My APO is in dire need of deep cleaning. Regarding these instructions:
Which Easy-Off do I use. Heavy Duty or Fume Free?
Is it okay if: (a) the Easy-Off gets on the heating elements (provided I wipe off residue before cooking), (b) it gets through the grille and into the fan housing in the back, and (c) it gets on those two probes in the back left of the oven (also, what are these?)?
I ask because Easy-Off explicitly states their product is not to be used in convection ovens (probably because it’s difficult to wipe off once it gets into the fan housing) nor should you get it on heating elements. The instructions above don’t mention either of these concerns (except for the spraying water step, where it says it is okay to get the water through the fan housing).
There’s also this thread here where users asked similar questions but there’s some ambiguity in the responses.
Sodium Perc (Sodium Percabonate) will have been mentioned before, it is a brewing / distilling favourite cleaner that you are also likely using unwittingly in your laundry via stain removers where it is a key ingredient.
I like white vinegar for its grease stripping properties.
I don’t like the idea of vinegar + baking powder gunk, unless you are going to cover any holes (of which the anova oven has plenty at the back,
So if you want to use a gloopy mix on the L/H R/H + floor fine, but I’m always cautious of vent holes, elements & chemicals, I have plenty of perc.
Here’s the wiki page for you to peruse, if you have a brew shop they will sell it to you likely via the bag or the bucket, meaning test run & appraise the results of your endeavours.
Many commercial products mix a percentage of sodium percarbonate with sodium carbonate. The average “Oxy” product in the supermarket contains 35–40% sodium percarbonate with about 5% active oxygen when titrated.
You will hear of this product & sodium peroxide used side by side as they are intertwined (see wiki page)
Any nerves about goop of any kind on the elements? block back vents after degreasing with basic vinegar solution that is then wiped clean & neutralised with a little strip of painters tape (the low tack 24 hr type, that should assuage any concerns you have if you consider it is essentially a paper product at the end of the day!
I’m less inclined to suggest citric acid, (not wiping lemons around the inside) also sold by the bucket & in baking cupboards, do your research first or stick with the white vinegar which it is an alternate too.
Wear appropriate protection, I enjoy vinegar vapour.
You were correct to have a look around for discussions (there are more kicking around on the subject with different views) i’m happy paring gunk back as naturally as possible, scraping REGULAR full size oven door glass with a worn D/E razorblade degreaser & paper-towels is my preferred option to cleaning an oven inner, which I try to leave to the other half.
Cross check for plastics within the door section & remember it is not s/steel so cannot be cleaned in the same harsh manner, know your surfaces before you start, any doubts get onto anova to verify.
Awkward boxy space, you might want to stretch & warm up first (those neck & shoulder muscles) or do it in several stages with a brew in-between weird angles & over-reach, I say that as someone who regularly stands at a workbench with all-sorts for as much as 20 hours at a push (thankyou tea, pork pies & monster energy) with heavy objects not dissimilar to this oven in size & prefer to work at an easy access height with towels down & wood props to assist balance, back wall protection etc. .overkill yup, but no fallout as a result.
Ultimately in-situ may be the worst place to clean it (be aware) if it needs extra elbow grease.
I did find one person comment that easy off? left the oven stinking for several weeks, …likely as much the user at fault as the product.