Melted Aluminum Foil?

Question

We just bought a new house, and in the oven, the previous owners had left a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom. This has melted, and I've gotten off as much as I can by hand with cleaning agent. But, is there anything I can do about the rest? It's stuck solid to the base of the oven? I don't want to damage the oven safe coatings.

Answer 1

Fill a small bowl with plain ammonia and put it in the oven over night.  The fumes will loosen any baked on nastiness and you will be able to wash them away.  

My guess is the bottom of the oven was not clean and they put the foil on top of it and it cooked on.  This should help.

Answer 2

I don't know. I'd try Easy Off oven cleaner, because it probably isn't the foil that's melted on, but grease that has gotten under it and is making it stick. Beyond that, if that doesn't work, I'd go online and look up the oven's manufacturer's website and shoot them an email. I don't know why people line the bottom of an oven with foil..that's so dangerous.  

Answer 3

I guess it is possible that the Al foil has actually melted.

But I doubt it.

Its probably stuck on.  Since foil is so thin, it usually oxidizes before it melts.  Try tossing some in a fire if you doubt me :p

Anyway.  I'm not sure what to do.  I'd probably clean the oven as best as possible then set it on broil.

There are four possibile ways to go:

1.  Heat it up when the goo holding foil on softens, scrape it off

2.  Set it on broil and burn it off.  This might take an hour or three.  Good ventillation, I hope

3.  Vinegar on a paper towel (use paper towel to keep the vinegar from dripping or evaporating

4.  Baking soda paste.  Not sure if this will work - try it on a piece of al before you try it in oven.  Al WILL react with alkaline cleaners like Drain-o but you don't want to spill any of that down into your oven.

could also try laundry detergent paste. (or TSP for that matter).  Don't leave these on longer than you have to since they might etch the enamel.

Answer 4

odimwitdwon had a great answer and I agree that it hasn't melted but it's probably stuck because of the grease. Does the oven have a self-cleaning cycle? If so, have tried it?