How to Clean an Oven for End of Tenancy (and When to Call the Pros)

If there's one thing inventory clerks open first, it's the oven door. Baked-on grease is obvious, hard to fake and almost always recorded — which is why the oven is the single most commonly flagged item at checkout. Here's how to clean it properly.

Step by step

1. 1Remove the racks, side runners and anything else that lifts out
2. 2Soak the racks in hot water with washing-up liquid or a biological detergent — overnight if they're bad
3. 3Apply a quality oven cleaner (or a baking soda paste) to the interior, avoiding the heating elements and fan
4. 4Leave it to work for the time stated on the product — patience does most of the job
5. 5Scrub with a non-scratch pad, then wipe away the residue with a damp cloth, repeating until clean
6. 6Clean the glass door — lift-out doors are easier, and baking soda shifts the brown film between the panes
7. 7Rinse and dry the racks, refit everything, and polish the exterior and handle

Don't forget the extractor and hob

Clerks treat the cooking area as a set. Degrease the hob and splashback, and wash or replace the extractor filters — metal mesh filters can go in the dishwasher or a hot soak. A gleaming oven next to a greasy extractor still reads as 'not cleaned'.

When it's worth calling a professional

Oven cleaning is the job people most often give up on. Professionals use heated dip-tanks for the racks and trays and commercial-grade products that lift carbon DIY methods can't touch, and they'll do it without filling your kitchen with fumes on moving day.

Because appliances are usually priced individually, you can simply add the oven (and the hob, extractor or fridge) to a full appliance clean or an end of tenancy clean and have the whole kitchen handled at once.

If you're tackling the rest of the property yourself, our end of tenancy checklist covers every other room so nothing gets missed.