Ovens are very important modern-day home appliances. The simple fact that these appliances make cooking and baking so much easier, is enough to justify their immense popularity and usage all over the world.
At the same time, though ovens are low-maintenance appliances, one can extend the life of the oven and prevent the need for frequent oven repair by following some simple guidelines and a list of ‘‘don’ts’’. In this article, we look at the 5 most important things that should never be done while using an oven. Let’s start!
Your Checklist of Don’ts to Avoid Oven Repair
Don’t #1: Never Place Food Too Close to the Oven’s Heating Source
You must be using your oven to cook a variety of food items. Many times, food items like whole chicken and brief are larger in size, and as you put these inside the oven, they end up touching the internal surface of the oven, and in some cases, even the oven is the heating element.
This not only makes the interiors of the oven dirty but also can even prove to be fatal! Food items that are oily and have high moisture content, when reaching near to the heating element, can become a cause of the fire as well.
Therefore, it is recommended to place such large food items only in the lower trays of the oven, and double-check that they are not touching any of the oven components, especially the heating source. You may remove one of the top oven trays to make space.
Don’t #2: Never Use Wax Paper inside the Oven
Parchment Paper/ Baking Paper is frequently used while baking in the oven. However, some people tend to replace it with simple wax paper. Well, never, ever do that. Wax paper is not heat resistant. When used in baking, the wax on the paper will start melting after your oven reaches a certain temperature. This will give rise to a terrible smell, make your oven interiors dirty, ruin your recipe, and can even catch fire!
Do you want any of this? If not, use only the baking paper made for the purpose. These are heat resistant, and safe to use in the oven.
Don’t #3: Never Ignore the Racks & Doors While Cleaning
Proper and thorough cleaning of the oven is important and goes a long way in ensuring that you don’t need oven repair too often. However, the cleaning of oven racks and door is often neglected in the entire oven cleaning process. The door and the racks are as likely to catch grease, droplets, and food particles, as the rest of the oven.
Therefore, it is important to clean these areas as well, every time you clean your oven. The clean racks will ensure the hygiene of the food, and a clean door will help you have a clear view of your food while it is cooking.
Don’t #4: Do Not Rely Solely on Self Cleaning
Most modern-day ovens come equipped with a self-cleaning feature that lets the oven clean itself. This feature is good if your oven is moderately dirty. However, that is not the case most of the time, and this feature is not able to clean the oven properly when it is grossly spoiled. Here, cleaning the oven by hand is the best way. It ensures that you can clean all the components of the oven thoroughly, and to your own satisfaction.
Further, it is recommended to take the help of an oven repair service on a regular basis, to get a thorough cleaning exercise performed. This exercise will ensure the long life of your appliance and prevent it from developing any snags or problems. You can do this on a half-yearly or annual basis.
Don’t #5: Never Ignore an Impending Indication of a Snag
Ignoring the signs of underperformance or the oven developing some snags is not a wise thing to do. Many times, these indications culminate in disastrous results, rendering your oven useless. Therefore, contact an oven repair service as soon as you observe that something is not well with your oven.
Takeaway
These were some of the important don’ts that you need to keep in mind while using an oven. If you are an aware and well-informed user, you will surely have a smooth ride with your appliance!
