How hot is the self cleaning oven

When carbon is linked to two oxygen atoms, it’s called carbon dioxide (CO2). We breathe it in the air and exhale it as a byproduct of our metabolism. But when carbon is linked to a single oxygen atom, it becomes carbon monoxide (CO) and its impact on our health is quite different. In sufficient quantities, it will prevent your blood from carrying oxygen, leading to flu-like symptoms and sometimes death.

Carbon monoxide is created and released by the self-cleaning function of ovens. The question is: how much? CO emissions represent a real hazard, meaning something that can potentially cause harm, but how much of a risk are they? A risk can be calculated based on a hazard and your exposure to it. A gorilla is a hazard but, if it’s behind bars at the zoo, it’s not much of a risk to your life.

To quantify the risk posed by CO emissions during the self-cleaning cycle, we must know how much CO is released. Unfortunately, the scientific literature is silent on this question. I could not find a single peer-reviewed source that had even attempted to measure how much CO is released by the self-cleaning function of an oven.

But carbon monoxide is not the only source of potential worries. Certain carbon-based chemicals, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), are created when meat is cooked at high temperatures (like barbecuing but, also, when using the self-cleaning function on ovens). These chemicals arise through the interactions between sugars, proteins, muscle creatine, and heat. While the complex chemical dance sugars and proteins do at high heat—the Maillard reaction—results in the distinctive taste of browned foods (like bread crusts and steaks), at even higher temperatures, it creates PAHs and HCAs which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. You may have heard that regularly charring your meat on the barbecue will increase your risk of developing cancer, and that’s because these types of chemicals are created and then ingested.

Unless you decide to eat the ash at the end of the self-cleaning cycle of your oven, you won’t be consuming PAHs and HCAs… but you will be inhaling them. Once again, we simply do not know if this type of exposure will significantly increase your cancer risk.

In the absence of hard data and in the presence of a potential risk, the best thing we can do is err on the side of caution. Many websites will suggest you open windows, ensure proper ventilation, and leave the room (and for some, the house) when running the self-cleaning function. If you have a bird, you may want to move them as far away from the oven as possible, because certain emitted fumes may trigger toxicosis, a disease affecting the bird’s respiratory system and leading to incoordination, convulsions, and death.

So if the room is well-ventilated and you and your pet take a walk, can anything else go wrong with a self-cleaning oven? There is anecdotal evidence that the high temperatures required for self-cleaning may prematurely burn out the thermal fuse, which keeps the oven from overheating. A burnt fuse means the oven can’t be used until the fuse can be replaced (at a cost). A common recommendation is to never use the self-cleaning function just before you have to cook for an important gathering (in case the fuse burns and you’re left scrambling to find a repair technician). Again, this evidence comes from repairmen who claim to have noticed a pattern. Is the self-cleaning function truly putting the thermal fuse at risk… or would those fuses have burnt out anyway? We simply don’t know.

You may be aware of a potentially safer alternative: self-clean with steam. The effectiveness of this method was tested by Consumer Reports and compared to high-heat pyrolytic (the traditional self-clean mode), and the latter was clearly the most effective method. Meanwhile, the steam option, in which you put a pan of distilled water at the bottom of the oven and run the low-heat “steam” function, was good for small messes but required a lot of manual scraping afterwards.

The self-cleaning function of an oven appears to be quite effective, but to which extent you put your health (and that of your oven) at risk remains a big question mark. My advice? If you’re going to use it, take a walk and don’t forget your parakeet.

Gone are the days you have to scrub and scrub... and scrub to get your oven to shine like new. The self-clean feature, first introduced by Thermador in 1963, was added to both gas ranges and electric ovens solely to make cleaning easier. And, though once regulated to high-end models, it’s now a near-universal setting on household ovens.

So whether you dropped an entire pie in your oven while trying to remove it, the cheese on your pizza bubbled over, or you’ve just let too many crumbs accumulate over time, it's time to let that self-cleaning button on your oven work some magic for you.

What type of self-cleaning oven is best?

