Deep-cleaning appliance interiors

What to have ready

• All-purpose cleaner
• Baking soda + dish soap
• Non-scratching sponge, superfine steel wool
• Scraper, rubber gloves
• Microfibre cloths, lemon, microwave-safe bowl

Steps

1. 1

   OVEN — take everything out: racks, grates, trays, anything on top. Scrape off large burnt debris with a dull scraper.

2. 2

   Wearing gloves, sponge the inside with hot soapy water, then spread a paste of equal parts baking soda and dish soap over the whole interior. Leave 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Scrub section by section with superfine steel wool; lift stubborn carbon with the scraper while the paste is still on. Rinse several times with a clean sponge and warm water until no product is left, then buff dry.

4. 4

   Glass door: sprinkle a mild powder cleanser on, rub in with a damp sponge, let it soak, scrub with a non-scratching sponge, rinse and buff dry.

5. 5

   FRIDGE — unplug it. Take out all food, shelves and drawers onto a towel or an uncleaned surface. Bin anything expired; open condiments go after six months.

6. 6

   Spray the empty interior with all-purpose cleaner and sprinkle baking soda on stains. Wipe the walls with a sponge, then a damp cloth — sides, top, down the back, base last — and buff dry.

7. 7

   Wash the shelves and drawers at the sink: spray, agitate with a sponge, soak stubborn spots, rinse and dry. Replace as each is done, wiping bottle bottoms as you put food back. Plug the fridge in and fit a fresh box of baking soda.

8. 8

   MICROWAVE — half-fill a microwave-safe bowl with water, squeeze in a lemon and drop the halves in. Run 3 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the bowl with a glove (it is boiling) and pour it away. Wipe top, sides, base and turntable with a soft sponge or damp cloth, then dry with paper towel.

10. 10

    Wipe the outside with all-purpose cleaner on a cloth — never spray the control panel. Vinegar on anything sticky, then buff dry streak-free.

Oven racks: soak them in the bath (lay a towel down first so you never scratch the tub) while you work on the interior.