel) so that it penetrates into the root zone, and it works best on fleshy type weeds rather than the woody ones - like the chinaberries and Asian wisteria that I have.
My new steamer has a wall paper steamer attachment that I plan to try out too and see if that works on weeds. A no toxic method of weed killing (or maybe with a dose of horticultural vinegar added to the steamer) seems like a good idea if you could figure out the mechanics! |
greenhouse_gal
Port Elizabeth, NJ
(Zone 7a)
November 05, 2009
09:46 PM Post #7246030
| Another thing that works with weeds is a flame fueled by propane, like those gadgets they sell for melting ice on your walk. We tried it once along the brick path in our garden, but the newspaper mulch accidentally caught on fire and we hadn't thought to have a watering can at the ready to put it out should that happen. We did extinguish it before any real damage was done, but meanwhile it burnt some dead lavender stalks and they smelt just heavenly! We haven't tried it since then but I'm sure it would be fine if proper precautions were taken. |
dparsons01
Albuquerque, NM
(Zone 7b)
November 05, 2009
10:16 PM Post #7246107
| I tried a flamer. It killed some weeds, but left live roots on others. Those grew back and were rooted more firmly.
|
picante
Helena, MT
(Zone 4b)
November 05, 2009
10:28 PM Post #7246145
| I tried the weed dragon for a season. We live in an arid climate, so it is dangerous to torch weeds unless there has been recent moisture. Bark mulch catches fire. And same observation as Dave: most weeds grow back after being torched. |
greenhouse_gal
Port Elizabeth, NJ
(Zone 7a)
November 05, 2009
10:35 PM Post #7246187
| That sometimes happens if I slice off the tops with my sharp hoe, too. I did think that if you really sizzled the plant it would kill it, but maybe not. I think it may work if you're burning off small weeds growing in the cracks of a brick walk because the brick would retain the heat and kill the roots.
This message was edited Nov 5, 2009 9:36 PM |
Kylaluaz
Weed, CA
(Zone 7b)
November 05, 2009
11:18 PM Post #7246304
| I think that, for my oven cleaning project, I shall attempt the flame and hoe method. That should work just fine. |
picante
Helena, MT
(Zone 4b)
November 05, 2009
11:30 PM Post #7246335
| LOL. Kyla, you're welcome to borrow my weed dragon. |
gloria125
Greensboro, AL
November 05, 2009
11:46 PM Post #7246383
| I have used the propane weed killer and it was fun at first but I cannot recommend it because I was badly burned. The torch I used did not have a regulator and that may have prevented the accident Im told. Apparently there was a defective seal on the cylinder - and I couldn't turn it off. The flames spread backward up my arm and at the same time shooting out 20 ft so that I nearly set my garage on fire.
I wound up in the emergency room at the hospital with a shot of morphine while the fire department battled the blaze on my property.
On another occasion I was flaming ivy that was growing up some old trees. I was just firing around the base of the trees but suddenly the whole tree was in flames. Not a good experience.
The most effective method I have found for dealing with weeds is to pile layers of cardboard over them.
I think the steamer would be safe - but you would need some way to confine the steam so that it would steam a 12 inch or so depth in order to damage the roots of most plants. |
greenhouse_gal
Port Elizabeth, NJ
(Zone 7a)
November 06, 2009
08:40 AM Post #7246890
| A convenient source of boiling water would be good. Gloria, how awful about your burns and the fire on your property! I believe I'll rethink the propane burner idea. |
gloria125
Greensboro, AL
November 06, 2009
09:11 AM Post #7246942
| Out of respect for the product I should say that my trouble resulted from a defective propane tank that was leaking gas out of the valve. Now I know to check out the equipment carefully before you start to use it on an infestation of invasive plants. But still e ven if the burner was working, I think it would be appropriate for a few weeds in a drive way or paved area -- not a major concentration of woody and flammable materials.
Kyla. Actually that may not be a bad use for the flammer! Recently I had a collection of old crusty iron pots and fry pans. I wound up heating them over the gas burner and then wirebrushing while they were still hot. Not a good method for porcelain surfaces though. |
Kylaluaz
Weed, CA
(Zone 7b)
November 06, 2009
09:11 PM Post #7248986
| Yeah, that's the problem, all these fancy surfaces that require special products to clean...
heck, I may just wipe the thing down and walk away from it. I mean, it isn't like it's all crusted with years of stuff, just a spatter or two... |
gloria125
Greensboro, AL
November 07, 2009
10:11 PM Post #7251840
| An old tip is to leave a dish of ammonia in the bottom of the oven over night and clean the next day.
Dont sniff the ammonia. This does loosen up crud to a certain extent.
Also a paste of baking soda used like cleanser will remove burnt on grease. |
Kylaluaz
Weed, CA
(Zone 7b)
November 07, 2009
11:27 PM Post #7252029
| why thank you! The ammonia one is new to me. I will say I have tried paste of baking soda to no avail in other circumstances. but I don't think I've tried in on burnt on oven grease... this week is the week to do something or other, so this is quite timely. ;-) |
gloria125
Greensboro, AL
November 08, 2009
10:39 AM Post #7252801
| good luck. the baking soda should be a fairly stiff paste with hardly any water in it. You can leave it sit on the stain for a while and come back to it -- but it will remove the black baked on tar- like stains on pots and pans and in the oven. |
Kylaluaz
Weed, CA
(Zone 7b)
November 08, 2009
09:49 PM Post #7254595
| Cool! thank you so much, I'll let you know how it works... |
