Oven and Stove Care for Kenton-on-Sea Holiday Homes

Why the end of the holidays matters

At the end of a busy holiday, the last thing anyone wants to do is clean the oven. But grease, fat and food residue left in an oven for months in a humid coastal house do three things:

1. Attract insects and rodents, especially in a house that stands empty. 2. Hold moisture, which encourages rust on the oven cavity, racks and grill pan. 3. Bake on harder the next time the oven is used, causing smoke and smells.

A thorough clean-up and a few simple steps when you lock up make the next holiday's first meal much easier.

The close-up routine

1. Clean the oven

• Remove racks, trays and the grill pan and wash them.
• Wipe out loose crumbs and grease.
• Use an oven cleaner suitable for your oven's surface, following the instructions, or a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water left for a few hours, then wiped off.
• Do not use harsh cleaners on catalytic liners or self-cleaning surfaces. Check your manual.
• If your oven has a pyrolytic self-clean function, run it while you are still in the house, never when leaving it unattended.

2. Clean the door

• Clean the inner glass.
• Wipe the door seal gently with warm soapy water. Do not pull or stretch it.
• Check the seal is not torn or flattened.

3. Clean the hob

• Ceramic and induction hobs: clean with hob cleaner and a scraper when cool.
• Solid plates: wipe clean, and on old-style plates, a light coat of plate conditioner protects against rust.
• Remove and clean drip trays and spill rings on freestanding stoves.

4. Dry everything

Make sure the oven and drawers are dry. Leave the oven door slightly ajar for a few hours, or until you leave, so moisture can escape.

5. Empty the storage drawer

The drawer under many freestanding ovens collects crumbs and trays. Empty and wipe it.

6. Switch off at the isolator

This protects the stove from power surges while the house is empty.

The arrival routine

Before or when you arrive for the next holiday:

1. Switch on at the isolator. 2. Check the clock and set it if needed. 3. Run the oven empty at a moderate temperature for 15 to 20 minutes with a window open. This drives out moisture from the elements and burns off any dust. 4. Switch on each plate briefly. 5. If the stove trips the earth leakage at any point, switch off at the isolator and call us. Do not keep resetting it.

Why ovens trip after long breaks

Elements contain a heating wire inside insulating powder in a metal sheath. In a humid coastal house, the powder can absorb moisture over months. When heated, the moisture allows current to leak to earth, which trips the earth leakage. A technician can test each element to find which one is affected. Sometimes it dries out with careful heating; sometimes the element needs replacing.

Asking a caretaker to run the oven empty and each plate briefly every month or two while the house is empty helps prevent this.

Salt and corrosion

Kenton's salty air can corrode element terminals, the terminal block behind the stove and switch contacts. Signs include plates that work intermittently, burning smells and scorch marks. If you notice any of these, switch off at the isolator and have the stove checked.

Pests

Mice and insects are attracted to food residue in ovens and stove drawers in closed houses. Mice can chew wiring inside appliances. A clean oven and drawer, and a pest-free house, reduce the risk.