Your Dishwasher Tablets Can Actually Clean Your Oven Window—Here’s How

There are plenty of ideas floating around about how to clean your oven and your stove top, but what about those stubborn stains on your oven window? We’ve tried using natural ingredients like baking soda and vinegar, and we’ve tried a more hardcore approach with a steel wool pad and heavy-duty degreaser. Both methods worked well enough. But some people swear this clever oven cleaning trick works best of all. The secret tool? A dishwasher tablet!

How to clean your oven with a dishwasher tablet

All you need for this hack is a dishwasher tablet (or two) and a bowl of warm water. Many have reported success with Finish Deep Clean tablets. (Just make sure that whichever brand you use, you buy the pressed powder tablets and not the gel pods.)

Here’s what to do:

• Step 1: Dip the pod in warm water

• Step 2: Hold it in the water long enough to soak up a bit, but not so long that it starts to crumble

• Step 3: Use the tablet to scrub, no sponge needed

• Step 4: Laying the tablet flat, use your palm to move the tablet in a circular motion to scrub away the stains

If the tablet starts to dry out, dip it in warm water again. This method works on the glass and is also effective on the surrounding metal part of the oven door (although you might need to apply a little more pressure).

When you’re finished, wipe away any residue with a damp cloth. Before you use the self-cleaning option on your oven, you need to know these things first.

Why it works

Dishwasher tablets are made of concentrated dishwasher detergent and their main promise is to cut through tough grease and leave your dishes sparkling. It makes sense that those powerful cleaning agents work on oven grease and food stains as well, especially since the tablets promise to remove baked-on food, and stains in the oven are definitely baked-on. Plus, the hard powder tablets have an abrasive surface that helps scour away stuck-on stains but is gentle enough not to scratch the oven glass.

Next, find out the best way to clean the oven hood.

The Best Oven Cleaners

How to Clean Your Kitchen

How to Clean a Dishwasher

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