Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

I need to clean my oven and want to use the self-cleaning feature.....I have never done self-cleaning before......

I know that the oven gets very hot and the house will smell...I also know it takes about 4-5h so my question is: Do I need to leave the house with the baby while the oven is on??? does it really smell bad?? Can I hang out in my den level (which is one level down from the kitchen) or is it still unsafe to be anywhere in the house?? Obviously I don't want to expose DD to anything harmful....

I feel like an idiot but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask!!

TIA!

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

I am NEUROTIC (really neurotic ) about fumes, toxins, etc....so we are never home when we have the oven cleaning...it's usually when just DH or I are home alone for whatever reason. We don't clean it more than 2x/year maybe, so it does work out.

And always on a warm day when all the windows can be open too.

Again, I'm neurotic

Edited to clarify, we don't ever do it when no one is home either, too scary!

Message edited 3/4/2010 8:58:02 AM.

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

I let the self-clean oven run about every other month. I cook a lot, so it needs regular cleaning.

It does smell. I always run the fan or open a window. But I don't leave my house (I'm neurotic about leaving my house with a hot oven running!) and my kids are usually around. It's basically running the oven at a very high temp to burn off the stuff. After the first time, it's less noticeable.

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

I wouldn't do it with the baby in the house....I'd do it on the weekend when DH was home and go somewhere with DC. The smell is so strong and gives me a headache, I can't even imagine what it does to the little ones.

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

not a dumb question because I was wondering about this myself! We just got a new oven and I have never had a self cleaning one before so this is good to know!

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

we tried ours for the first time. ihad NO idea it was going to smell that bad, we turned the oven off, left the house for hours and it still smelled terrible. I don't think I'll be using that feature again!

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

I hate it because I think it smells so bad. There is no way I'd do it with kids in the house since I don't even like being there with it. I would wait until it warms up, open up every window and either have your DH stay home or be able to play outside. I don't love leaving it on either with noone home, but if you can minimize the time you're inside, I think that would be better.

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

I do it with the downstairs windows all open. So I have 8 windows and the back door open when I do it. I will keep the kids upstairs with the door closed. It takes about 2 hours for our oven. I do it every 3 months so yeah it is done in the winter.

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

Re: Self-Cleaning oven and Baby (children) around

Thanks ladies!!!

Your responses definitely helped!!