Need a good oven scraper

Merlin5 · 7 Feb 2019 at 13:16

I use scrapers for various things, but oven and hob mostly. I've got a couple of typical hob scrapers with the fanned out end that take Stanley knife shaped blades. But I can't lock the blade position on either, it always closes itself and I have to keep my finger on the button to keep it pushed out.

Another one I have is a metal body, narrow rectangular shaped with blades shaped more like a typical Razer blade. You have to slide the blade in but it doesn't stay in position.

Are there scrapers I can buy that lock properly?

SimonR · 7 Feb 2019 at 14:54

Try a bladed wallpaper scraper.

Haze · 7 Feb 2019 at 17:08

Google Rolson window scraper, they have a fixed Stanley blade, that stays in place

Merlin5 · 7 Feb 2019 at 17:29

Haze said:
Google Rolson window scraper, they have a fixed Stanley blade, that stays in place

I had wanted to stay away from Rolson as one of mine is Rolson, but the ones you linked look like fixed position with protective caps that would be much better. Thanks.

jpaul · 8 Feb 2019 at 08:15

Usually use a razor blade, or scalpel balde hand held for ceramic tops ....
but for oven ... that's non-stick/enamel so a metal blade would damage it, so just oven cleaner,
but, a nylon bladed scraper I use for freezer defrost would be ok I guess

Pho · 8 Feb 2019 at 09:45

Prevention is the easiest cure, surely?

If you don't have a bottom element in your oven buy a Magic Non-Stick Oven Liner.
If you do have a bottom element buy a Magic Non-Stick Oven Shelf Liner,

Take out of oven, run under tap*, done!

(*slight bit of agitation needed)

Fourstar · 8 Feb 2019 at 11:21

Pho said:
If you do have a bottom element buy a Magic Non-Stick Oven Shelf Liner,

Ooh, didn't know these existed. Just what I need. Cheers

Nugsy88 · 9 Feb 2019 at 20:17

Best tool I ever used to clean an oven was a Continental Filling Knife, it came up looking new.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/harris-continental-filling-knives-3-piece-set/41601

Merlin5 · 11 Feb 2019 at 18:09

Actually, I spent hours last Wednesday cleaning my oven. I removed the door for easier access, used my Lakeland oven cleaner gel to remove the easy stuff but all the burnt on black carbon streaks don't seem to come off at all with oven cleaner. Mind you, it's been a year since I last did it! I don't know if that stuff 'Oven Pride' would work any better. So I ended up using scrapers to remove the carbon, going through a couple of blades and breaking both my scrapers. Came up really good though. The oven floor is fine because I always have it covered with sheets of foil. Today I was close to Homebase so popped in and ended up buying this fold up scraper. The blade locks using a red slider button.

unwashed potato! · 11 Feb 2019 at 22:07

i run a pro oven cleaning company so can offer any tips if wanted.

in terms of scrapers, this is by far the best you'll use.

https://hdhardware.co.uk/scraper-holder.html

one thing most dont realise is it's not just the scraper but the blade is important too. we use 0.12 thickness which come from america and make a huge difference. stay sharp much longer and don't break every 5 minutes.

if using any blade, a rookie mistake to make is to use one hand inside the oven to steady yourself, and the other scraping away. DO NOT DO THIS! you will end up cutting yourself.

all these home use oven cleaning products are all pretty much as good as each other. the one thing to consider is you properly rinse it away and don't put it some where that it'll drip behind, e.g. the fan cover.

use protection!

if anyone needs tips how to remove the doors or open the doors let me know.

BigBoy · 12 Feb 2019 at 09:12

You need oven pride cleaning solution and to clean it more often, I do ours every 6 months, takes about an hour (5 in total as the solution has to stay on for 4hrs ish) and it sparkles like new when I'm done. The oven and racks are 5 years old used daily for multiple meals/baking sessions and wiped out after use. its not difficult if you keep on to of it.

I was also a commercial baker for many years and even massive deck ovens get cleaned once a week (I did this for a long time whilst training) and they too sparkled, its not rocket science, keep on top of the dirt and it makes it easier to keep clean.

