In all my years cooking I have never had this problem. Last night my son came upstairs at midnight and said mom I just did something awful. He works til 11 at night and usually eats some dinner when he gets home. So he put a frozen pizza in the oven. He said he could hear it sizzeling and smelled burned cheese. So he went to check on it. one of the edges had melted down between the wire racks so the cheese was just melting straight down to the bottom of the stove. he tried to turn it a little bit and instead the whole thing flipped over splashing him, the door of the stove, the side and the bottom. now luckily I always keep a sheet of aluminon foil in the bottom but it was to hot to clean the sides and door last night. I told him to just shut it off and we would deal with it today. well of course I forgot it and now its a hardened on mess. my stove doesn't have the self cleaning function. any ideas?
I agree with the hot water in there. For my microwave, I put in a bowl of vinegar and heat it for a few minutes, then everything just wipes out easily. So a similar thing would probably work for the oven........get it nice and steamy in there and the stuff should wipe/scrub out.
I would try both the suggestions of the previous commenters (using plastic spatula... so you don't scratch the interior).
And can I just commend you on NOT going off on your son? It is so easy to get easily upset over something like that, especially late at night. Way to go, Mom! Your son is blessed to have someone like you leading the way. :)
I'd put a pan of hot water in there and heat the oven up a bit.
This should soften and moisten it up.
Then use a hard plastic spatula to scrape up all you can.
Repeat a few times till you have it all cleaned up.
When I use a skillet that isn't non stick and a LOT of stuff sticks to it I put water in it and bring it to a boil. I leave it boiling for a few minutes then let it sit to see how easy or hard the stuff is to get off now.
I suggest you do the same thing. Put an OLD 13"X9" pan in with water in it. Heat it up to a boiling temp then let it go for a while. Then when it's steamed for a while put on a glove and get a hard plastic pancake turner and go after the goo. Repeat as needed.
I would use a metal spatula and get as much off as you can with it. Then get some oven cleaner, spray it and leave it on for an hour or so. Where rubber gloves and lots of paper towels.
Good luck!
Scrape off the excess then use Easy-Off.
I use Easy-Off oven cleaner. It smells horrible, but gets the job done.
S.
YIKES!! I hope your son is okay - burned by cheese hurts!!
What would I do? I would try two different things - first - I would use the stove cleaning solutions - spray - let it set and wipe it. If you don't want to do that - you would need to heat it up again - if you have a casserole dish - fill it with water and put it in the oven and turn it on for about 15 minutes...the water SHOULD evaporate and loosen the cheese off the sides...yes...the oven will be hot - but you should be able to let it set for 15 minutes and wipe it off.
Good luck!
You've already got some good responses for cleaning. Pizza stones are awesome. I would get one to prevent this from happening again. Be sure to read the directions on how to clean it because you can't use soap on it.
Honestly, if it does't scrape off easily I just leave it and it burns off in time. Every once in awhile I vacuum out ash from the (cold) oven.
yup, soften 'er up with hot water and heat, then scrape gently, then easy-off. and i'd have him do it!
and another commendation for you for not having a cow.
:) khairete
S.
Sooooo... It's not a self cleaning oven then?
Cute relationship. It sounds like me and my son.
