Last Updated on December 2, 2022 by Amanda P. Brown
Oven cleaner is an abrasive cleaner; its main based element is sodium hydroxide high concentration. And this type of solution is a responsible ingredient for removing paint from your kitchen countertops.
Kitchen countertops demand mild cleaners for their cleaning. Your kitchen countertop is a close and sensitive area related to your cooking. Even it is a central attraction of your kitchen. So to clean or for maintenance purposes, you can’t use Oven cleaner’s typed harsh solutions on your kitchen counters.
What is the Effect of Oven Cleaners on Kitchen Countertops? Let’s know the answer in detail about how and what’s effects are on your kitchen countertops.
What Are Oven Cleaners?
Table of Contents
Oven cleaner is a foamy liquid in an aerosol container manufactured to clean ovens. An oven is regular most used part of your kitchen. Regularly many heavy and longtime dishes you make in your oven at high temperatures leave heavy stains and oily-greasy-food deposits on oven walls. To remove these strong stains, an oven cleaner is an incredible option.
You need to spray the oven surface and let the door lock. Then, please wait for a specified period (according to the effectiveness of the stain, keep it for 10 minutes to 2 Hours), and after, wipe the oven surface. Thus, you will get a clean oven.
What Do Oven Cleaners Contain?
Oven cleaners are a brew of heavy and harsh chemicals like dichloromethane, caustic soda, and ethylene glycol. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which can make a cameo in oven cleaning. And somehow, if these formulations come into contact with our mouths, their toxins can prove harmful. Some other elements that are used in oven cleaners are-
- Turpentine
- Sodium hydroxide or lye
- Degreasers
- Crystallization agents
- Foaming agent and many others.
All these abrasive ingredients are suitable for your oven’s heavy grease. These components do a fast-class job on oven cleaning. But your kitchen countertops may not bear its abrasive cleaning. Some material kitchen countertops lose their color and are easily prone. So, you need to consider whether your oven cleaner is safe for your kitchen counter troops cleaning.
What is the Effect of Oven Cleaners on Kitchen Countertops?
Oven cleaner is made considering the oven’s high grease cleaning. This harsh disinfecting cleaner contains abrasive components to handle the oven’s tough stains. Just a few drops on the oven’s surface; wipe away after some time.
As it is made for oven cleaning or a specific purpose, it is best to consider this before using it for any other purpose. Many of us may use it for kitchen countertop cleaning without knowing whether it is appropriate for its countertop material. But some materials can’t face it; thus, you will get a colorless, corroded, and staining kitchen counter. Even some materials can consume oven cleaner’s dangerous elements and become unsafe for the cooking environment. Overall you can measure the damage in 3 way.
- Overall visible effects on kitchen countertops
- Health risk
- Difference effects on different types of material
Let’s learn the above 3 points in detail.
1. Oven Cleaner’s Prominent Impact on Kitchen Surfaces
Overall what effects you can notice on your kitchen countertops by using oven cleaners is below.
- Corrosion- Oven cleaners contain harsh elements but are suitable for oven cleaning as the oven consists of a hard coating of acrylic enamel and stainless steel. But your countertops in the kitchen may be affected by oven cleaners. As some material are not take their abrasiveness. Thus, the countertop will be damaged and rust easily.
- Discoloration- if your kitchen countertops aren’t suitable for oven cleaners, you may have to face a discolored kitchen counter. Some materials have a chemical reaction with this cleaner. Thus, White stains and scars may take place on your countertops. And it will be tough for you to remove the chemical reaction stains. Kindly check the alerting level on the oven cleaner container’s body. If they suggest using it on your countertops material, you can apply it. Otherwise, kindly avoid doing it.
- Steaks- Oven cleaner’s abrasive elements on the counter surface invites the steaks of food residue, grease, and other grime. Even make the marks more darken.
- Fading and Staining- continuous use of oven cleaners will lead your kitchen countertops to darken staining, and after some time counter will fade away.
2. Possible Health Hazards From Using Oven Cleaners on Kitchen Surfaces
Chemicals in oven cleansers are known to be harmful and related to several health problems. First, this harsh cleaner will damage your kitchen countertops and reach your health too. See below to learn them.
