In fact, there are a number of reasons why you might be encountering an unfortunately smoky oven – and for safety reasons, you’ll want to make sure you’re diagnosing the problem correctly.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of five potential causes of oven smoke. Take a look to start considering what your oven’s issue might be.
Here’s an obvious one to start off with!
We’ve all burned some food in the oven at one time or another. Maybe we left some cookies in there a little too long and they turned into charcoal. Perhaps part of a meal was too close to a heating element and got charred. It’s also possible that your dish in the oven included some parchment paper that has started to toast in the heat.
Another answer might be that you were baking something that dripped or overflowed and has now created a lake of lava on the oven floor. If that’s the case, you’ll want to clean it up as soon as it’s safe to do so. Otherwise, the spilt food residue could turn into our next cause of a smoky oven…
It’s astonishing how a clean oven can grow grimy and dirty before you notice. This might happen due to a spill or drips, as we’ve mentioned, but it’s also just a natural part of baking. Food such as meat roasts can easily splatter grease in the heat, which will harden and remain on the interior of your oven. Other foods like pizzas can drop flakes or crumbs.
If your oven’s window is starting to look discoloured, if there are crumbs or burnt spills on the bottom of your oven, or if it’s simply been over six months since the oven’s last deep-cleaning – then it might be time to get those oven cleaning materials out. Otherwise, you could be facing a dangerous situation as well as unpleasant burnt odours in your food.
But while we’re mentioning cleaning, it’s worth noting that another cause of oven smoke can be…
Cleaning your own oven is often quite a tricky task. Ovens are frequently located at heights that are difficult to reach – whether that means you have to kneel down to clean them or reach up high. It can also be difficult to see well inside the oven to make sure you’ve done a good job. And then on top of all this, there’s the factor of unfamiliarity. Weekly cleaning tasks can become familiar enough to be automatic, but a seasonal oven clean might leave you pondering – how did I do this last time?
All these challenges can result in a bad outcome – oven cleaner residue left in the oven the next time it heats up. That can be a serious issue, as harsh oven cleaning chemicals can be unsafe when heated up and very unpleasant to smell.
This is just one reason why having a professional oven clean can be both safer and easier. An expert oven cleaner can take care of the job far more quickly, and they’ll know exactly how to clean all the nooks and crannies of your oven so that neither cleaning chemicals nor dirt are left behind.
Fourth on our list of oven smoke causes is a surprising one.
A brand-new oven may produce a slight smoke or a smell like burning plastic on its first one or two uses. This can be due to residue left over from the oven’s manufacture.
If you think this might be your issue, you’ll of course want to double-check that there are no objects or packaging left in your oven that shouldn’t be there. Then you might want to take a look at your oven’s instruction manual. It will typically give directions about how to “bake off” any new oven smoke or smell. Usually, you’ll be advised not to cook anything in your new oven until the smell and smoke are gone, as these will taint your food with a chemical odour.
Lastly, let’s talk about the most serious cause of a smoky oven.
Put simply, if your oven has a fault or a broken component, this can cause smoking. It goes without saying that this can present a real danger. If your oven is smoking because of something like a damaged heating element, you’ll want to get it repaired as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could be risking a fire.
If you’ve got oven smoke caused by food spills and spatters either old or new, why not get a professional to handle it? That way, you can avoid the painful scrubbing involved in a DIY oven clean that often doesn’t give you the best results. Plus, with an expert oven clean, you’ll know that you’ll end up with an oven that’s properly cleaned and won’t contain harmful cleaning residue that will vaporise in an oven’s heat.
All Seasons Clean provides just this type of service to our customers in Nottingham or Derby. For as little as £15, our pro oven cleaning will leave you with an oven that’s sparkling and pristine – without even using dangerous caustic chemicals. Our cleaners really know their stuff, so they can tackle any kind of oven, from gas to electric to ranges.
If you’re dealing with oven smoke that’s caused by burned-on grime in your oven, worry no more. Just get in touch with us today to get a free, no-obligation quote or set up an appointment. You can also call us on 0115 772 2513 (for Nottingham), 01332 492 513 (for Derby) or just email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
