“How do you keep the glass this clean?” my sister asked, staring into my oven like it was a museum piece. “Baking soda,” I said. “And patience. Mostly baking soda.” She did not believe me until I let her do the second half herself.

The paste that does the work

Mix baking soda with a little water until it forms a spreadable paste. It should be thick enough to stay where you put it, not runny. Smear it all over the inside of the oven door glass, covering every spot of brown grime.

Here is the part that matters: walk away for twenty minutes. The paste needs time to break down the cooked-on grease. If you scrub right away, you are doing all the work. Wait, and the grime lifts almost by itself.

Scrub, wipe, shine

1. After twenty minutes, scrub gently with a damp sponge or a non-scratch pad. The paste turns slightly gritty, which is exactly what you want.
2. Wipe the paste off with a wet cloth.
3. For the final shine, spray the glass with white vinegar and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth. The vinegar cuts the last film and leaves no streaks.

Why I stopped buying oven cleaner

The spray stuff works, but it smells like a chemical plant and I always worried about the fumes around food. The baking soda paste costs pennies and does the same job, it just needs those extra minutes to sit. I also found the vinegar trick keeps the glass clear longer, so I clean the door about half as often now.

One more tip for the stubborn spots near the hinges: use an old toothbrush dipped in the paste. Those corners never get touched by a sponge, and they are the first place the grime comes back.

My sister texted me a photo of her own oven door two weeks later. Clean enough to see your face in. She is a believer now.