When the season means more time in the kitchen, the last thing you need is for your stove or oven to quit on you—or worse, start a fire. Semi-regular maintenance can go a long way toward ensuring your kitchen appliances will work when you need them most, like when the whole family is over for Thanksgiving.
Make time for early Thanksgiving cleaning
You probably clean your stovetop regularly, but when was the last time you cleaned your oven? Make sure to clean it at least two to three times a year. If your oven gets a lot of use during the holiday season, a Thanksgiving cleaning may be in order to avoid leftover food burning and stinking up the oven. You may want to clean it more often if you use your oven more frequently throughout the year, too.
Watch out for electrical kitchen hazards
Many of your cooking appliances have parts that can be kitchen hazards, such as electric ranges with open heating coils and the inner workings of your oven. The electrodes behind the knobs on your stove that can also pose a safety risk when damaged by the following:
- Harsh chemicals
- Heavy scrubbing, or
- Excess water
These can each create the potential for short-outs and the risk of electrical shocks to anyone around the appliance. Always follow this rule of thumb: Be careful cleaning around attachments!
How does a self-cleaning oven work?
Most ovens today can clean themselves, but not everyone knows how a self-cleaning oven works. Using your oven’s self-cleaning feature starts a cycle that will superheat the oven for a period of time to incinerate any food particles inside. If you use this function, ensure you follow the manufacturer’s suggested protocols. After the cleaning is complete and your oven has fully cooled, wipe down the inside of your oven to remove any remaining residue.
If you decide to clean a self-cleaning oven manually, make sure you unplug your oven prior to cleaning the inside to eliminate any risk of electrocution. It’s also a good idea to use a cleaner designed specifically for self-cleaning ovens, as the wrong cleaner can cause more harm than good.
In the end, a little elbow grease will go a long way toward increasing the lifetime of your range. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
What's your go-to holiday safety hack? Visit us on Facebook or Instagram to tell us your thoughts!