Having a self-cleaning mode on an oven may sound like a magical function, but it’s a very real – and potentially dangerous – feature.
The function, which is available on many oven models, uses extreme heat to burn away grime and caked-on substances inside the appliance.
When the self-cleaning mode is activated, the temperature inside the oven can reach between 800 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, incinerating food spills and turning them into ash so it can be wiped down.
Even though the function seems like a dream come true, social media is filled with horror stories about it, with many TikTok users warning people not to use the feature and sharing tales of fires, toxic fumes and exploding glass.
Amanda Demanda, a personal injury and founding attorney at Amanda Demanda Injury Lawyers, told the Daily Mail that the self-cleaning feature on an oven poses safety hazards that are often underestimated by users.
‘The main risk of using a self-cleaning oven is fire,’ she shared. ‘The cycle heats your oven to between 800 and 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit – that’s hot enough for grease and food debris leftover in the oven to combust.’
Demanda added that most cooking oils have a flash point between 750 and 815 degrees Fahrenheit, so they can ignite or even self-combust at these temperatures, which is particularly hazardous because the oven door will lock on a self-cleaning cycle.
‘You won’t be able to stop a fire by opening the door and removing burning material,’ she pointed out.
An expert has warned why using the self-cleaning mode on an oven is actually very dangerous (stock image)
‘Trying to open the door can actually introduce oxygen and cause the fire to intensify,’
Demanda advised cleaning large food particles and grease from the oven before using the self-clean feature, and said you should never leave the oven unattended while it’s on a self-cleaning cycle.
Another potential risk is exposure to carbon monoxide, which can be produced when food residue burns at high temperatures.
‘This can quickly become dangerous in a closed or poorly ventilated room,’ the expert shared.
‘The Teflon coating on the inside of some ovens or on pots and pans nearby can also decompose at such high temperatures.’
Teflon can release toxic fumes that can cause coughing, breathing problems, and flu-like symptoms when heated over 500 degrees Fahrenheit, according to poison.org.
‘This is especially dangerous to anyone who has asthma or any other respiratory issues,’ she continued.
‘Open all your windows, turn on your exhaust fan and ensure that you have a carbon monoxide detector that works in your home.
Amanda Demanda, a personal injury and founding attorney, said the main risk of using a self-cleaning oven is fire (stock image)
When the self-cleaning mode is activated, the temperature inside the oven can reach between 800 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, incinerating food spills and turning them into ash (stock image)
‘If you or anyone in your home has breathing problems, they should leave the area during the cleaning cycle.’
Another concern when using the self-cleaning feature is the glass window on the oven exploding from the high heat.
From 2015 through 2018, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported more than 700 incidents of oven doors exploding or shattering.
‘The intense heat generated during self-cleaning can cause tempered glass oven doors to explode without warning, hurling glass across your kitchen,’ Demanda explained.
‘It may happen during the self-clean cycle or days later if microfractures occur in the glass,’ she added.
The personal injury lawyer said the risk is increased if the glass has been weakened by prior impacts or stress.
‘Don’t slam the oven door, bang it with pots and pans or close it if oven racks are not fully inserted,’ she advised. ‘Always let the oven cool completely before wiping down the glass.’
Demanda said that unfortunately the safest option is to manually clean the oven using baking soda, vinegar and hot water.
‘Yes, it’s hard work and does require elbow grease, but you don’t have to worry about any of the problems above,’ she pointed out.
‘Prevention, of course, is always the best option: wipe spills up while they’re still wet and the oven is warm, use oven liners to catch drips, and clean on a regular basis so you never get a heavy buildup.’
