Pin-it to the test: DIY Oven Cleaner

 

Okay, so we are all addicted to Pinterest, right?  It is an actual addiction.  And for those of you who haven't discovered the women's Wikipedia of DIY projects and decor inspiration, you MUST email me and I will send you an invite.  You simply MUST get on the Pinterest junky train.

That said, if you're like me, you pin like crazy.  You pin things that you love, things that make life simpler, storage ideas, cleaning ideas, DIY projects... the list goes on ad infinitum. But how many times do you actually put those pins to work?  I am going to do a weekly feature (at least weekly) where I will try out one of these fabulous "make life simpler/more beautiful/more convenient" Pinterest finds, and share the results.  Sadly, my first post is a PinterTest FAIL.

A few weeks ago, Grandma Martini and I were talking about how gross our oven doors were, and how no matter what we did we couldn't get those puppies clean.  I thought, "there's got to be a Pinterest solution to that". And Eureka!  There was.  I found a pin linking to DIY Home Sweet Home (a blog I think is fabulous and is on our Monkey Love Link List).  I was particularly drawn to this at-home solution because it was super easy to follow, and used on-hand, green ingredients (i.e. baking soda and water).  Clearly this gal has a magic DIY touch that I just don't have, because her oven looks awesome, and mine looks, well, the same as it did before I tried her method. 

Exhibit A:



Example Oven BEFORE
Courtesy of DIY Home Sweet Home



Example Oven AFTER
Courtesy of DIY Home Sweet Home

Exhibit B:

My Oven BEFORE

My Oven AFTER

 
So, not sure where I went wrong.  I followed the directions, making a paste with some baking soda and water,

Baking soda paste... perhaps too thick?

 

And I left it on for 1 hour (twice as long as her recommended time).  Scoured it off, and was left with shinier grime on my door.  I will say may hands were super soft after the baking soda paste, so even if this isn't my go-to oven cleaner, it will certainly be one of my go-to self-spa treatments.

 

Anyone have an alternative they think is more effective?  I'd love to take on the challenge!  I'll be trying this again with slightly looser paste... maybe it just didn't have the juice it needed the first time.  In any event, I'll be keeping an eye on DIY Home Sweet Home for new tips and tricks to try.  And you should too ;)