Clean the Insides of a Double Pane Window in Your Oven Door

If you’ve scrubbed your oven door only to find it still looking grimy, you may need to clean the insides of the double pane window. It may seem impossible for food to get between the panes, but grease and crumbs often make their way under the edges. Don’t give up on having a clean oven because you can clean the insides of your double pane window in your oven door. All you need to do is clean your oven door, Remove an Oven Door, clean between the panes, and put the door back together.

Steps

Cleaning the Oven Door

  1. Use a wet cloth to wipe away any loose debris. Wipe down the top, sides, and crevices around your oven door to remove crumbs or other food particles. You can use plain water or a cleaning wipe for this step.[1]
  2. Apply a baking soda paste to the oven door. Mix baking soda into water until you have a paste. Put a thin layer of the paste onto areas with built on grease and around the edge of the double pane window. Allow the paste to dry for 10-15 minutes.[2]
    • If you need to thicken the mixture, add more baking soda.
    • If it’s too clumpy, add water.
  3. Scrub away the baking soda. Lightly moisten the dried paste by adding a little water. You can either spray it on or sprinkle it on. Use a damp scrub sponge to work in the baking soda. As you scrub, move the baking soda mixture across the entire surface of the oven door. Rinse the sponge and continue scrubbing until you’ve removed the baking soda.[3]
  4. Apply a degreasing cleaner onto the door. As you spray the door, be sure to spray extra degreaser around the the edges of the window where grease can collect. Use a clean cloth or paper towels to work in the degreaser. If necessary, apply more product as you clean. Once the grease is removed, use a damp cloth to remove the remaining degreaser. Finally, dry the oven door with a clean, dry cloth.[4]
    • You can use a commercial degreaser, vinegar, or grease-cutting dish detergent.

Removing the Inner Pane

  1. Rest your door on a supportive surface. Your door will separate into two sides, and the outer side will just hang there.[5] To keep it from getting damaged, balance your oven door on a flat surface like a chair.[6] Make sure the chair is stable.
    • There will be a spring between most double-paned oven windows, so expect for the two panes to spring apart.
    • If your door does not pop open, gently run a kitchen knife along the edges. Then use the edge of the knife to pry the sides apart. Remember that the spring could still pop after you dislodge the inner pane, so keep hold of the door.[7]
    • Read over your manufacturer’s instructions for best results.
  2. Check your window pane to see how it’s removed. Look at your oven door and locate the positions of the screws that hold the door together. You will need to remove the outer screws to get the two panes apart, but the inner screws below them can stay in place.[8]
    • You may discover that your oven’s window pane is attached with a different kind of screw that looks like it has a star in the middle. These are called torx screws. You can find an inexpensive screwdriver to fit the torx screws at your local hardware store. If you’re worried about finding a good fit, take a photo of it with your phone so that you can get a good match.[9]
  3. Loosen the inner pane. Use the correct type of screwdriver to remove the screws. Be careful not to lose control of the screwdriver since it could scratch the glass. When you remove the screws, the door should pop open. It will look like you have two thin doors on your oven.[10]
    • Do not use the wrong kind of screwdriver to remove the screws. You could strip the screws or damage the window pane.

Cleaning Between the Panes

  1. Vacuum out the loose debris. Use a handheld vacuum or a vacuum hose to suck up the hard food particles that have collected between the inner and outer side of the door. Most oven doors will have a collection of crumbs at the bottom.[11]
    • If you don’t have a vacuum, then you can clean away the debris with a wet cloth or paper towel. It takes more time but is just as effective.
  2. Use vinegar to degrease the inside of each pane. Spray white vinegar onto the surface of each pane, or dampen a clean cloth with vinegar. Rub in the vinegar until no grease remains.[12]
    • The vinegar smell will evaporate, so don’t worry that your oven will stink.
  3. Use window cleaner on both panes. Clean the inside surface of both window panes with your usual window cleaner. Make sure to wipe it away carefully with a clean cloth to avoid streaking. If you leave streaks, they’ll be sealed back inside the door.[13]
    • For best results, use a microfiber cloth for a streak-free finish.

Putting Your Oven Door Back Together

  1. Slide the doors back together. Gently move the two sides of the door back into place. Make sure not to let go of either side. Remember that the spring is there, so they could pop back apart, risking damage to your door.[14]
  2. Squeeze the top of the door together. Once the doors are back together, press them tightly together so that you can screw the inner side back into place.[15]
  3. Replace the screws. Put each screw back into place one by one. Tighten the screws with the appropriate screwdriver.[16] Be careful not to over tighten them because you could strip the screws.
  4. Shut and open your oven door to check for rattling. To be sure that everything is back in place correctly, open and shut the oven door a few times to see if it moves like it should. If it doesn’t, take a look at it to make sure that you’ve put all of the screws back correctly and that the sides of the door are correctly fitted together.

Tips

  • Dish detergent and white vinegar are both great for degreasing your oven.
  • Check your manufacturer’s instructions.

Warnings

  • Watch for the door spring.
  • Don’t use the wrong screwdriver because you could damage the screws.

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References

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