How Self Cleaning Ovens Work:

Self-cleaning ovens vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Always consult your owner's manual when using or trouble shooting your self-cleaning oven.

When using the self-cleaning feature on your oven, the temperature within the oven rises to an extremely high temperature, usually around 1000 degrees. The oven will remain at this temperature for a set period of time, often from 1 to 3 hours.

Self-cleaning ovens differ from traditional ovens in that they require a timer to control the amount of time that the self-cleaning feature operates. They also require extra thermostatic controls to control the extremely high temperatures.

While the mechanisms inside a self-cleaning oven are quite complex, the concept behind a self-cleaning oven is fairly straight forward. The extremely high temperatures incinerate dirt and debris from your oven, thus cleaning it for future use.

Safety is very important when using your self-cleaning feature. You must ensure that the oven door is completely closed while the self-cleaning cycle is running. 1000 degree temperatures are obviously extremely dangerous. Self-cleaning ovens will come equipped with a secure oven door latch for this reason.

The crucial door locking system is initially engaged to signal that you are ready to use the self-cleaning feature. When the oven reaches a certain temperature, the door lock system will ensure that the oven door cannot be opened until the cycle is complete and the temperature has returned to a manageable level. The result is a clean oven without the use of harsh oven cleaners or abrasives.