The advantages of traditional oven cleaners are power and speed. But for many of us, the disadvantages outweigh the good, specifically, the corrosive chemicals and caustic fumes that this type of oven cleaning can produce. Well, how do you clean an oven then?

A simple, more natural way for cleaning your oven is to place an oven-safe pot or bowl filled with water inside. Set your oven to 450 degrees for 20 to 60 minutes to loosen dirt and grease with the steam. Once your oven is cool, wipe off the condensation and the grease will come with it. If stubborn spots persist, scrub with a paste of baking soda and lemon or vinegar.

This steam-cleaning option doesn’t take as long as pyrolytic cleaning and doesn’t produce smoke, either. It’s a win-win.

Leave a mess for days (or months)

Let food mess get to the oven floor

Put in frozen food that should be thawed

Assume the temperature is accurate

Use the convection setting on the wrong foods

Leave the racks in when self-cleaning

Skip cleaning the nooks and crannies

Leave the knobs grubby

Cook with wax paper

Put items straight on the heating element