According to the pros, this function poses a serious risk.
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For most households, cleaningthe ovenis a despised chore.
Leave it uncleaned, and fallen crumbs and drips could pose fire hazards.
Credit:Grace Cary/Getty
Pushing that self-cleaning button seems like an easy solution out of a dream.
Dont act too quickly though, because using yourovens self-cleaning functioncould be a huge mistake.
Rob Davisis the owner and lead technician ofGeneral Appliance Servicein Boynton Beach, Florida.
Read his blog on the safety risks of self-cleaning ovenshere.
An ovens self-cleaning function can threaten yourovenswell-being and even pose safety hazards.
Heres what you’re gonna wanna know.
Reasons You Should Not Use Your Oven’s Self-Cleaning Function
It can break your oven.
Running the self-cleaning function on your oven is probably well-intentioned, but can actually be damaging to the oven.
It can wear down oven parts in the long run or cause problems immediately after running the self-cleaning cycle.
It can cause harmful emissions.
The result may be a blaring smoke detector, burning eyes, and difficulty breathing.
The exhaust fan above the stove wont be enough to disperse the emissions, either.
Its a fire and burn hazard.
On self-clean, the ovens internal temperature can reach close to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thats hot, hot, hot, and obviously dangerous.
The exterior surface may also begin to heat up to worrying temperatures that will burn to the touch.
However, if a self-cleaning oven does burst into flames, he advises against trying to put it out.
Openingthe oven door, he says, will only fuel the fire with more oxygen.
On this occasion, get out of the house and call 911.
What To Do Instead
Hopefully by now youve been dissuaded from ever using the self-cleaning function again.
