I use my self cleaning oven feature much less often than I should...but when I do, I do it on a day when all the windows can be open. I doubt with the tiny amount of gunk one roast gave off, that you'll have too much smoke residue, but turning on the exhaust fan will keep it at a minimum (along with open windows). I'd put the kitty in a room where the door could be closed against any fumes and a window could be cracked for fresh air.I think it is really fine particle smoke rather than any kind of other "toxic" fumes that are created. The oven gets hot, but stays locked until safe to open the door. You'll love how clean it looks!

Self cleaning ovens heat to a very hot temp when self-cleaning. The fumes that result are from teflon. I do not like the smell when using the self-cleaning feature.

I'm linking a site that has info on this and why it's so toxic to birds and also there is a link on this page for a green oven cleaning method. I haven't tried it yet (have had it bookmarked for a while LOL), but I have used a little baking soda on a wet sponge to wipe up a spill in the oven. I think I'll try this method before the holiday cooking.

Here is a link that might be useful: how to clean self-cleaning oven

I have perfect clean in my Miele so I don't have to worry about self clean. But there are plenty of times when i have had major messes. I have used the following method to clean . I also posted this on Kitchens and several folks used it and posted back that they too were thrilled with the way it works. So here you go.

Instead of the link's suggestion of spreading water on the floor of your oven. Donot do that. Instead take a properly sized heavy duty terry cloth towel...have it the size of the floor of the oven. wet it under the tap and wring it out.

Now coat the bottom of the oven heavily with baking soda. A good heavy coat. Lay the damp towel over the b.s. Now heat water to boiling. Pour it slowly over the towel to saturate but not flood the oven...just to soaking. Leave it alone till the next day. When you lift the towel everything comes right up. If there are any little places you can use a green scrubby , it is safe for al surfaces, and/or spot treat with the b.s. again. For the walls of the oven there is nothing as good as Greased Lightning. It is a wonderful product. it will not harm the self clean at all. Spray a mist of it on the walls of the oven . Go away for 30 min or so and wipe out. All of the gunk will have dripped to the floor of the oven.

I have been doing this for 6 yrs on my Mieles and they look brand new inside. Good Luck. c

I like the idea of the towel Trailrunner!! I think I'll try that.

The other thing that people seem to have problems with is burning out the electronics by using the high heat self-clean feature.

Well, YIKES! I stand corrected, I think. My oven looks like steel inside, not teflon....but I'd rather not chance it, since I don't use teflon for food, I'd not want to breathe it either. Holy toledo, another thing I was completely unaware of! Thanks for the info.

tina...you will be so pleased. rococcogurl for one used it as did several others and they all had great success and clean ovens.

pal is right...there is a current thread about that exact problem...the ovens heat to something like 800 degrees or more I believe..don't quote me. I hate the smell and that is why I got the perfect clean surface. I don't think they are making it anymore though...lots of folks are not willing to clean the oven by hand I guess. Me I don't mind the work. c

Olychick, thanks! LOL, "self-cleaning" sure sounds like a winner in the store...then you start reading the owner's manual! Thanks so much for your reply. It's always a pleasure hearing from you.

Tina, wow, that's a very interesting article. Will show it to DH too. Baking soda must really work like a charm. Thanks!

Trailrunner, I will definitely try the baking soda with the towel method! Sounds great. Thank you so much for sharing the procedure. Now I feel I can tackle this mess without causing a calamity!

Pal, that doesn't sound like a good result either. Another reason to reach for the baking soda!

Trail, I need to modify your method for my cooktop. Once I thought I had a brilliant idea of just pouring boiling water on it, well, it apparently is not all the way sealed so water leaked into the cabinet below and I of course had to explain my brilliance to DH but using the towel with baking soda may help.

yes tish you soak it but just...no extra. I think it is more the heat and then the way the heat stays for a period due to the weight of the towel. No need to have any water running anywhere else. Please post back. And the Greased Lightning really is the way to go for the sides and racks. c

My Dacor gas cooktop has a stainless steel floor, and I used Trail's method to clean that when it gets grungy from spills. I don't use a terry cloth towel, but, after sprinkling heavily with baking powder, I place several layers of paper towels, draped around the burners. Then I carefully pour a small amount of boiling water carefully over the towels, just enough to dampen well and leave it overnight. It works beautifully, the stains and grease come right up!

Turn the self-cleaning oven on when you go to bed, take the cat with you to the bedroom and close the door.

I used the self-cleaning function on my mom's oven one time. That was enough to convince me I didn't want the feature on my new oven.

I use baking soda for a lot of cleaning ... sinks, stovetop, stainless fridge and dishwasher. Tried Greased Lightning on the stove's stainless riser and it didn't do a good job. Still have the bottle, so maybe I'll give it a second chance when I clean the oven.

I too have a self-cleaning oven feature that I've never used (on this current oven, that is), because I've got a parrot andf they really can be killed by things that don't affect other pets (like non-stick cookware coatings) - there's a very good reason canaries were used as mine safety checks prior to environmental samplers, birds are highly susceptible to gases that mammals don't detect. What I do is a hot soapy water dampened towel to soak off baked on gunk and then a green scrubby, or the Method bathroom scrub (well rinsed off before cooking in the oven again.)

That said, I think the cat would be okay - I never had a problem using self-cleaning before getting the parrot, and I've always had cats and dogs. My 20 year old siamese has been through several oven cleaning cycles in her life, and she always just vacated the room until the smell dispersed.

Graywings, you made me LOL! That sounded so cute. Thanks, but I'm pretty sold on Trailrunner's idea. Going to try this organic approach to cleaning. Baking soda is cheap too!

Natal, the self-cleaning function wasn't so hot? (No pun intended!) Thanks for more baking soda cleaning ideas! Looks like I need to stock up on this stuff!

OrchidOCD, the "green scrubby" is another item I must find! Good to know you've had luck with simple cleaning methods for your oven!