# Is it safe to self clean an oven while you're out?



## FoxintheSnow

Maybe Im being paranoid..I dont know. I really want to set my oven to self clean but I have a million errands to run today. Is there a danger to running it while Im not home?


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## 1growingsprout

ive never had a problem....


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## Drummer's Wife

I probably would, well maybe not now that I think about it since my oven is gas.

It does take a long time and get super hot... I've done it early afternoon so it's done before dinner.


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## syd'smom

I just did mine 2 days ago - we were home - and what a mistake! It stunk! I didn't use any cleaners, just the self cleaning, and the high heat baking of the stains just absolutely stunk. And of course I picked the first day there was no wind, so even with the doors and windows open (keep in mind it was freezing outside), the smell was still bad. Anyway - that will be a spring chore for me now when there is a lot of warm breeze!







And yes, I would leave it on and leave the windows open too!


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## Mallori

Quote:

I just did mine 2 days ago - we were home - and what a mistake! It stunk! I didn't use any cleaners, just the self cleaning, and the high heat baking of the stains just absolutely stunk. And of course I picked the first day there was no wind, so even with the doors and windows open (keep in mind it was freezing outside), the smell was still bad. Anyway - that will be a spring chore for me now when there is a lot of warm breeze! And yes, I would leave it on and leave the windows open too!
I reserve this chore for a spring day when all the house windows can be WIDE open and I have outside work to do.


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## mamefati28

I knew a neighbor whose house burned down from this!
No personal experience though.


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## bright-midnight

I would not be comfortable leaving the house with the oven on like that.


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## FoxintheSnow

Oops well I did it. My house is intact and my oven is clean!


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## Aubergine68

I only ever do it when I'm home because I figure that blast of heat warms the place up a little bit.....I've never had a seriously stinky oven, though. I mean, I notice some odor, but not more than a bit of something burned on the stove burner.


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## babycarrier

I'm glad it worked out. I'm writing this more for somebody who might search for it - I had a fire inside mine while self-cleaning and am glad I was home to unplug the oven.


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## Drummer's Wife

scary about the fires!!

Now I know I won't do it, besides my oven never really gets nasty enough for it to smell while it cleans. I do it to make the racks shiny again.


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## Christine&men

I don't like the idea either (of leaving the house with a superhot oven) and I don't like the smell (with us in the house or not, it stinks). Well, sorry to say so, but I did mine by hand, wasn't too difficult (elbow got a little tired) and now I try to stay on top of it with wiping it down when something dripped.


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## TEAK's Mom

I have a fail-proof method for dealing with the self-cleaning oven. The stench gives me a headache, so I have dp do it when I'm going to be out for several hours.









I love my dp!







:


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## Thalia

We have some friends whose home caught on fire while they were using the self-cleaning oven. They were asleep. I don't remember if they left it on by accident or what happened, but it nearly burned the house down.


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