Why You should NOT use Self-Cleaning Oven Feature

A Little Bit About the Self-cleaning Oven Feature.

Cleaning an oven can take a lot of time, cleaning products, and not to mention a lot of elbow grease. Thoroughly cleaning an oven can be rather difficult; not only is it hard to reach all the crevices but trying to get the dirt build-up off from all the oils and greases which manage to get everywhere in the oven can be super frustrating.

Although cleaning an oven takes time, and a lot of effort, it is definitely worth doing it yourself instead of relying on the self cleaning feature.

When it comes to the self cleaning feature, there appears to be a lot of mixed opinions. Some people say they used it once, and the oven never cooked the same again or resulted in their oven breaking, and some say they love the feature and don't know what they would do without it. My opinion? You should never use the self cleaning oven feature. A little bit of hard work never hurt anyone.

I spoke to a lovely fella at appliance repair Ottawa, and he said they get a considerable amount of call-outs for appliance repairs a couple of hours after people have used the self cleaning feature on their oven. It turns out one of the main reasons ovens need repairing is because people choose to use the self cleaning feature, which somehow ends up breaking the oven. So putting in that little bit of extra work and time to clean the oven yourself will save you money too.

One of the most common reasons for the self cleaning feature damaging ovens is due to them becoming too hot. Most newer ovens have heating elements under the bottom tray and in the ceiling of the oven. Having hidden heating elements is a bonus, a more convenient and practical design. If there is any spillage in the oven, it can be easily wiped away from a smooth surface, the mess won't be all over the heating elements, and also won't burn causing smoke. But this is where the self cleaning feature can go horribly wrong. The temperature of self cleaning mode can go over 1000degress, this can cause a lot of issues with the elements, and because of the new and improved placement of the heating elements, it can make it harder to circulate and vent the air in the oven. So, when the oven reaches these sky-high temperatures, it can struggle to vent properly, which causes the elements to over heat, and blow and the control panel to burn out.

Even the manufacturers admit to knowing the potential damage a self cleaning feature can cause; they claim that people demand the feature. The feature is pushing the oven to extremes that it isn't designed for. Therefore it can essentially break the oven. Due to the hidden and fiddly heating elements, it can cost a fortune to fix them if they break, the parts and labor of the work are expensive. People are paying more for an oven with the self cleaning feature and end up paying even more because of the mode breaking the oven.

Those people that swear by the self cleaning feature, and say it hasn't ever damaged theirs are just lucky really because mechanically the ovens aren't engineered to reach such high temperatures. So, by using the self cleaning feature on the oven, there is a definite high risk of it breaking the oven.

Why People Use the Self Cleaning Oven Feature.

Most people tend to use the self cleaning feature to save them time and effort. But when the feature ends up breaking the oven, it ends up costing a lot of money and consuming a lot of time, which could have been avoided.

Many people don't realize that the self cleaning oven feature is dangerous to their health, pets, and can be very expensive to fix, which is why they still use it. But hopefully, if everyone was aware of these factors and risks, they would never use it again.

Some people say they could never live without the self cleaning feature, and they have had no problems so far. Until their oven breaks or the side effects result in an issue, they won't listen to others' opinions or learn their lesson.

I totally see why the self cleaning oven feature appeals to people, especially if you are a busy person with no time to spare, or a full household and have no time for deep cleans. But in the long run, it is more efficient and smart to find the time or hire someone to clean the oven for you, it will save you money and will halt any issues to health or pets.

Why You Should Never Use the Self Cleaning Oven Feature.

It Creates a Carbon Monoxide Build-up.

As you are all probably aware, Carbon Monoxide is super toxic to humans and can cause an array of problems. It has been revealed that the self cleaning feature on ovens can cause a build-up of Carbon Monoxide gas. It is hard to detect Carbon Monoxide, which is why it is even more dangerous because the gas might be being released in the air without you knowing, and it can cause poisoning if not detected.

This happens because of the build-up of old burnt and charred food in the oven. When it gets heated up at the high temperatures of the self cleaning mode; it can cause the food to release Carbon Monoxide.

To avoid burnt food heating up and potentially causing Carbon Monoxide, you shouldn't use the self cleaning oven feature. Instead, you should remove and clean the burnt food manually, using a scrubbing brush and hot soapy water, and specific oven cleaning products.

Avoid Using It For the Safety of Your Pets.

