The more you put off cleaning an appliance -- like the dreaded oven, the more the grime -- and dread -- builds up. But keeping it clean is critical from an aesthetic and a practical standpoint. Without proper maintenance, fuel ports and hood vents can clog and ovens can smoke.
Here, then, is Martha's step-by-step guide for taking the stove top, vent hood, oven, toaster, microwave, and countertop grill from grease-spattered and blackened to gleaming overnight. Her method requires no more than a couple of hours of active time and a few cleaning products (and most of the products are chemical free). Should you need added incentive, consider this: "If you thoroughly clean the oven, and then maintain it after every use," Martha says, "you should never have to do such a dirty job again."
