For many of us, the festive period is the best time of the year and something we look forward to. During the Christmas period, we get to spend quality time with our family, friends, share gifts and enjoy some great home cooked food. What could be better than a big, golden Turkey in the centre of the Christmas table, surrounded with all of the trimmings. It’s safe to say that your oven will be working overtime this Christmas.
With all the parties and get togethers happening in the run-up to the 25th of December, your oven will need to be in prime condition, ready for the constant rotation of sausage rolls, vol-au-vents and the star of the show, the Christmas Turkey.
With this in mind, the debate on cleaning an oven before or after Christmas rages on. We’ve spoken to the kitchen appliance repair experts over at ServiceForce to discover whether oven cleaning is better done before Christmas, or after.
Why cleaning your oven is important
Cleaning your oven regularly could save you money in the long run
With a buildup of grease and grime your oven will become less effective at doing it’s job. This could range from anything from your food taking longer to cook, to using more gas and electricity. In the long term, the mistreatment of your oven can end up costing you a lot of money in bills, which also means less money for presents on Christmas day!
A clean oven is a hygienic oven
A wide held belief is that the heat generated in the oven will eradicate all the bacteria or grime that has gathered. Unfortunately, this is untrue and as more grime gathers, more bacteria builds up.
This grime may also prevent your oven from reaching the right temperature, meaning your food will cook more slowly, throwing your meticulous Christmas dinner timings into disarray. Those Yorkshire puddings need the right temperature to rise properly!
A clean oven will make your meal taste better
Everyone has the right to a tasty Christmas dinner. One easy way of getting a better taste from your oven cooked food is to remove all the burnt spillages and food from the inside walls of the oven. As burnt food is cooked even more, it generates plenty of smoke which will ultimately affect the taste of any food cooked in the oven.
Cleaning Before or After Christmas?
There is always a rush for oven cleaning companies around the festive period. But which method is right for you?
Cleaning your oven before Christmas
Many people who have guests over like to get their oven cleaned before Christmas as they don’t want to face the embarrassment of a dirty oven in front of relatives, as well as an unpleasant taste.
During the festive season your oven will be getting a good workout, and time constraints often mean regular cleaning is neglected. This also leads to a buildup of grime. As this grime is exposed to heat multiple times, it quickly changes into carbon, causing plumes of smoke every time the oven door is opened. These are difficult to remove and can seriously damage your oven, which is why repair companies are often called out during this period.
Cleaning your oven after Christmas
However, In many cases, cleaning your oven before the big day has the potential to do more harm than good. The high temperatures required to clean sometimes have unintended consequences of burning out the other heating elements.
It may not be worth the risk of having your oven breaking down just before the grandest food day of the year, especially if you have an older oven.
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