Why is My Oven Smoking? 5 Common Causes

You switch the oven on, start preparing dinner and suddenly notice smoke coming from inside. It can be alarming, but a smoking oven doesn't always mean there's something seriously wrong.

Quite often, the cause is much simpler: grease, food debris or cleaning product residue that's burning when the oven heats up.

Here are five common reasons your oven might be smoking, and what you can do about them.

Built-Up Grease and Fat

One of the most common causes of a smoking oven is a build-up of grease.

Fat from roasting meat, cooking oils and food splashes can gradually collect on the bottom, sides and other areas of your oven. The next time the oven reaches a high temperature, that grease can begin to burn and produce smoke.

You may also notice an unpleasant burnt smell when you open the oven door.

If there is a significant amount of baked-on grease, a quick wipe isn't always enough. A thorough deep clean may be needed to remove the layers that have built up over time.

Food Has Spilled onto the Bottom of the Oven

We've all had a bubbling casserole, overflowing pie or pizza topping make its escape!

Small pieces of food and spills can easily end up on the oven floor. If they're left there, they'll continue to burn every time you use the oven.

Eventually, even a relatively small amount of food debris can create quite a surprising amount of smoke.

Once the oven is completely cool, remove any loose food and clean up spills before using it again.

Grease Is Hiding Behind the Fan or Back Plate

Your oven might look reasonably clean at first glance, but what about the areas you can't see?

Grease and food deposits can accumulate around the fan and behind the removable back plate on suitable ovens.

This is one of the reasons our professional oven cleaning service goes beyond simply cleaning the visible surfaces. Where the appliance is designed to allow safe removal, we remove accessible components such as the back plate and fan so that hidden build-up can be thoroughly cleaned before everything is carefully refitted.

It's amazing what can be hiding back there!

Cleaning Product Has Been Left Behind

Sometimes an oven can start smoking after it's been cleaned.

Certain oven cleaning products can leave residue behind if they haven't been thoroughly removed. When the oven is heated again, that residue may produce smoke, fumes or an unpleasant smell.

You may also have noticed a white or chalky residue inside the oven after using some cleaning products.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for any product you use and make sure residues are properly removed before cooking.

At Complete Oven Cleaning, we use professional cleaning methods and products appropriate for the job, with the oven thoroughly finished and checked before we're done.

It Could Be an Appliance Fault

Not every smoking oven is caused by dirt.

If your oven is clean but continues to smoke, or you notice an electrical or burning-plastic smell, sparks, unusual noises or another sign that something isn't right, switch the appliance off and seek advice from a suitably qualified appliance engineer.

Cleaning can tackle grease and food build-up, but it won't fix an electrical or mechanical fault

How Can You Stop Your Oven Smoking?

Keeping on top of spills and grease is the easiest way to prevent them becoming heavily baked onto your oven.

Wipe up spills once the appliance has completely cooled and give the oven regular attention rather than waiting until layers of grease have accumulated.

And when it gets to the stage where you'd rather not spend hours scrubbing it yourself, that's where we come in!

Does Your Oven Need a Proper Deep Clean?

If opening your oven door reveals burnt-on grease, stubborn food deposits and racks that have lost their shine, it might be time to call Complete Oven Cleaning.

We take care of the hard work and get into the areas that are often overlooked, leaving you with a professionally cleaned oven ready to use again.

Get in touch with Complete Oven Cleaning for a quote or to book your appointment.

Complete Oven Cleaning

Bringing Ovens Back to Life