During a self-clean cycle the oven gets far hotter than it ever does for baking, and an older Dacor oven may show its weak spots. This is how to use the cycle with care, and when hand cleaning is the better choice.
Plan the cycle for a day when you will be home and can watch it, and keep the kitchen well ventilated. Starting it right before bed or before leaving the house is the situation we see go wrong most often.
Before You Start
- Take out pans and foil, and the racks unless your manual says to leave them.
- Wipe away heavy spills first, since they smoke.
- Open a window or turn on the hood fan for ventilation.
- Move pet birds out of the house, because the fumes can harm them.
What Can Go Wrong
A door latch that fails to engage, a control board that stops mid-cycle, or a fuse that blows are all known reactions to the heat. In an older oven, a latch that was already loose can stop working after the cycle.
Signs to Stop
Heavy smoke, a plastic smell or loud ticking are reasons to cancel the cycle. Leave the door shut while the oven cools, and never pull on a locked door.
What the Result Cannot Tell Us
If the oven stops working right after a clean cycle, that does not mean the cycle caused the damage. It may have exposed a part that was already near the end of its life, and we test to find out which.
Gentler Alternatives
For a unit with a weak latch or old wiring, a damp cloth and baking soda mixed into a thick paste is slower but safer.
If something fails after a cycle, we can test the latch, control and wiring. See our oven repair page.
If you want us to check it, phone our office or use the booking form on this page.