The Ancient Tool That Cleans Even The Grimiest Of Ovens

No matter how hard you try, it's inevitable that your oven is going to get dirty over time. While baking soda can make cleaning an oven easier, sometimes you need something a bit stronger to lift away tough, baked-on grime. This is where pumice stones come in. Pumice, a volcanic rock that forms when lava cools rapidly, has been used by folks since ancient times for various purposes. The ancient Romans used it in their famously strong concrete and, potentially, for cleaning their teeth. Similarly, ancient Egyptians left pumice in tombs so the dead could use it for cosmetic purposes in the next life. Even today, this lightweight, porous stone has many uses, though most folks are only familiar with using it to scrub away dead skin. However, pumice stones, in the form of scouring sticks, can also be a valuable tool for cleaning even the dirtiest ovens.

Pumice stones are a fantastic abrasive that can scrub away stuck-on food much more efficiently than flimsy sponges or plastic scrapers. For cleaning, Pumie Scouring Sticks are the most commonly used, and they've been manufactured since 1941 from pumice mined from the Sierra Mountains in California. While you don't want to use them dry, when moistened with water (or a water and vinegar mixture), a pumice stone scouring stick can quickly scrub away grime with little elbow grease. According to US Pumice, the manufacturers of Pumie Scouring Sticks, pumice is adept at removing everything from baked-on food to carbon buildup inside ovens. Best of all, they're nontoxic, unlike harsh chemical oven cleaners!

Although there are many great oven-cleaning hacks that can work wonders, you shouldn't sleep on the power of pumice stones. Not only can they make removing grime easy, but they can also be used alongside most other cleaning products. Over on TikTok, folks have had a lot of success using warm water and white vinegar, while other folks use a mixture of water, vinegar, and dish soap. Regardless of the mixture you use, submerging the pumice stone you will use in water before using it is essential. This will soften it slightly and make it more absorbent.

When actually cleaning with it, the key is to use small circular motions with only a slight amount of pressure. You don't want to press too hard and end up potentially scratching your oven. Fortunately, it doesn't take a lot of pressure for the pumice to do its job. Moreover, the size of pumice scouring sticks makes them perfect for cleaning those often-forgotten spots in your oven. No matter how much grime is caked on, pumice stones can make short work of it. Plus, if you continue cleaning with them regularly, the job will be even easier.