How to get rid of that new oven chemical smell

That shiny new oven sitting in your kitchen might be fantastic for cooking up delicious meals, but it also may have come with an unpleasant surprise – a funky, chemical-like “new oven” smell. This distinct, unwanted odor bursting from your oven can put a damper on your enjoyment of your new appliance.

Thankfully, with a simple seasoning process, you can easily get rid of the stench. Read on to find out why new ovens emit an odor when you should be concerned, and how you can banish the smell for good.

Read More: How to Season Cast Iron Without an Oven

What causes a “new oven” smell?

When you first fire up your new oven, you’ll likely notice a chemical or metallic odor bursting out when you open the door. This is caused by the various manufacturing oils and residues left over from production.

While annoying, the smell is completely normal for new ovens. It’s not an indication that something is wrong with your appliance.

The lubricating greases are essential additions during oven assembly and help the mechanical parts glide and shift together smoothly. But they tend to leave behind a slight residue and film on the inner oven surfaces and heating elements. This leftover oil emits an unpleasant smell when burned off at high temperatures during the first few oven uses. Much like cooking oil sprinkled in a hot pan, the oven oils sputter and burn off rapidly under heat, creating an unpleasant odor.

READ MORE: Don’t Get Burned! 14 Quick and Easy Oven Safety Tips

Should you burn off that new oven chemical smell?

When you first purchase a new oven, you may notice a peculiar odor emanating from it. This scent is often due to residual chemicals, oils, or coatings from the manufacturing process. It’s a common occurrence, but it can be concerning to homeowners. Is it safe? Should you burn it off? The process of burning off these residual substances is known as oven seasoning or curing. This procedure is recommended by many manufacturers and is considered a safe and effective way to eliminate unwanted odors and potential contaminants before using the oven for cooking. During the curing process, you’ll want to ventilate your home well to dissipate the fumes, which can be unpleasant or even irritating to some individuals.

It’s advisable to follow the specific guidelines provided by your oven’s manufacturer for seasoning, which typically involves setting the oven to a high temperature for a certain period. Not only does this process help in getting rid of the initial chemical smell, but it also prepares your oven for optimal performance. By adhering to these guidelines, you ensure a safer and more enjoyable cooking experience, free from any unwanted odors or residues.

How to eliminate the chemical odor by seasoning your oven

The chemical odor from a new oven is relatively easy to get rid of. A simple seasoning process allows the oven’s internal oils to burn away fully, eliminating the smell at its source.

It’s a similar concept to seasoning a new cast iron pan. Just as you’d burn off factory oils by baking the pan empty, you can “bake” away oven odors by heating it empty for a period.

Oven seasoning involves running an empty oven at a high temperature for an extended time. This allows any lingering assembly oils or residues to fully burn off, leaving behind a clean appliance free of funky smells.

Seasoning your oven is a breeze. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Clear out the oven interior completely. Remove any racks, pans, aluminum foil, or anything else inside.
2. Preheat the empty oven to 400°F.
3. Once the oven has reached 400°F, allow it to continue heating at that temperature for 30-45 minutes.
4. Turn off the oven and allow it to cool down completely. This may take 1-2 hours.
5. Open windows in the kitchen to help air circulation during the cooling process. This allows any remaining odors to ventilate out.
6. After the oven cools fully, run it empty at 400°F for another 30-45 minutes.
7. Repeat this heating/cooling cycle as many times as needed until the smell dissipates fully. For most ovens, 1-3 seasons does the trick.

That’s all there is to it! That bothersome chemical new oven smell should now be gone for good.

Tips for effective seasoning

Keep these tips in mind for the best oven seasoning results:

• Set a kitchen timer to avoid forgetting about the oven while seasoning.
• Ventilate the kitchen well between seasoning cycles. Open windows, turn on vents, etc.
• Only season while you’re home so you can monitor the oven temperatures.
• Preheat the oven fully before starting the timer for seasoning durations.
• Repeat the 30-45 minute seasoning cycles as many times as needed to fully eliminate odors.

READ MORE: Cooking Efficiently In Your Oven: 10 Tips And Tricks

More ways to remove chemical smells

Often it will just take time to fully eliminate new oven odors. But with enough patience, ventilation, and a sprinkle of creativity, you can fast-track the process with these tips:

• After the oven has fully cooled, wipe down the interior oven surfaces with 50/50 water and white vinegar solution.
• Roast poultry, citrus fruits, or homemade breads soon after getting the oven.
• Lay towels soaked in vinegar or fresh lemon juice flat on the oven floor or rack and run at 200°F for 30-60 minutes for a fresher smell.
  • Only use 100% cotton towels that are lint-free and won’t leave fuzz in the oven.
  • Make sure to wring out excess liquid so the towel isn’t dripping before placing it in the oven.
  • Monitor the towel through the heating cycle so it doesn’t scorch.
  • Ventilate the kitchen well since citrus steam can set off smoke alarms.
  • After heating, wipe interior surfaces with a damp towel.
• Use essential oils to freshen the oven
  • Mix 5-10 drops of essential oil with a cup of water. Bring to a boil on the stovetop, then turn off the heat and allow the steam to vent into the oven.
  • Add 3-5 drops of essential oil directly to a cotton ball or paper towel, then place this in the oven on a low heat cycle of 200-250 degrees.
    • The scent of citrus oils like lemon, orange, and grapefruit cuts through odors while they stay heat-tolerant.
    • Do not place essential oils directly onto any oven surfaces, as some can stain or leave residues. Carrier oils like coconut or olive oil are safer to wipe onto surfaces.
    • Avoid putting bottles or other containers of essential oil in the oven, as some materials may melt or break at higher temperatures.
    • Never heat essential oils above their recommended flash point temperatures, as some can combust. Most diffuse fine at oven temperatures ranging from 200-250°F.
    • Do not leave heated oils unattended.
    • Ventilate the area well during the heating process.
    • Avoid direct contact with heating elements.

Should I clean my new oven before use?

Upon acquiring a new oven, it’s not uncommon to ponder the necessity of cleaning it before its inaugural use. Despite its pristine appearance, your new oven may harbor residual oils, dust, or chemical coatings from the manufacturing process. A thorough cleaning prior to use is a prudent step to ensure your culinary creations are unmarred by unwanted flavors or potential contaminants.

For more information: How to clean an oven

When to be concerned about oven odors

While a smell from a brand-new oven is perfectly normal, odor persisting after you’ve seasoned the appliance can indicate an underlying issue.

Here are some signs that oven odors may stem from a real problem:

• The smell lingers after multiple 30-45 minute seasoning cycles at 400°F.
• A noticeable odor remains after using the oven for several cooking cycles.
• The smell is more similar to burning plastic or wires, not normal food odors.
• The odor seems to originate from the rear vents/exhaust, not the cooking area.
• You observe smoke or anything visibly burnt inside the oven.

Don’t simply ignore strange noises, smells, or errors. Trying to overlook an underlying defect could lead to bigger issues in the future. If unpleasant odors won’t go away after thorough seasoning and regular use, contact the oven manufacturer. Persistent smells could stem from wiring issues, vent problems, defective parts, or installation errors.

Read More: How to Protect Your Appliances in a Power Outage

Enjoy your odor-free, seasoned oven

Thanks for reading! We hope this guide helped you break in your new oven and eliminate that chemical smell.

If you have any appliance repair or part replacement questions, grab your model number and visit us at AppliancePartsPros.com. There, you can order parts, chat with a pro, and more. Most orders arrive in 2-3 business days.

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