I put two of the UK’s most popular oven cleaners head-to-head to see which best tackles burnt-on grease and baked-on stains.
I put two of the UK’s most popular oven cleaners head-to-head to see which best tackles burnt-on grease and baked-on stains.
Cleaning the oven is one of those thankless tasks that’s all too easy to keep pushing to the bottom of the to-do list — until you’re faced with stubborn, baked-on grease that simply refuses to shift. While there are a handful of natural remedies, I needed something with a bit more muscle to tackle the grime that had been building up over several months.
It’s fair to say the oven isn’t my favourite thing to clean, as evidenced by just how long I’d been dodging the job. Determined to make the whole ordeal as painless as possible, I decided to put the two most well-known oven cleaning products head-to-head — Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner and Elbow Grease Oven and Grill Cleaner.
Having previously tried a couple of Elbow Grease products on my grimy oven racks and greasy air fryer, I was already a fan of the brand.
With both sprays billing themselves as heavy-duty solutions, I was keen to put them through their paces.
A quick trip to the shops saw me pick up the 400ml Elbow Grease Oven and Grill Cleaner for £1.69 from Home Bargains, and the 300ml Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner for £4 from Sainsbury’s.
Given the considerable price difference, my money was on Mr Muscle to come out on top.
Before getting stuck in, I made sure to take the necessary precautions given the potent chemicals involved. Windows and doors were flung open, rubber gloves were pulled on, and with both sprays being particularly pungent — one producing an especially fine mist — a face mask was also a must.
After airing out the kitchen, I warmed the oven to its lowest setting before tackling the cleaning process, as this helps any burnt-on carbon residue soften, making it considerably easier to shift.
Once the oven had warmed through, I switched it off and set about spraying Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner on the left-hand side, while applying Elbow Grease Oven and Grill Cleaner to the right.
From the moment I began, it was apparent that the Mr Muscle product sprays out a notably thicker foam, meaning it took a fair bit longer to coat the left side. The Elbow Grease, by contrast, delivers a much finer mist, allowing for broader, quicker coverage with ease.
With both products applied, I shut the oven door and left them to work their magic for around 30 minutes, as directed on both cans.
Following this second application, the stubborn burnt-on marks began to loosen. On the Mr Muscle side, most of the residue had cleared from the base, yet the marks on the sides persisted. On the Elbow Grease side, every trace of staining had disappeared from the sides, though some lingered on the bottom.
Ultimately, five rounds of applying both sprays were needed. The Elbow Grease side came up spotless, while the Mr Muscle side still had a few blemishes remaining.
Both sprays proved adept at cutting through grease during initial application; however, for particularly stubborn baked-on stains, multiple treatments will be required with either product.
Of the two, the Elbow Grease Oven and Grill Cleaner takes the crown. It’s the more affordable option, offers greater volume, is quicker to apply, and, despite needing several treatments, ultimately cleared every last stain without exception.
