On May 30, 10:31*am, Danny D wrote:
On Thu, 30 May 2013 09:01:50 -0700, Roy wrote:
Please use proper gloves and use a recommended oven cleaner.

Makes no sense to clean an oven without understanding HOW
the oven cleaning process works (and what it is that is
happening to the crud, and what that crud actually is).

I looked up oven cleaners, and the EPA says they're just
potassium or sodium hydroxide but it doesn't say HOW they work
or what it is that they're cleaning.

Googling a bit more, I see that "saponification" of the baked
on oils and fats is apparently the main mechanism. Hmmm...
how does lye do that? I wonder...

Never having cleaned an oven, I wonder aloud why not just soap
& water; but then I read all the reports on how "elbow grease"
is the key ingredient for good results, despite manufacturer's
claims to the contrary.

Googling for "how oven cleaners actually work", I see people
recommend anything but soap and water!

They use:
a. Lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide)
b. Diethyl glycol alkyl ethers
c. Ethanolamine
d. Ammonia
e. Citrus oils
f. Baking soda + vinegar
g. Borax
h. Washing soda (whatever that is + dish detergent
i. Salt (sodium chloride)
(and probably a few more)

I'm going to sign up for Consumer Reports and see what they
have to say about how oven cleaners really work.

REF:http://greenliving.nationalgeographi...en-clean-oven/

Big Snip

HOW they work

more snipage

"saponification" of the baked
on oils and fats is apparently the main mechanism. Hmmm...
how does lye do that?

......chemistry?