Cleaning out your oven is never an exciting task. Not only do you have to be extra thorough and reach every nook and cranny of the oven’s interior, but the entire chore can take up a lot of time and energy. Think about all the grease and oils trapped in your oven. That’s going to require a lot of scrubbing and top-tier cleaning products.
We know how attractive self-cleaning features can be when purchasing modern ovens. Why put in the effort when it has a self-cleaning option, right? Well, as much as you want to avoid tackling those oven racks and heating elements, we suggest doing it yourself. Why? For a multitude of reasons that we’re going to cover throughout this post:
Why Is There a Self-Cleaning Oven Feature?
The self-cleaning oven feature was developed for homeowners who want to save time and effort. It’s why the feature has been popular since it was first introduced by Thermador in 1963.
But since then, many people have had mixed feelings about the oven feature. Some have claimed that the oven never cooked food properly after using the self-cleaning function, while others experienced their oven breaking down after using the feature. If the oven isn’t working as it used to, you’re right back to where you started in the first place: Wasting time and effort.
Here are some reasons not to use this specific oven feature before you decide that you can’t live without it:
Reasons To Avoid the Self-Cleaning Mode
Carbon Monoxide Build-Up
The self-cleaning mode can emit carbon monoxide—toxic fumes that can harm you, your family, and your pets, and produce a plethora of other problems. Studies have confirmed that carbon monoxide is created and released by the self-cleaning functions of ovens.
The more you use this function, the more carbon monoxide can build up in your home. The problem with this fact is that carbon monoxide emissions are difficult to detect and are often called “the silent killer” as they can slowly poison you over a period of days. That’s why we recommend you check your carbon monoxide detector. The last thing you want is for anyone to be at risk of poisoning.
Harmful Effects on People With Respiratory Issues
Many modern ovens have Teflon coating inside to withstand the extreme heat from baking and cooking. The issue is that while the Teflon coating inside of the oven can handle the heat of your controlled temperatures, it can’t withstand the heat from the self-cleaning cycle.
During the self-clean process, the heated Teflon can create dangerous fumes that cause coughing, wheezing, sweating, and trouble breathing. Teflon fumes can also bring on other flu-like symptoms and are often the first indication that toxic emissions are in the air.
If someone in the house has asthma or other respiratory issues, their condition could worsen significantly. Those without any asthmatic issues may be able to endure the fumes, but those affected may experience horrible flu-like symptoms that can lead to further health problems.
Even if you spend most of your time in a different part of the house with proper airflow, the fumes can still linger and stay in the air for a long time before they disappear.
Animal Safety
Anyone with a pet will tell you that vet bills can be incredibly expensive. When you use the self-cleaning oven feature, it can create fumes that are hazardous to animals. Why risk the health and safety of your pet when deciding to use the self-cleaning oven feature? These fumes are referred to as polytetrafluoroethylene toxicosis.
If you’ve ever used the self-cleaning feature with pets around, you may have noticed that they were acting strange or got sick. That would be because of the fumes from the self-cleaning process. Next time you consider using this oven feature, consider the well-being of your pets. The fumes from the self-clean can be fatal to your beloved animal, and the last thing you want is for them to suffer the consequences of your self-cleaning oven.
Damage to the Control Panel
Because of the heating elements hidden inside, it can be hard for the oven to dissipate, circulate, and vent the heat. When the oven can’t ventilate the heat, it can cause damage to the control panel by blowing the element or fuses. Fixing a blown fuse or element can be a costly bill.
Even with manufacturers aware of the damages that self-cleaning ovens can cause, they still put out the feature because so many consumers demand it. There is currently no way for newer ovens to be designed with a self-cleaning feature that doesn’t damage the appliance. The control panel simply can’t handle the heat from the self-cleaning feature and will break or burn out.
What Are the Alternatives?
The more natural ways to clean your oven, the better. Do what you can to avoid using the self-cleaning option. Hire cleaners, research better cleaning methods, or use better cleaning products.
If you stay on top of cleaning your oven on your own, you can cut down on the hassle of performing a massive clean. We recommend hand-cleaning your oven often to reduce the risk of dirt, grease, and grime build-up.
Again, we can see why the self-cleaning oven may seem like a useful feature, but you should avoid it at all costs. There are so many problems that you can thwart by cleaning the oven yourself. If there’s an issue with your oven, contact appliance repair in Ottawa. They can provide tips and a helping hand with all-things appliances.