Cleaning the Cooker

I know this is a blog about food, but in order to cook you have to use something to cook it.  I used to dread cleaning the cooker as I hated using harsh chemicals on it.


Not any more,I give you my top tips for cleaning cookers.  The main secret is Bicarbonate of Soda

Materials

1. Large quantities of bicarbonate of soda (not the little supermarket baking pots)
2. Warm water
3. Bowl
4. Cloth
5. A paint brush
6. A scraper or some sorts, I use a plastic pollyfiller knife and a butter knife, but a wallpaper scraper is fine

You can get larger quantities of bicarbonate of soda from your local chemist or online.  I have used Summer Naturals in the past.

Method

• Mix the bicarb and water into a thick paste, so that it doesn't drip
• Use the paint brush to coat the paste across the oven door and walls
• Leave for at least 30 minutes to allow the brown residue to begin to soften and melt
• Scrape off the paste
• For any stubborn areas reapply the paste and repeat
• Using a clean cloth make sure you remove all residue
• You can also do the same with the shelves and racks, but I would advise leaving for an hour or so and making the paste lightly thicker, so you can get it on.  Also a butter knife is the perfect scraper for them

If you have any suggestions for oven cleaning, I would love to hear them.