At a Glance:
What is an Oven Self Clean Cycle?
How Does an Oven Self Clean Cycle Work?
Why You Should Avoid the Self Clean Cycle
When is the Right Time to Use the Self Clean Mode?
How Long Does an Oven Self Clean Take?
How to Use Self Clean on GE Ovens
Top Ovens with Self Clean Cycles
As you prepare for the upcoming festivities, your holiday season to-do list will quickly fill up with endless cleaning and organizing tasks. One task that some holiday hosts automatically add to their checklists is to run the oven self-clean cycle. However, this might not be the best decision.
In general, we recommend not using your self clean oven feature until after the holiday season. Here’s what you need to know about this cycle, why you need to be strategic about when to use it, and tips on how to self clean oven interiors if you find you have no other option.
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Shop NowWhat is Oven Self Clean Cycle?
The oven self clean cycle is designed to reduce the amount of scrubbing and scraping you need to do when removing baked-on food particles from your oven. The oven doesn’t magically clean itself for you but instead makes the cleaning part easier as a whole. The vast majority of ovens will have some sort of automatic cleaning cycle, whether it’s using traditional high-temperature settings or the power of steam.
How Does an Oven Self Clean Cycle Work?
The oven self-clean feature brings up the temperature to extreme levels to the point where any food particles or grime are incinerated inside the oven. The average person prepares meals at 350°F while the self clean mode ups the ante to high-heat levels not accessible during normal baking settings.
For example, the GE self clean oven feature brings the temperature up to 880°F. Although not as common, some ovens even exceed 1000°F during the self-clean cycle, burning off any food that has spilled on oven walls and floors.
After you run the oven cleaning cycle and the interior has cooled, all that’s left to do is to take a sponge or damp cloth and remove the incinerated particles, which should look like ashes. These are easier to clean out, leaving your oven sparkling and ready to use. Alternatively, if you have a shop vac, you can also make the job easier by siphoning up the debris before going over the surface with a wet towel.
Why You Should Avoid the Self Clean Cycle
For most people, it makes sense to run the oven self clean cycle before the holiday season. Cooking meals in a clean oven makes sense—especially if friends, guests, or in-laws will also use the oven. However, this is a risky move. While a self clean oven is useful in theory, it doesn’t always work as it should.
First, your oven isn’t made to reach such extreme temperatures, which means you could potentially break your appliance by using the self-clean mode. This is a nightmare right before the holidays because you will need to scramble to replace your current oven. Even if your oven keeps working, the self-clean mode can break the internal thermostat, causing it to run hot or cold. You risk burning some of your favorite holiday dishes because your oven is unreliable.
But if the oven self-clean cycle is so risky, why do appliance manufacturers continue to produce it? Simply put, because of customer demand. Users want a self cleaning cycle in their ovens, so manufacturers continue to include the function as part of their oven lineup.
When is the Right Time to Use the Self Clean Mode?
If you still want to use your self clean feature, we recommend running it after the holiday season. For starters, your oven will likely be dirty from all of the cooking you plan to do anyway. Running it post-holiday meals means you only have to run the cycle once, reducing damage and cutting down on the overall work required for the job.
Remember, you’re dealing with high temperatures when you activate the oven self clean mode. Especially during the holidays when family and children are around, it can be risky having hot surfaces easily accessible. Not to mention, there’s bound to be plenty of smoke as stuck-on food burn, so you’ll need to keep the kitchen ventilated and free of people (which is easier said than done during the holidays).
How Long Does an Oven Self Clean Take?
Every oven is different, which means your appliance will have varying times for the self-clean cycle. For instance, most GE self cleaning oven processes last between two and five hours. This is another reason to avoid using this cycle before the holidays since you will need to watch your oven during this time to make sure it is still working and your kitchen is safe. With an endless list of holiday tasks, few people have the time to watch over their self-cleaning ovens.
How to Use Self Clean on GE Ovens
For our case study, we focused on one of the more widely available oven brands on the market: GE. The GE oven self clean cycle provides a general idea of what to expect when running the cleaning mode.
There is good news if you want to use this feature. For the most part, GE oven self clean instructions are easy to follow. This is as simple as removing the oven racks to wash separately, double-checking that the oven is empty, and turning on the self-clean feature. Your oven will beep and turn off when the self-clean cycle is complete. If your oven is Wi-Fi compatible, most models send an automatic notification to a connected smart device one the oven setting is done.
In most cases, manufacturers warn users not to clean oven racks using the self cleaning mode.
You can wash the oven racks with a sponge in the sink or place them in your dishwasher if they are compatible and can fit. Once your oven is cool, you can wipe away the incinerated ash and then replace the clean racks. Your appliance is now ready to use.
Top Ovens with Self Clean Cycles
If you are interested in an oven with a self-clean feature, check out a few top appliances by GE our appliance experts have hand-picked and reviewed for the easiest holiday oven meal cleanup.
GE® 30" Stainless Steel Single Electric Wall Oven
This GE electric oven self clean model is a simple setup that has all you need for holiday meals and more. Make the holiday meal routine easier with built-in WiFi that can be managed through the SmartHQ App along with Scan to Cook technology. All you need to do is scan a barcode with your phone and the oven will self-program with the right time and temperature. Unlike ordinary self clean ovens, this pick using steam, offering a safer approach to oven cleanup without the use of harsh chemicals.
Featured GE JTS3000SNSS review: “It's perfect. My kids and I have been doing a lot of baking ever since we got it. The best thing is the self cleaning option. No more scrubbing after cooking.”
GE Profile™ 30" Stainless Steel Electric Built In Single Oven
Looking for an oven to impress the family during the holidays? This GE Profile oven with self clean has the bells and whistles to do the trick. You can easily program your appliance with the interactive touchscreen, and wow guests as you check on your food with the in-oven camera. Plus, with upgrades like an air fry mode to whip up ‘tizers before the meal and European convection for the perfect turkey, this oven will make any cook look good. It’s no wonder more than 94% of customers would recommend this oven to others.
Featured GE Profile PTS9000SNSS review: “It is very convenient to be able to preheat the oven from anywhere I am as long as I have my phone. If I am upstairs and forgot to turn on the oven, I can do it via the app on my phone. Technology is a marvel!”
Café™ Professional Series 30" Stainless Steel Single Electric Wall Oven
If you are looking to add an elite oven to your home, you can’t go wrong with this GE Café oven self clean option. The most notable feature is the French doors, which allow you to open your oven by moving the doors to the side rather than pulling down a single door. This gives you added flexibility when checking on your food while also creating a safer cooking experience. This is one of the best top-rated ovens on the market with more than 96% of buyers recommending it.
Featured Café CTS90FP2NS1 review: “We needed an undercounter oven for my remodeled kitchen in a relatively tight space so the French door style was a perfect solution. The oven is amazing. So many great features. I love to bake and this oven loves baking! Highly recommend.”
To recap, the oven self clean mode is a valuable tool that can help with holiday cleanup, but knowing how to use the setting is pivotal. If you still have questions, feel free to contact us today. Whether you shop online or in-store-, our experts can help you find a new wall oven or set of double wall ovens and answer all your questions you have about these appliances.
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At Ken’s, we pride ourselves on being more than just a store - we are your total home solution. Having served Grand Island for so many years, it matters to us that we only provide the best products. Shop ovens and ranges online or visit us today at our Grand Island, NE showroom. Our experts are always available to help you better understand the oven self-clean features before you use them, whether you call us or use our online text feature. Contact us today!
Learn More: Exploring the Must-Have Features of GE Profile Washers