Whether you first saw aluminum foil lining an oven at your grandmother’s house or you saw the practice online, it’s an oft-cited hack for keeping the appliance clean. But does it work, and is it safe?
If you’re lining your oven with aluminum foil, it’s time to stop because not only could it ruin your food, but it could ruin your oven as well.
The idea behind lining the base of the oven when aluminum foil is that it’ll help catch drips and messes, ultimately making cleaning your oven easier. In theory, it’s a good idea. However, there are several things that could go wrong.
When it comes to your oven itself, lining it with aluminum foil could cause your heating elements to become damaged due to reflected heat. The foil could also not be strong enough to withstand high oven temperatures for extended periods of time resulting in melting and damage. As for food, air flow could be blocked leading to poorly cooked food, and the reflective surface could speed up cooking and cause burned baked goods. No good, right?
Thankfully, there are alternatives that can help keep your oven clean without affecting your food or appliance.
Oven-safe bottom liners can catch drips and spills in your oven without putting your food or appliance at risk. They’re affordable and readily available at Amazon and most major retailers—just be sure to use them exactly as directed. Not into oven liners? If you’re cooking something that may spill over like a casserole, try placing your casserole dish onto a cookie sheet, then put the sheet inside your oven. This allows the cookie sheet to catch drips.
None of this, however, means you get to avoid cleaning your oven. Thankfully, though, oven cleaning doesn’t have to be so daunting.
