Do NOT self-clean your oven the day before the big party you are hosting.  Some of the most common service calls for oven repair are caused by the self-clean getting stuck or dying during the extremely high heat cycle of the self-clean (where ovens can get up to 800-900 degrees).  By doing the self-clean cycle two weeks before your party, you will avoid that panicked call to your friendly appliance repair man.

To self-clean your oven, follow your oven’s self-cleaning section.  Never use oven cleaner on the self-clean process. The combination of the extreme high heat with some of the over the counter cleaners can etch your oven’s porcelain enamel and you can end up with spider cracks.

Wipe up any major oven spills with hot water and liquid dish soap or make a paste using baking soda and hot water. Cleaning the heavy spill areas will also reduce the burning smells during your oven’s self-clean cycle.  Check your self-cleaning section to see if the drips trays from under your top burners can also be cleaned during the self-clean cycle – which will save your time and energy.

But DO NOT leave your house once you have started your oven’s self-clean cycle.  It is better to be safe than sorry – and this is one cycle you don’t want to just set it and forget it.