- What is pyrolytic cleaning
- Preparation and carrying out cleaning
- Advantages and disadvantages of
Pyrolytic cleaning is a fairly simple, but very effective and efficient way to clean the internal surfaces of the oven from accumulated carbon deposits and fat. So what is it? How does it work and what are the pros and cons.
What is pyrolytic cleaning
The meaning of the pyrolytic cleaning process of the oven, what it is, becomes clear from the meaning of the word “pyrolysis” - “feast” - from the Greek “heat” and “lysus” - “disintegration, disintegration, decomposition”.Purification is based on a chemical reaction which, under the influence of very high temperatures, causes complete decomposition of the starting material. Under the action of temperature, the final breaking of intramolecular bonds occurs, as a result of which the formation of new compounds occurs. The whole process - pyrolysis - proceeds without the participation of any chemical reagents, only under the influence of temperature, therefore it is also called “thermal” decomposition.
However, in order for the process of pyrolytic cleaning( actually - thermal decomposition) to begin inside the oven, it is necessary to create a very high temperature - about 450–500 ° C.With such a temperature effect, all organic compounds burn out and turn into ashes. Which can be assembled with a simple damp cloth after the oven has cooled.
Important:
You can achieve a temperature of 500 ° C only in electric ovens. The maximum value in gas ovens is about 250 degrees. If the manufacturer indicates “pyrolytic cleaning” in the description of the gas oven, it means that he is simply trying to deceive the buyer.
In order for the electric oven to withstand such high temperatures, its interior must be made of very high-quality heat-resistant steel. A special multi-layer construction of tempered glass should have an oven door. All this, heat-resistant steel and reinforced door - should provide a high level of thermal insulation, so as not to damage the furniture located nearby or cause burns if you accidentally touch the oven.
Preparation and Conducting Cleaning
Before starting the cleaning, it is recommended to remove all the grids and trays from the oven. Most of them are not designed for such a high temperature, which can damage, for example, non-stick coating. However, some models of electric ovens, first of all - premium-class, are equipped with baking sheets having a coating of heat-resistant enamel, so you can leave them inside.
After this, the pyrolytic cleaning process can be started directly. When the function is started, the oven door should automatically lock. It can be opened only after the temperature inside does not fall below 200 ° C.But, even despite the door lock, glass, especially for low-cost models, can warm up to 90 degrees, so for this time it is better not to let children into the kitchen.
The frequency of cleaning depends on how often you use the oven and which dishes you prefer to cook in it. Manufacturers recommend cleaning at least 1 time per month. Modern models of electrical cabinets are equipped with a special catalyst. It determines how dirty the internal surface of the oven is, signals the need for cleaning, and determines the time required to complete the cleaning operation.
Important:
Do not clean the oven too rarely. Dirt accumulating on the walls for a long time is very difficult to thermally decompose. This leads to an increase in cleaning time, as a result - a large consumption of electricity, as well as to the appearance of a strong smell of burning.
In some models of electric ovens, there are several degrees of pyrolytic cleaning, which differ in temperature conditions. This makes it possible to choose the cleaning option in a “gentle” mode, at lower temperatures, saving electricity.
Advantages and disadvantages of
Let us evaluate the pros and cons of pyrolytic cleaning of the oven. First of all, the main advantage of this method is that self-cleaning of the electric oven occurs with virtually no human intervention. Other advantages worth noting:
- high efficiency - the pyrolytic process allows you to get rid of even the stale fat stains; you would have to make considerable efforts manually to achieve this effect;
- is suitable for all types of pollution - dairy, fat, sugar, dough, etc., equally well destroys any type of pollution;
- cleaning the entire surface - there are a lot of hard-to-reach places in the oven to clean them manually;
- lack of chemicals, after which for a long time there may be a characteristic odor that adversely affects the taste of cooked food.
Cons:
- high cost - the need to use high-strength heat-resistant steel and tempered glass to provide thermal insulation significantly increases the cost of electric heating;
- processing time - in order to clean the surfaces, it is necessary to maintain the heat in the oven for up to 2 hours. The longer the intervals between cleaning, the more time it may take to accumulate dirt;
- high power consumption - on average, one cleaning procedure will require 4 to 7 kilowatt-hours of electricity. The greater the pollution, the greater the power consumption;
- special requirements for furniture - despite the thermal insulation, the oven( especially cheap models of "gray" manufacturers) can significantly heat up. Therefore, the furniture, which will be built oven, must withstand a significant temperature load, which can exceed 70 ° C.In models of leading manufacturers, this drawback practically does not manifest itself, but additional insulation affects the cost;
- unpleasant smell - special filters are built in the oven that should suppress the smell of burning fat. But if there is a lot of grease and dirt, they will not be able to effectively cope with the intense smell, so it is better to use the hood additionally.
