How To Clean Melted Foil From Oven

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This is the oven at my parents' house; A few months ago, my mom was making ziti or something and some of the tin foil dropped to the bottom of the oven...
Does anybody know how to get it off? Would running it in self-clean work?
uurx Well-Known Member

some detailing compound might work
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Geesh, that's a hot surface. Aluminum melts around 900-1200F, depending on the alloy. Foil is typically pretty pure aluminum, so toward the upper end of that temp range. If it's actually melted on it may be adhered to whatever other stuff was stuck to that coating, but I don't think it would stick to the coating itself.
There is glass cooktop cleaning stuff that is an acid and it dissolves burned on residue and then it's easy to scrape off, that might help if you can get it under the edges. It might be obvious to you, but avoid using metal to scrape, or anything that could scratch that coating. If it gets chipped, it can easily crack from that point after thermal cycles.

Worst case, cleaning cycle would melt the rest and it would just become part of the oven. Not sure if there are any hazardous conditions associated with molten aluminum being near food, though. Aluminum vapor might not be good?

Last edited: Jul 19, 2020
rleete Grumpy old man - get off my lawn

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Regular oven cleaner will remove that.
No it will NOT.
I know this because we did the same thing to our newer (then) oven. It is the type of oven that has the heating elements (I am guessing this is an electric oven) buried below the oven cavity. once that stuff is melted on there i there is no getting it off.
If one looks at and reads (we did not) the instructions and cautions that came with the oven when new, I am betting it says DO NOT USE FOIL in this oven. My wife used the old time trick to line the bottom of our oven to make spill overs easy to clean. Then one time we used the broil function to cook something AKA -HOT AS THEY GET. That foil fused itself to the bottom of the stove. The manufacturer worked with us (dummies) and we wound up replacing the oven/stove.
Good luck with this --you'll need it!!
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If there is a heating element under that surface, like markmizz suggested, it may be relatively easy to remove and replace. If the oven is new-ish, parts should be available through the dealer of that oven manufacturer.
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Duct tape. Put strips over it and pull it off. (Cold oven of course)
The element is NOT the problem --it is the "fusion process" by the heat that has ruined the oven cavity itself. I also thought I could take on replacing the whole oven cavity -problem was - the cavity was not available as a part that a "consumer" could order. said the MFR.
"we can't sell that part" to you as it would not be "possible" for a consumer (regardless of their technical abilities) to take on this task.
Also to the other poster about using tape --you have no idea how well this tin foil will fuse to the oven coating after it has been melted on with the temps of a oven on the broil setting.
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Yeah, I do. My wife, (who doesnt need a user manual) melted foil on our oven bottom shortly after we bought it. Granted, the tape just got the big chunks off; the rest, I think we soaked in simple green and scoured it with a nylon pad, then ran a self clean. The oven is perma-scarred though. Nothing gets that shit off totally.
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I wasn't talking about replacing the element, I was talking about replacing the surface that the foil melted on. Many (most?) ovens with an element under the lower surface have a bottom panel that is removable. My previous electric oven did and my current gas one does, too. Going to the MFR for parts is the first mistake you made. You have to go through a dealer or an appliance repair place that has the ability to order from the MFR. Just like with a auto, you can't go directly to Toyota for parts, you go through a dealer or parts supplier. Also, cheap appliances are made cheaply and without the provisions for repair or maintenance. Heck, even some expensive appliances are made cheaply and without repairs in mind.
The oven coating is used specifically because it is not porous and able to withstand very high temps. The bond of the aluminum should be mechanical, not chemical.
Both above are correct as I am betting different manufacturers build their stoves/ovens differently. Our stove had a one piece oven cavity and it was badly scarred. In the end the MFR. treated us well and we were happy with the result, plus the learning experience of the episode. all is well -- good luck to the OP
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Name brand oven cleaner contains sodium hydroxide, which will dissolve aluminum. It may take several applications, but it will eventually work.
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Sorry it took so long to respond to this; I've been REALLY busy lately...
I tried getting advice for this in a private Facebook community group for the town I live in, and some asshole screenshotted the pictures and listed my oven for sale in a marketplace group; No, I'm not kidding! TW really is a refreshing escape from the douchebaggery of FB!
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Grind it off with a 120 grit flap disk.
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Following...did you get it off?
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Not yet, but the chunk of tin foil has actually gotten smaller!
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You should never use foil to line the newer ovens that have a self cleaning cycle. That will never come off completely. You can scrub and scrap all day you will only get some off. My ovens are gas too so they all can have this
A previous tenant did this in my rental unit. I missed it on the inspection at move out. I was not pleased as it was a new range but what can you do. I did get some of it off and it looked like they tried also.
But in the end it will still cook the same just look ugly. Don't do it again and move on.
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Nope, without replacing the entire inner shell, [ever pulled all the guts and wiring from one of these? I have] it isn't happening. That's not covered under any warranty and is considered user caused cosmetic damage. Probably cheaper to buy a new range then pay the cost [if you can find one] of a new inner shell and the labor to replace it.
Wait until you have mice, they haul in a couple pounds of dog food and store it around the elements in that nice little cubby around the element and it get's used. The burnt dog food, pee and poo of Mr Mouse smells absolutely horrid. ''Buy a new one'' was my recommendation as you can't really clean it as it's maybe an inch high where that element sits.

My other recommendation...........put your dog food up and quit leaving it sit in a bowl.