If the oven smells unpleasant or downright stinky, it can have very different causes. Food residues or dirt are not always to blame for the smell in the oven, even a new oven can smell strongly. We will show you here what the causes of the odor nuisance can be and how they can be eliminated.
Investigate the cause
The first question you need to ask yourself is the age of the oven. If the oven has been in use for a long time, you should check the other causes and go into the oven with a strong flashlight:
- new oven not sufficiently burned in
- hidden dirt residues
- sponge or cleaner residues burned onto heating element
- dirt residues inside above heating elements
odor in new oven
Most manufacturers state directly in the operating instructions that the oven must first be baked or burned out before it is put into operation. Varnish, grease and polishing paste (20,40 € at Amazon*) n small amounts can cause a very unpleasant odor in the oven and on the heating elements. Therefore, the oven must first be properly burned out at high temperature.
- Remove trays and grids from the oven
- heat the oven to 225 degrees – top and bottom heat
- heat for about one hour
- if possible switch on circulating air
- open oven door – turn off temperature
- Let circulating air continue to run
- Ventilate the room well
Cleaning devil
Household sponges do not last forever and they tend to dissolve over time. If this happens unnoticed in an oven, the sponge can melt as the oven heats up. This, of course, has a particularly unpleasant smell of burnt plastic. The only thing that helps here is to burn out the oven again.
Heating elements
Many people clean their ovens very thoroughly. Unfortunately, it is quite human to rarely look up when doing so. Cheese and grease splatters often get through the heating elements to the inside above the heating elements. There they can hardly be found during normal cleaning. If possible, you should fold the heating rods down completely or take them out and clean them thoroughly there.
Tips & Tricks
An oven that cleans with pyrolysis ensures that the baked-on dirt is burned off with its high temperature during the cleaning function. Similarly, you can also use once in between the burn-in actually intended for the new oven for cleaning.
Elizabeth Green
Elizabeth Green is a seasoned home chef and culinary expert who has a passion for all things kitchen-related. With her extensive knowledge of the latest kitchen products and appliances, Elizabeth provides insightful reviews and recommendations to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. Whether you're looking for a new refrigerator, blender, or cookware set, Elizabeth is your guide to finding the best kitchen products available in the UK.
