Cleaning a grimy oven often means using harsh, chemical-heavy products that stink up your kitchen and end up in landfills.
But a clever oven hack circulating on Instagram eliminates baked-on grease without the nasty smells or high price tag.
The scoop
The oven cleaning trick comes courtesy of the eco-focused Instagram account Waste Free Planet (@wastefreeplanet), which empowers followers "to make sustainable choices" by sharing eco-conscious lifestyle, education, and recipe content.
One recent piece of the user's lifestyle content is a simple DIY oven cleaner made from items you likely have on hand.
"Low impact DIY oven cleaner, not only is this better for the planet but you also don't have to put up with the awful smell from your standard oven cleaner at the store," Waste Free Planet captioned the video.
Here's how to implement the hack in your kitchen in three easy steps, according to the post:
Put an oven-safe bowl of hot water in the oven and turn it high for 30 minutes.
Cover the inside of the oven with a "cream cleaner" (equal parts baking soda and liquid soap). Add water to help the cleaner spread.
Close the oven door and leave the cleaner to cool before scrubbing the grime off with a scourer.
How it's helping
This oven hack saves both money and hassle. Rather than dropping money on commercial cleaners, you can whip up this simple DIY blend using affordable ingredients already in your cupboards.
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The eco-friendly cleaning concoction also curbs plastic waste from store-bought sprays. Plus, it prevents noxious fumes of harsh chemicals from wafting through your home.
And this hack isn't the only one of its kind. There are hundreds of cheap alternatives to many popular cleaning products that can save money and reduce plastic usage around the home. These alternatives are just as effective and often safer than what you can find on a store shelf.
For some ideas, check out the TCD Guide's section on natural cleaners.
What everyone's saying
Followers were fired up about the fume-free oven trick.
"Oven cleaners are one of the most toxic household cleaners, so I'm glad to have this alternate recipe!" raved one commenter.
"This is awesome!" exclaimed another.
Others agreed the hack is a breath of fresh air: "Love this! Easy Off just ain't it. I saw someone using it to strip varnish off furniture and was like, people put this in their oven?? Where they cook their food??"
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