‘Burnt-on food melted away’: 10 best oven cleaners tried by experts and at home

Score: 91/100

Our best oven cleaner scored full marks for its performance in the lab. Burnt-on food melted away from the racks with ease after soaking, needing just a quick rinse to get rid of all the residue. It was a similar story on the base of the oven, which was left shiny and spotless with minimal scrubbing required – something other oven cleaners often struggle with.

A transparent window or panel would be a helpful addition to the bottle as it’s tricky to see how much cleaner you’ve used (instructions tell you to use two-thirds for the racks and trays). Plus, you have to leave it overnight for the best results. We don’t mind waiting if it means a clean oven without the faff though…

Score: 86/100

Goodbye grease, hello sparkling oven. This easy-to-apply oven cleaner worked wonders in our lab, removing almost all the dirt in one wipe. Tougher burnt-on stains needed some scrubbing to come loose, but given how quickly it works, we can’t complain – you only have to soak for five minutes before getting started.

That said, our panel said leaving it for longer than the recommended time helped achieve better results. They also would have liked the solution to be less foamy and runny as it tended to drip down the rest of the oven while soaking. That aside, the majority were pleased with the streak-free and shiny finish.

Score: 86/100

Claiming to have a special self-scouring formula that removes the need for scrubbing, our expert couldn’t wait to put this oven cleaner to the test. While most light stains came off in one swift wipe, the same couldn’t be said for tougher residue so we’re sorry to say you’ll still have to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

This cleaner proved most effective on the racks and shelves (glass needed more attention) but the 30-minute soak time ensures the tedious task of cleaning the oven isn’t dragged out too long. Note, some panellists said the cleaning solution had a strong chemically-smell so we recommend opening a window during use and wearing gloves and an apron to protect your clothes.

Score: 86/100

This one received rave reviews for its effectiveness after a single application.

There wasn’t much information on how much product to use for the best results, but we applied it until the surface was completely covered before leaving it for 30 minutes. After soaking, all the burnt-on food in the oven had softened and we managed to remove most remaining residue after a bit of scrubbing.

The oven door was left slightly cloudy afterwards, but the wire racks and shelves were sparkling.

Score: 84/100

Every member of our panel said they’d recommend this product to others, listing its eco-claims and cleaning power as the reason. Ecover says the bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic and the cruelty-free formula contains ‘consciously chosen ingredients’ that are plant-based and biodegradable. The oven cleaner is made in their zero-waste factory too, so it’s a good choice for those looking for more environmentally friendly buys.

While scrubbing was needed to remove grime and dirt on all surfaces, it lifted residue in just a few minutes. It worked particularly well on the oven door and racks, and testers were pleased with its performance after just one application. For quick, effective daily cleans, this should be your go-to.

Score: 84/100

This gel-based formula uses baking soda and activated carbon to help remove stubborn residue inside the oven. Panellists said the bottle was easy to hold, making application fuss-free, and the clear instructions helped them get to work quickly.

Despite leaving the gel to soak for 20 minutes as instructed, the cleaner needed extra time for it to be truly effective. Debris was fully softened on the racks and oven door after half an hour, while thick grime in the base of the oven required over an hour of soaking before it started to budge. A little bit of elbow grease did the trick though, and most panellists said their oven came up shining.

Score: 83/100

We only had to soak baked-on foods for three to five minutes with this oven cleaner before it softened up and we could wipe it away with a cloth. Wire racks barely needed any scrubbing, and neither did the oven door – we only had to roll up our sleeves when it came to burnt-on stains in the bottom of the oven.

Our main bugbear with this cleaner was the application. The bottle is heavy, and the trigger has some resistance to it, so your hand gets sore if you’re spraying a lot in one go. It also comes out in a thin stream, so it took us a while to cover the whole oven. That said, the spray does have a wide reach, which made it easy to apply to corners and awkward spaces.

Score: 83/100

This scored highly for application, as it’s easy to direct the spray onto problem areas inside your oven. In testing, it foamed up nicely, coating wire racks and the oven door without dripping and running down the surfaces too much.

There were mixed opinions on its cleaning power though, with our panel finding the cleaner struggled with tough burnt-on stains without multiple applications and some tough scrubbing. In the lab however, our tester said it tackled grease well and only left some small bits of residue behind after working on burnt-on stains.

Score: 83/100

While we’re never happy about having to clean the oven, Sponge Daddy’s cheerful face makes it less tedious. This natural multipurpose cleaning paste comes with the Scrub Mommy cleaning sponge, which is used to apply the cleaner to the oven – just dampen the sponge and swirl it on the paste to create an effective foam.

We left the cleaner on for half an hour before wiping, and found most debris was removed after two swipes with a damp cloth. Everyone agreed that light stains and general cleaning proved no issue; however, burnt-on specks required more attention.

One thing to note is that the sponge has to be rinsed off before re-dipping into the paste to avoid contaminating the rest of the product. We recommend buying another sponge for ease.

Score: 83/100

We found this oven cleaner was best suited to tackling grease and food stains on wire racks and the oven door, with minimal scrubbing needed to remove day-to-day debris. For tougher marks, we had to give the surfaces a harder scrub, and a second or third application was required for a more effective clean.

The spray did clog a few times, which wasn’t ideal, but our panellists were pleased with the number of applications you could get out of it and liked how it neutralised any smells.