In short: take the racks out, then either run the self clean cycle exactly as your oven's manual says or clean it by hand with a baking soda paste. Do it at least a day before you hand back the keys, and do the racks, the door glass and the drawer under the oven too.
Why the oven matters at move out
The oven is one of the first things a landlord opens at the walkthrough, and grease left inside is a cleaning charge a landlord can usually claim from your deposit if the oven was clean when you moved in. See when a landlord can charge for cleaning. It is also the slowest job in the kitchen: a heavily greased oven can take an hour or more by hand.
Option 1: the self clean cycle
A self cleaning oven heats to a very high temperature and burns food soil to a fine ash. Whirlpool's care pages give these cautions. Your own manual comes first:
- Take out the racks, the broiler pan and grid, any pans and any foil. Whirlpool says to always remove the racks before a self clean
- Empty the storage drawer under the oven and move plastic items off the cooktop so nothing melts
- Do not rub, clean or move the door gasket, the soft seal around the door. It keeps the oven sealed
- Do not use commercial oven cleaner in a self cleaning oven. Whirlpool advises against it
- Ventilate the kitchen and keep the oven vent clear. The cycle gives off heat, smoke and odors, more when the oven is very dirty
- Move pet birds to another closed, well ventilated room. Whirlpool warns that the fumes can kill some birds
The door locks during the cycle and stays locked until the oven has cooled. On one type of GE range the cycle runs 2 hours for light soil or 3 hours for heavy soil, and the lock releases about 30 to 40 minutes after it ends. Times vary by model, so check your manual. When the oven is cool, wipe the ash out with a damp cloth.
Option 2: clean it by hand
Use this if the oven is not self cleaning, the manual is missing or the oven only needs a light clean.
- Start with a cool oven. Take out the racks and lay towels under the door to catch drips
- Mix half a cup of baking soda with 3 tablespoons of water into a spreadable paste
- Spread it over the top, sides, bottom and inside of the door, keeping it off the door gasket
- Leave it at least 20 minutes, or overnight for heavy grease
- Scrape gently with a plastic scraper or a nonscratch sponge
- Spray with white vinegar, wipe with a damp cloth and repeat until no paste is left
The racks
Soak the racks in hot water with half a cup of dish soap or about a cup of laundry detergent for at least 2 hours, or overnight. A bathtub works if they do not fit the sink; lay an old towel in it first to protect the finish. Scrub with a stiff brush or steel wool, rinse and dry them fully so they do not rust. Racks with a special finish need the method in your manual.
The door glass
Clean the inside of the glass with the paste and the outside with vinegar or glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Marks between the two panes usually mean taking the door apart, which Whirlpool advises against because it may affect the warranty. In a rental, leave it. If the glass was already marked when you moved in, your move in photos are the proof.
The drawer under the oven and the stovetop
- On many gas ranges the drawer under the oven is a broiler. Take out the broiler pan and grid to soak and scrub them, then wipe out the drawer
- On others it is a storage drawer. Empty it and wipe it out, as landlords open it too
- Clean the stovetop, knobs and drip pans. Do the range hood filter too, as it collects grease the same way
For the rest of the kitchen, use our move out cleaning checklist. The oven is part of every move out clean: send a request for a move out clean and a local cleaner will call you to quote.