Can you clean an oven with a dishwasher tablet?
Recently cleaning your oven with a dishwasher tablet has gone ‘viral’ on Tik Tok and Instagram with many content creators and influencers choosing to clean their ovens with a product not usually associated with the oven. So, you may be wondering can a dishwasher tablet really clean an oven?
Dishwasher tablets are typically made from sodium percarbonate and boosters to lift out stains, grease and grime. There are a couple of different types of dishwasher tablets, typically they come in gel, powder or a mix of the two. There are also classic dishwasher tablets and ‘all-in-one’ tablets, which not only clean but also include products that rinse and shine your dishes.
So, it makes sense that consumers think that cleaning the oven with a dishwasher tablet is a good idea, due to the tablets ability to remove oven grease and grime food stains. The ‘viral put a dishwasher tablet inside your oven’ videos suggest putting a gel dishwasher tablet into an oven proof dish with boiling water inside the oven and turning it on to 100 °C. While the video results look like the dishwasher tablet is a brilliant oven cleaning hack, this method could potentially cause damage to the inside of the oven.
Is it safe?
So, what happens when you put a dishwasher tablet in the oven? Ovenclean experts believe the combination of chemicals in the tablet combined with the heat of the oven (even at just 100 °C), could be damaging to the oven’s seal and components. Plus, this cleaning method could produce chemical fumes which are not good for the oven or the household.
In addition to the potentially harmful fumes, the dishwasher tablet oven cleaning method is essentially ineffective for burnt on grease, grime and food deposits. It will likely only remove the top surface layer of dirt and will not remove the grime from the oven glass door, oven racks or the fan. These capsules are specifically designed for use in dishwashers and may contain chemicals that are not suitable for cleaning ovens. Ovens often require more robust cleaning agents to tackle grease, baked-on food, and other stubborn residues.
Can you clean oven racks with dishwasher tablets?
In addition to cleaning the oven with a dishwasher tablet, content creators are also trying to clean oven trays with a dishwasher tablet and trying to clean oven racks in the bath with dishwasher tablets. As these methods are not using heat from the oven in combination with the dishwasher tablet, it may be slightly less harmful, however it is always best to proceed with caution. If your oven racks are in need of a deep clean take a look at our ‘how to clean oven racks’ blog here. Alternatively you can put oven racks in the dishwasher to clean them, find out more information on how to use your dishwasher to clean oven racks here.
So, if you are looking for an alternative oven cleaner, natural products such as white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda can remove sticky grease and grime in a non-harmful way. For more information on how to clean your oven with natural products, read our ‘Homemade Oven Cleaner’ blog here.
Professional Oven Cleaning Service
If you don’t fancy cleaning the oven yourself, the best oven cleaning method is using a professional oven cleaning service like Ovenclean. Ovenclean specialists use unique no-added caustic cleaning products, do your home is safe and mess free. This also means that you can use the oven as soon as the clean is complete and it is safe for use around children and pets. Plus, Ovenclean are professionals in deep oven cleaning, which means burnt-on grease and grime is removed from the oven using specialist tools and products.
Looking for a free oven cleaning quote? Contact us today to find out more or book your oven clean today. Get free quote here.
