‘So why the heck do they have that feature?’: Appliance expert shares why to never use the self-clean function on your oven
As families gear up for the holiday season full of baking and roasting, a TikTok video by appliance repair technician Renae (@renduh) has gone viral, hitting 425,000 views with a stark warning about the self-clean function on ovens.
In her video, "The Dangers of Self Clean: Part 1!" Renae speaks directly to her followers, cautioning, "Do not use the self-clean function on your oven."
She elaborates on the dangers, saying, "The self-clean function utilizes dangerously high temperatures, as in over 900 degrees Fahrenheit, to burn off any food debris inside the oven."
Renae's plea is based on her professional experience: "I've never met another appliance tech who doesn't hate self-clean, myself included." She cites the increased risk of "oven malfunction, bodily harm, and house fire, even when used correctly," and shares alarming excerpts from oven manuals about the risks to children, pets, and home safety.
The response from TikTok users has been a mixture of shock and recognition.
One user recounted a harrowing experience, "my neighbor almost burned the whole house down bc she set it to self-clean, forgot to remove whatever pots/pans she had inside and LEFT THE HOUSE."
Another shared a very close call, "first time ever using one....I got to meet our local firefighters and the neighbors."
These testimonies, along with others like, "I did this once and then dozed off on the couch - woke up in a smoky house with a pounding headache! Never again!" validate Renae's warning and highlight the real-world consequences of using the self-clean feature without proper caution.
Renae isn't the only person online who has warned against the evils of using the self-cleaning feature on your oven, Southern Living appears to have confirmed just how dangerous this feature can be, stating that it can ultimately "cause harmful emissions," and that "it's a fire and burn hazard." The outlet, instead, has compiled a list of handy-dandy methods folks can implement to ensure that their oven is clean the good old-fashioned way.
@renduh The Dangers of Self Clean: Part 1! #SelfClean #range #SelfCleaning #SelfCleaningOven #SelfCleaningRange #DontUseSelfClean #oven #baking #roasting #HolidayBaking #WomenInTrades #Tradeswoman
♬ original sound - Renae
With everyone gearing up to roast their turkeys and hams this year, Renae's TikTok has sparked a conversation about the best methods for cleaning ovens, with many now considering alternatives like steam-cleaning or the traditional use of cleaning products, like Easy-Off.
Self-cleaning is a more archaic technique of burning off any food, oil, or other particles into oblivion—and with what we come to understand about carcinogens, this may not be advisable. Cleaning products, like Easy-Off, offer their own unique hiccups, namely the dangerously strong chemicals they contain inside. Steam-cleaning, a newer approach, seems to be the safest. The steam loosens particles and soot so it’s easier for all the home cooks to wipe off.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Renae via email for further comment.
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