- Oven cleaners contain abrasive elements. After cleaning your kitchen countertop, some can take place on a porous counter surface. If any food comes into contact with it, you will face many fatal diseases.
- Some toxic elements of the cleaner stuck on kitchen countertops can mix and react with air. Then it may lead to difficulty breathing, dizziness, and headaches.
- Elements with corrosive properties can be a reason for your skin rashes or chemical burns.
- Oven cleaners have serious health hazards: they disturb organs, the cardiovascular system, and the respiratory system.
So, kindly be alert and avoid such things. Never do anything that can harm your health. Use specific mild cleaners to clean your kitchen countertops, avoiding harsh or abrasive cleaners like oven cleaners.
3. Harmful Materials in Oven Cleaner
How and what effect will be your oven cleaner depends on the kitchen countertop’s material. Let’s see which materials are damaged mainly by oven cleaners.
- Stone- Stone countertops are over the surface and are fully folded by stone. And manufacturer designed it; thus, it can hold non-porous features. But oven cleaners’ abrasive elements break the smooth finish of countertops.
Thus oven’s surface porous feature is revealed, and they may absorb the food splits. After some time, the countertop loses its color and becomes greasy oil. Even an unhealthy cooking area comes up.
- Wood- Your wooden counter consists of a thin layer of finish on its surface to make it non-porous. But the high concentration solution of sodium hydroxide with little grease can stop the finishes porous.
Once your surface comes off, the wood can easily engross anything that contacts close with it. When your countertop begins to absorb all the food you prepare, dangerous microorganisms might develop and flourish. Thus, your cooking environment will be unsafe and risky for your health.
- Stainless Steel- Stainless steel has gained fame as an indestructible material. But whenever it faces the continuous use of oven cleaner, it is damaged by it. Stainless steel contains some aluminum portion too.
So, the oven cleaner on the stainless countertop brings out pits and stains on the surface and even invites permanent discoloration.
- Tile- Tile on a bathroom or other place is fine with oven cleaner but cleaning a tile kitchen countertop never be a wise idea. Oven cleaner comprises harsh elements, enough to remove grout from the surface.
But a grout-less tile surface in the kitchen never is a safe environment to cook your food. Once grout removes, food splits and greases will take that place, and bacteria will start forming.
- Formica- Formica is made based on melamine resin through a thermal process and then laminated or painted to look like stone or wood.
They are not as susceptible to rust or damage as countertops made of natural stone. But oven cleaner’s continuous use may remove the coating, and the color will fade away.
Read More: Wok VS Frying Pan – Which One to Use?
How to Clean Your Kitchen Countertops?
Cleaning kitchen counters regularly requires just the use of moderate cleaning products. The kitchen countertops are a sensitive place and our regular cooking area. Harsh or abrasive elements can affect kitchen countertops and then reach your body through the food you made on them. So, avoid harsh cleaners like ovens or other abrasive cleaners. However, you can try the below options to clean kitchen countertops safely and adequately.
- Microfiber cloths
- Mild household cleaners: White vinegar cleaner, Isopropyl Granite Cleaner
- Baking soda or non-abrasive dish soap
- Warm water
Process :
Mix the solution with warm water, spray or drop some solution into a cloth, and then wipe the whole countertop area. But don’t let the countertop wet or moist for a long time. After finishing work or cleaning, wipe the whole surface with a dry microfiber cloth.
Read More: How to Clean a Commercial Pizza Oven?- Expert Advice
Final Verdict
In this article, I have tried to answer this commonly asked question “What is the Effect of Oven Cleaner on Kitchen Countertops?” I hope this will help you to get a brief idea of how oven cleaner affects kitchen countertops.
However, to care for your kitchen countertop and ensure a safe environment for cooking, you need to use appropriate mild cleaners. And discarding oven cleaners’ use on kitchen countertops is a wise decision. Don’t take any risks with your colorful kitchen counter and your health. Be safe, clean, and happy.
You May Also Like to Read:
- How to Cook With Stainless Steel Cookware?
- Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Cookware
- Is Stainless Steel Cookware Toxic?
