How to Remove Tin Foil Stuck to the Bottom of an Oven

Tin foil and aluminum foil can come in handy when cooking a variety of foods in your oven. However, it can fall, land on the base of the oven, melt and become stuck. Do not let melted aluminum foil become your foil. It can be removed with a few cleaning methods.

Never line the bottom of your oven with foil since it could cause a fire. You can line the lower rack with foil to catch any drips and dribbles from the food cooking on the top rack. Another way to prevent drips is by placing a baking sheet on the lower cooking rack to prevent aluminum foil melting on your oven.

What's the easiest way to clean an oven? How To Clean Stuff recommends an all-natural home remedy involving baking soda and white vinegar. Pour some baking soda into a bowl. You want to slowly add a small amount of white vinegar in a bowl. Stir it in until the mixture reaches a thick paste-like consistency. The two ingredients will bubble and fizz as they mix, but you want the baking soda to neutralize vinegar. Do not use white vinegar alone as this can cause damage to your oven and even be dangerous.

Apply the paste to the melted foil and let it set in overnight. Then wipe off the paste. It may have dried out overnight, but this is normal. Place a very wet cotton towel over the foil. Do not use a synthetic fiber towel such as rayon or polyester because they are more sensitive to heat. The towel needs to be very wet because if it is dry, it could possibly cause a fire.

Turn the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and close the oven door. The water will produce steam, causing the foil to loosen and become unstuck. Once the oven has cooled off, you can gently peel and remove the foil pieces. They should come off relatively easily.

How To Clean Stuff recommends Naval Jelly Rust Dissolver for removing foil. However, some people who have used this method claim it left dark spots or shiny spots in their oven where the foil was. These spots may not be very noticeable, but consider this before using this method. It also should not be used on ovens with a blue interior as it can remove the bluing from steel.

Allow the oven to completely cool off, then begin by removing any aluminum foil stuck to the bottom of the oven with a razor. Make sure the area is well ventilated. You can open windows and turn on kitchen fans to circulate the air. Put on gloves. Apply a liberal amount of naval jelly to any foil spots that you were not able to remove with the razor. The naval jelly needs to set in for 24 hours, so plan ahead. It works best if the oven door remains open. Continue to ventilate the area for the 24 hours.

Wipe off the naval jelly. If any foil remains, you may again use a razor blade or tape to remove stubborn foil. You may need to repeat the process. Once you are done, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water to clean away the naval jelly.

Using oven cleaner to remove Reynolds Wrap stuck to the oven is very effective. Make sure the oven is cool and use a razor blade to scrape off any foil that can be removed easily. Ventilate the kitchen so you are not inhaling the fumes. You want to use an oven cleaner that contains sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda. Easy Off is a common brand that works well.

Seymour Cleaning states that many oven cleaners warn that applying the product to aluminum will cause the metal to melt. However, for removing stuck-on aluminum from your oven, this is exactly what you want. Apply it directly on the melted foil and let it set for 20 minutes. Wipe off and repeat the process if needed until all the foil is removed. Once done, wash the area to remove any oven cleaner residue.

While melted aluminum foil may be very stubborn to remove, it can be done. Your oven can be restored to its former glory in a few simple steps.