Our pets are a part of the family, whether you have cats, dogs, birds, or little furry friends, they are our best friends and rely on us for everything. We do everything in our power to keep them safe and ensure they aren't put in any danger. So why would you use the self cleaning feature when it can cause serious harm to animals. Not only do we love our pets, but vet bills can cost a fortune.

Using the self cleaning oven feature creates fumes; these fumes are incredibly hazardous to animals. Polytetrafluoroethylene toxicosis is the name of the fumes created during the self cleaning process; they are especially dangerous to the health of birds.

You may think back to times when you've used the self cleaning feature and wonder why your pets were acting weird, different, or seemed unwell; it will be because of the fumes given off during the self cleaning process.

Even if your kitchen is well ventilated, with all the windows open, these fumes can and will affect your beloved pets. So if you do use the self cleaning feature, ensure that all animals are outside, and they stay out of the house for a while after the process has finished too. Otherwise, you could end up with a very poorly pet, and even worse, it could lead to the passing of your pet. The last thing anyone wants is to lose their pet just because they didn't bypass the self cleaning mode.

It Can Have Harmful Effects on Those With Respiratory Health Issues or Asthma.

The Teflon coating inside ovens is designed to withstand the heat from regular cooking and baking, but it hasn't been made to withstand the highest temperatures of the self cleaning feature.

The fumes created by the heated up Teflon coating can cause coughing, wheezing, sweating, trouble to breathe, and other flu-like symptoms. If a person in your home suffers from asthma or other upper respiratory system troubles, it can be detrimental to their health and well being.

Someone who doesn't have breathing problems may be able to cope with the fumes created and not be noticeably affected. At the same time, those who are affected will have to endure awful flu-like symptoms, which can lead to other health issues or heighten the already existing health conditions.

Even if those with health conditions sit in a room far from the kitchen, with windows open, kitchen vents, and fans turned on, the fumes will still affect and reach them. The dangerous fumes will still be in the house in the air even after the self cleaning process has come to an end. It can take quite a while for the toxic fumes to dispel from a house.

So it is best to avoid using the self cleaning oven feature for the sake of those with health conditions, as well as those without it can cause an array of nasty flu symptoms.

Self Cleaning oven features Can Cause the Control Panel to Burn out, Or Lead to Fuses being Blown.

As previously said earlier, newer and modern ovens are built with the heating elements hidden, which is great for the look and ease of manual cleaning, and it also protects the elements. But, because of the placement, it is hard for the oven to dissipate, circulate, and vent the heat. When the control panel and elements get too hot, it can cause the elements and fuses to blow.

It can be costly to fix the elements in an oven, so what's the point in risking breaking them to use the self cleaning oven feature, when you can clean the oven manually. Kitchen appliances are expensive, especially the repair costs. Fridge repairs, dishwasher repairs, washer repairs, dryer repairs, and stove repairs can't be avoided as these appliances require repairs here and there naturally. They also aren't as expensive to fix as oven repairs are. All everyday kitchen appliances are vital to have and expensive to purchase, so you should avoid using the self cleaning oven feature to limit the risk of your oven breaking, and save yourself some pennies.

Manufacturers are highly aware of the downfall of self cleaning ovens and the problems they can cause, but buyers demand self cleaning features, so brands deliver. There isn't a way that manufacturers can design the ovens in a more efficient self cleaning way, which is why it should be avoided at all costs.

The elements can't handle the heat, and neither can the control panel, so they both end up burning out and breaking when the self cleaning oven feature is being used.

When an oven does break due to self cleaning, it can be very costly to fix; this is because the whole oven needs to be taken apart to get to the elements and control panel. More time, more labor, and more technical parts are required to fix the oven. So it is more cost-effective, and overall better to clean the oven manually, and stay well, well away from any self cleaning mode your oven may have.

Alternatives to Self Cleaning Mode.

There are a plethora of alternatives to the self cleaning oven mode. There are natural ways to clean your oven, easy methods, products you can buy, people you can hire; there are plenty of options.

Cleaning your oven can be super annoying, and it can be tricky to get rid of all the grime, grease, oil, and old food. It is a horrid chore, but it has to be done, so it is best to regularly clean the oven. Cleaning your oven little and often is reccomened it prevents a build-up of dirt and makes it easier and quicker to do a deep clean.

Final Words.

No one is denying that cleaning your oven is a burden and a task that no one enjoys. But you should never, ever use the self cleaning oven feature. Self cleaning mode comes with a variety of easily avoidable issues by cleaning the oven yourself or paying a professional company to clean it for you. There are many ways to clean your oven, so there is no need to invest in an oven with the self cleaning feature or to ever use it.