A smell coming from an oven can make it difficult to operate and it can also impact the taste of the food. Moreover, the bad odor could be hinting that you need the help of an oven repair service. These are the common oven smells and ways to remove them.

Burning Plastic Smell

There are multiple causes of an oven smelling like burning plastic. The first reason for a burning plastic smell in an oven is the residue of cleaning products. If the oven is not cleaned properly, the cleaner won’t come off some parts of the oven walls or racks. When you use your oven, the oven heats up causing the cleaning residue to burn and give off a burning plastic odor.

The second reason is putting plastic in the oven. Many frozen foods are packed in plastic tubs. These tubs have plastic films on them. When these items are placed in the oven and they are heated, a small part of these films melt. This makes the oven smell like burning plastic.

The third cause is more serious. A burning plastic smell can be due to electrical problems in the oven. Electrical wirings are used in the oven for its functioning and if they malfunction, some parts of the plastic covering of the wires melt resulting in a burning plastic smell. You should not wait and hire an expert to check the oven.

Chemical Smell

You smell a chemical odor coming out of your new oven. A chemical smell is common in a new oven because when the interior of the oven is heated for the first few times, the bonding agent cures and you sense a chemical smell inside the oven.

Therefore, if you have a new oven, use the guidelines in the user manual to clean the oven including its racks, and leave it for 5-10 minutes. After this, heat the oven to around 400F. It may help you remove residue from your oven.

Burning Food Smell

During cooking, food or oil can drip into the oven. If this food residue is not cleaned, you will notice a burning food smell inside the oven even though the food you’re cooking would look fine.

So, clean your oven regularly. If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, you should still don’t rely on it completely and clean the oven every few days.

Moreover, be aware of the positioning of the food. Broiling food should not be too close to the broiler. Keep a distance of at least a few inches between them. Moreover, food that has a high amount of fats can smoke if cooked fast. Plus, practice caution that oil doesn’t drip on the heating element because it can start a fire.

For removing this smell, follow below:

• Remove the oven racks and also clean out the interior with a cloth or brush.
• Turn on the self-cleaning mode of the oven.
• After the process, leave the oven to cool down.
• Mix one part vinegar with one part water in a container.
• Use it to wipe the inside of the oven.
• Let it dry.

Gas, Sulfur, Or Rotten Eggs Smell

Natural gas when mixes with some substances, it smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. So, if you’re sensing this odor, it indicates a gas leak inside the oven or from the valve that is being used to supply gas to the oven.

If the smell is detectable only when you try to turn on the oven, then it’s an internal leakage. However, if you can sense the smell even when the oven is off, the leakage is more serious. In this case, open the windows, extinguish any flames in the house, cut the power supply to the house from the breaker, and leave the house. If the gas meter is outside your house and turn it off.

When you’re outside, call the gas company or an appliance repairer to visit your house and inspect the issue.

You should follow the above instructions because a gas leak can cause a fire or explosion and it must be fixed immediately.

Conclusion

Oven smells are of different types. Identify the type of smell and perform the actions mentioned for that oven odor. Make sure to have your oven inspected by an appliance repair Fairfax expert if you detect a natural or rotten eggs gas smell.