There are two different types of self-cleaning ovens: Those that clean with steam and those that clean with high heat, or “pyrolytic” cleaning. Both save you from heavy-duty elbow grease — they just function a bit differently:

• With high-heat cleaning, the oven cranks to extremely high temperatures (usually between 800º to 875ºF) to burn off residue and turn it to ash. Most consumers find that high heat performs better with less elbow grease.
• Steam cleaning works with heat and water to loosen soils, but a manual clean will still be needed afterwards — especially for heavy soils. Steam offers the advantage of no burn off, lower temperatures, and no odors.

How often should you self-clean your oven?

For most, a thorough self-clean every four to six months is plenty to keep your oven sparkling, says Carolyn Forte, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Appliances & Cleaning Products Lab. Ultimately though, how frequently you need to self-clean your oven depends on how often you use your oven — and how diligently you manually clean it between uses.

“Some consumers use self-clean monthly, whereas others use it only once or twice a year,” said a brand rep from Thermador in an interview with Good Housekeeping. Frequency also depends on the consumer’s cooking habits. “For example, Thermador consumers who utilize the Sabbath Mode feature on their ovens sometimes use self-clean more often to make their ovens suitable between cooking meat or dairy products (ideal for those keeping Kosher)."

How long does self-cleaning take?

Though exact timing varies depending on the brand and type of oven you own, it’s safe to bank on a couple hours. You can always stop the self-cleaning feature mid-cycle if you need to: For specifics, consult the manufacturer’s instructions.

Is it safe to self-clean your oven when home?

Though you may have heard otherwise and that burning plastic smell may spook you, it’s perfectly safe to run the self-clean feature whether you and your family (yes, babies included) are home or not, says Thermador.

In general, self-cleaning ovens do not pose a threat to typical household pets like cats and dogs, either. According to Molly Maids, the fumes self-cleaning ovens produce are harmful only to tropical birds. If you have this type of pet, arrange for them to be out of the house before proceeding with a self-clean.

That said, odors are common, particularly with ovens that clean using heat. For this reason, many consumers opt to ventilate (opening windows or running the hood) concurrently. And, if the smell is overpowering, you can always go into another room while the oven works its magic.

How to use your oven's self-clean feature

No matter which method your oven’s self-clean feature works on, here are the general steps you’ll need to follow:

1. Prep the oven: Prior to using the self-cleaning feature, make sure the surface of the oven is free from any major spills. And, unless they are documented as self-cleanable, remove the racks to prevent discoloration and potential warping.
2. Lock the door: Though many models will lock automatically before the cleaning cycle begins, double check, and lock the door if need be.
3. Turn on the vent: Ensure there is good ventilation in the home — a ventilation fan or hood is ideal to help remove heat and any odors caused by everything burning off, according to Thermador.
4. Let run: Hit that button, and let your oven do its thing.
5. Wipe down: When completely cool, wipe down with a damp towel to clean up any lingering residue.

Note: Never use any household cleaners along with the self-cleaning feature.

How to maintain a clean oven between self-cleanings

Though self-cleaning is undoubtedly convenient, your best bet to keep your oven in good, working condition is to give it a little TLC in between more major cleaning sessions. If you really want to stay on top of things, wipe it down once a month or when it begins to look dirty, says Forte. Here’s how:

1. Wipe up spills immediately: Use a damp sponge or brush to nab loose bits of food. To avoid burns and inadvertently shattering any untempered glass, always wait until the oven is completely cool to wipe down glass, walls, and racks.
2. Clean racks: Remove the racks from your oven for more effective and comfortable cleaning. Then, wash each rack one at a time in warm, sudsy water or a quality oven cleaner. Rinse, let dry, and slide back into place.
3. Clean the door: Clean the outside of your oven the same way you would the interior — with warm, sudsy water and a sponge. For streak and spot-free glass, use a glass or grease-cutting multi-purpose cleaner like Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, then scrub with a scrubbing pad, rinse with a clean cloth or sponge, and let dry.

Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in creating SEO and e-commerce content across a variety of lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She also has significant experience creating native and branded content.

Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director

Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.

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