Merlin5 · 12 Feb 2019 at 11:06

Thanks guys. BigBoy, you're right, I'm going to try and do it more often, like twice a year.
The oven cleaner I have is a gel, Lakelands own product called 'Oven Mate' which I brush on. And Oven Pride is a liquid and from a video I saw seems to remove even the hardest baked on black carbon. It's a lot cheaper too so I'll buy some. So you're saying if I use Oven Pride I won't really need to use a scraper?

BigBoy · 12 Feb 2019 at 11:52

Merlin5 said:
Thanks guys. BigBoy, you're right, I'm going to try and do it more often, like twice a year.
The oven cleaner I have is a gel, Lakelands own product called 'Oven Mate' which I brush on. And Oven Pride is a liquid and from a video I saw seems to remove even the hardest baked on black carbon. It's a lot cheaper too so I'll buy some. So you're saying if I use Oven Pride I won't really need to use a scraper?

Absolutely wipe it out and keep on top of it, oven pride is literally acid. It melts everything.

Merlin5 · 12 Feb 2019 at 11:57

Awesome. I know my oven mate is caustic so I figured they'd all be the same, but it sounds like oven pride is a different beast.

BigBoy · 12 Feb 2019 at 12:22

The racks go in a bag with 75% of the liquid and leave it to soak for 4hrs turning the bag every 30mins or so, I use a brush with the rest of it on the inside of the oven using a head torch to see clearly, I also take the back panel off the oven the bit that covers the fan and put that in th bag. Again leave it for 4hrs ish and clean down with lots of soapy water. Our oven has a grill element in the top so I use a spray bottle to wash that down then clean with a brush to make sure it's totally free of debris and day chunks. Once clean run the oven up to around 150°c to make sure it's all burnt off then run the grill element as well just to be sure.

Most people don't realise that ovens are waterproof ish. They are designed to contain the steam from cooking so a little liquid to clean it out is nothing!

jpaul · 12 Feb 2019 at 12:44

BigBoy said:
You need oven pride cleaning solution

so, that is sufficiently thick that it will stay on the oven ceiling above a grill element - the difficult spot ? that's good ,
the usual spray caustic soda stuff (holding breathe) I use, would drip down, but that's £1/can.

...would you, nonetheless, ever use a metal scraper on an enamel surface ?

BigBoy · 12 Feb 2019 at 13:10

Yeah thick and gloopy, stays where you put it.

Never needed a scraper tbh, you should never need one on and enamel surface.

unwashed potato! · 12 Feb 2019 at 14:50

jpaul said:
so, that is sufficiently thick that it will stay on the oven ceiling above a grill element - the difficult spot ? that's good ,
the usual spray caustic soda stuff (holding breathe) I use, would drip down, but that's £1/can.

...would you, nonetheless, ever use a metal scraper on an enamel surface ?

Yes scraper on enamel is fine. Ceramic hobs too no problem.

I'd strongly suggest you take extra precautions when cleaning above the element, especially with caustic products.

No matter what people say on here, oven pride or anything like that won't guarantee to remove everything. Cleaned regularly perhaps it'll get rid of most, but there often is too thick burnt on carbon that needs a scraper to remove.

We use the strongest products and tools out there and can promise you that the product alone will not be sufficient if the oven hasn't been done in say more than a year.

If you need examples as proof that I know what I'm talking about, check out our Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiSFiczHlbS/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=d5wymm3bf5g9

jpaul · 12 Feb 2019 at 16:54

OK , like the uncertainty using pummice on sanitary-ware , looking up the hardness of cooker enamel vs stainless steel they look pretty close,
probably shouldn't use my carbide paint scraper though.

Merlin5 · 12 Feb 2019 at 19:40

Yeah mine has a grill element at the top and that's the bit I always find most difficult because it's hard to access the roof with the grill in the way. I managed to scrape away as much as I could above the element, and I cleaned the element carefully. Afterwards, I put the grill on full, opened all my windows and put the kitchen extractor on, opened the oven door and tons of smoke escaped. After half an hour though it stopped smoking.