Heavy GREASE: how to use Bon Ami, Oven Cleaner, etc - YIKES.

[Kara]

Thank you for making me feel so welcome! 

Hopefully you are all sound asleep, gathering your strength for Thanksgiving tomorrow.

Me? Oh, I've been cleaning my new-to-me Flair. OMG.

I visited my local hardware store and picked up a few things:

Celo Non-Scratch pad (one side is non-scratch, the other is just a wiping side)

Dobie Pad with handle (plastic)

4 sponges for wiping

2 cans of Bon Ami

6 rolls of paper towels

Oven Cleaner (blue can)

Palmolive

and gloves. :)

So. I have more questions: 

Bon Ami: says not to use it on glass? How do you use this (like, literally). Is it supposed to sit? So, if you are making a paste, you apply it with the non-scratch scrubby. You wipe off the surface with a paper towel, then? Or do you rinse it somehow? I tried making a paste of Bon Ami, water and Palmolive (read that on here) - that doesn't seem to make a dent on the heavily caked on grease (the underneath lip of the oven door, in particular).

Oven Cleaner (blue can, "fume free"): the interior of the oven is HEAVILY greased. it says not to spray on electrical elements, heating elements, etc - and wonder about that. Do you cover the heating elements with something? What about the bottom of the oven which has all kinds of gunk underneath the heating elements...how do I get to that area to clean it? I also read somewhere (here?) that the Oven Cleaner will actually damage the aluminum, so I certainly don't want to do that. Do you just cover the sliding aluminum drawer in someway? Do you absolutely have to close the door for it to work? If there is heavily encrusted areas of the stove (on the outside), can I spot spray and let it sick overnight?

I'm exhausted...I'm patient, though, and know that with elbow grease, this thing will shine! Believe it or not, I've been able to free up some of this grease just using water and the Dobie scrubber. Once it losens up, I wipe away the crud and the chrome is super shiny. :)

But there are parts that I cannot seem to budge - thinking I am doing something wrong: What am I missing? In particular, the glass covering the fluorescent light is brown. I'm assuming that if I unscrew the screw on either side, that's the way to access the bulb to change it, and perhaps the glass piece can be removed to soak?

Told you I'd be asking stupid questions. 

I am terrified of doing something that will ruin it - it was given to us for free, so we want to be sure to give it special attention.

~Kara

[Andrew Gangestad]

Hi Kara,

I also own a 30 inch Flair and do have to say that it will be a task to clean.  I cleaned mine up as well and it was a chore but it is attainable!  We are about to put our turkey in the oven...my wife likes to cook it overnight and wake up to the smell of turkey cooking.  We haven't had our oven working in the last four years and it was time for me to get someone over to look at it and a friend of mine was able to help me out and thanks to Steve Sansone...we got the parts needed to get it going again!  

But..enough about me and on to your questions...

First and foremost, I remember someone telling you to avoid Bon Ami cleaner because it can scratch...I THINK that it is an abrasive cleaner...like Comet or such.  Be careful with this because you don't want to scratch the interior of  your oven.  

The blue can of spray cleaner is a good way to start.  First, you should be able to pull out the bottom element without taking any screws or anything out.  Mine just pulls out.  That way, you have complete access to everything on the bottom of the oven.  Just a note too...when you get it cleaned up...just in case...put some heavy duty aluminum foil down there before you plug the element back in.  That way if you have a mess...you can pull out the foil....

I also remember seeing someone tell you about a razor to clean the glass...I can tell you right away that it works and works REALLY well...you can get a single edge razor that is a window cleaner...something similar to this and it is rather cheap: http://www.thepaintstore.com/Steel_Glass_Scraper_p/gs1.htm?1=1&CartID=0

I would also recommend Simple Green.  Use it full strength and it is biodegradable and works well to cut the grease.  I use to live in NYC for 7 years and found that this was one of the few cleaners that could clean NYC "scum" off of the wire bakers rack in my kitchen.  Spray it on and let it sit..another really cheap and east glass cleaner is to find an empty spray bottle and small amount of dish soap in it and fill the rest with water...this is the secret that professional window cleaners use to wash windows...and if you use "dawn" that helps to take grease out of your way...it can help as well.  Sometimes vinegar and water is also a good way to cut grease.  But spray it on the glass and use the scraper and you will be surprised how easy and quick it will clean up.

I would go ahead with the spray cleaner inside and let it sit..the longer the better...and wipe it out with the wet sponge.  Yes...use your gloves and protect your skin...the cleaner is usually caustic and this will help. It may take two or three times to clean it up but with the wet sponge...it should clean up....be careful with the scrubby side of the sponge though.  You really don't want to scratch the inside of the coating inside the oven...So hopefully that will help.

In regards to the glass for the light...mine just comes out but if there are screws holding it in...then yes...you should be able to pull it out and soak it or use the other trick to clean it up.  

You shouldn't have any issues with the cleaner on the pull out drawer...just be careful with where you spray it....and also when you go to wipe it out...be careful of the water....not too much!

Also...if you look at the oven door...there should be two "buttons" on the top of the door when you pull it out...if you push those in...at least on mine...that will release the top of the door...like a double hung window...and that can make it easier to clean...

Hopefully this little bit...okay...rather long bit...will help you with your cleaning...again...this only comes from my own personal experience and with my flair...

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Andy

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[Debbie Hintzer]

if you can find "scum off", I'm telling you that stuff is amazing and non-toxic...fume free. 

[D. J. Langehennig]

Congrats on the Flair! 

Just a quick note to let you know, Bon Ami will not scratch. It is completely safe. I use Bon Ami and newspaper on the glass when detailing my BMWs twice each year.  It is not Comet.

Good luck with the cleaning. The attention it gets will be well worth it.

[Mark Day]

Use simple green extreme.

it works!!

Mark Day

[rickwin...@ca.rr.com]

About cleaning your Flair-Sorry I didn't see this until now (12/11)-Heavy cleaning is my thing. I have a RCIB-645. It came with my house 21 years ago and I will probably take it with me if I ever move. Okay, if I retire to the Caribbean I may have to leave it behind, but otherwise... I digress.
Do not underestimate the power of Arm & Hammer baking soda. Used with a teflon/nylon scrubbing pad, a little water and lots of elbow grease you can even clean off the baked on black coating that seems impregnable. You can add some Barkeepers Friend if you like for a little more scrubbing power. Just don't overdo it. Use this method to clean the glass cover for the light, too.
Regarding cleaning around the oven heating elements-you don't have to! Gently pull on the back of the element near where it attaches to the oven and it should (should) slide off. Just set it aside and attack the bottom of the oven.
Easy-Off makes a stove top cleaner that is less toxic than the oven cleaner and it works pretty good on baked on gunk without the noxious fumes and rubber gloves, unless you have sensitive skin.
Hope this helps some of you.
Rick W