The stove cleaning step people skip before baking day

Nothing ruins the first batch of holiday cookies faster than a kitchen full of smoke and a weird smell coming from the oven. Most of the time, that’s not your recipe—it’s your stove. The step people skip is ridiculously simple: clearing out the loose, burnt stuff before you start baking like crazy.

Sweep out the crumbs and burnt spills first

We tend to focus on scrubbing the oven walls or running self-clean, but the biggest smoke culprits are crumbs and old spills sitting on the bottom. Every time you preheat, they burn a little more.

Before a big baking day, pull out the racks, let the oven cool completely, and use a hand vacuum or brush and dustpan to sweep up crumbs and loose bits. Then wipe the bottom with a damp cloth and a little dish soap, avoiding the heating element. You’ll be shocked how much comes up in just a few minutes.

Deal with the sticky spots—without going nuclear

If you’ve got baked-on patches from pies or casseroles, spot-treat those instead of ignoring them. Make a paste of baking soda and water, spread it on the cooled spill, let it sit for 20–30 minutes, then gently scrub with a non-scratch pad.

You don’t have to get the oven looking brand new. You’re aiming for “no obvious puddles of burnt sugar or grease” so they’re not re-smoking every time the temperature goes up. Save the full deep clean for another day if you need to.

Don’t forget the racks and the door seal

Grimy racks can also smoke and smell when they heat up. While they’re out, give them a quick soak in hot, soapy water in the tub or a large sink. A scrub brush or balled-up foil (gently) will take off most of the buildup.

Check the rubber door gasket too. Wipe it down with a damp cloth to get rid of crumbs and grease so it can seal properly. A good seal helps the oven hold temperature steady, which means more even baking.

Give the stovetop a matching reset

If you’re cooking on the stovetop and baking at the same time, clean burners matter there too. For gas stoves, lift grates, wipe the surface, and make sure the burner caps and little holes where the flame comes out aren’t clogged.

For electric or glass tops, remove and clean drip pans where you can, and wipe up any baked-on gunk near the burners. You want heat going where it’s supposed to go, not cooking old spills all over again.

Do a test preheat before the big day

Once you’ve done the quick cleanout, do a test run. Turn the oven on to a moderate temp—around 350°F—and let it heat for 15–20 minutes with nothing inside.

If there’s any remaining smell or light smoke, it’s usually lighter now and will burn off. Crack a window or run the vent. By the time you’re actually sliding cookies or rolls in, the oven will be ready to focus on this batch, not last year’s.

A spotless oven isn’t required for good food. But a five- to ten-minute crumb sweep and spill check before a big baking day can save you from apologizing for smoke alarms and strange flavors in your first round out of the oven.