2 Non-Toxic Solutions For Removing Scratches From Your Oven's Glass Door (You Already Have These Ingredients)

It's an accepted reality that scratches happen in kitchens. You'll find them on tabletops, floors, cookware, and just about anything related to the cooking process. Some of the hardest kitchen scratches to remedy are those on the see-through glass panel on your oven. That is, until you realize the simplest solutions may already be waiting nonchalantly inside your cabinets — toothpaste and baking soda. 

Both of these mildly abrasive home remedies are non-toxic, inexpensive, and easy to apply, giving oven glass an instant facelift without introducing harsh chemicals into your cooking environment. They're not the solution for cracks or deeper dings, but they can work wonders on fine surface scratches, essentially polishing, buffing, and softening the lines to diminish them. 

A simple way to determine if toothpaste or baking soda solutions are appropriate for treating your specific oven-door scratches is the "fingernail test." Very lightly run your fingernail across the scratches: If it catches, there's a good chance you need a professional fix, a full glass replacement, or in the very least, a pro-level scratch removal kit. If it passes the fingernail test with a smooth run, you're good to go. It's important to clean the glass surface before beginning, making sure the oven is completely cold to prevent cracking. This reveals the scratches more clearly and helps remove small bits of debris that could cause more blemishes as you work.

Baking soda is often used as a mild abrasive cleaner, and those properties translate well into removing glass scratches on your oven. Because it's already a common ingredient in cooking, it feels less aggressive than potent commercial products, including highly caustic oven cleaners. Another big bonus is that baking soda is affordable and likely in your pantry already. 

To fix light glass scratches with baking soda, mix equal parts soda and water until you have a soft paste, then apply a small amount onto the affected oven glass with a soft cloth. Rub gently in a circular motion before wiping the paste away with a clean damp cloth. It's a good idea to first test out this technique on a small, inconspicuous corner of the scratched area. 

Toothpaste works in much the same way. Choose a plain white, non-gel toothpaste, ideally one that already includes baking soda. Put a small dab of toothpaste onto a soft and slightly damp cloth. Work the paste over the scratches in small circular motions, using only a light amount of pressure. It should only take about 30 seconds to see improvement. To gauge the effect, wipe off the paste and rinse, repeating if necessary to reach desired results. 

Simple techniques like these can work in many areas of the kitchen, particularly when cleaning. Check out these 11 genius ways to clean your kitchen with baking soda.