Should I worry about the used electric oven catching fire if I use the self-cleaning method?

Question

I acquired a used electric, self cleaning oven that needs cleaning very badly. Should I expect alot of smoke? Should I test the self-cleaning method for only five minutes, initially?

Answer 1

The purpose of the self-cleaning oven is to burn itself clean. If there's alot of crud in the oven, believe it or not, you may get a small fire once it hits a certain temperature. This is normal. Make sure you do it on a day you can keep your windows open - it can really stink if it's that dirty. The oven itself is self-contained so unless there's something seriously wrong with it, you shouldn't worry about the fire spreading. You also won't be able to open the oven door (because safety latch) until the cycle has completed and the oven has cooled down. When it does, go in with a damp cloth to wipe up the cinders. Good luck!

BTW - testing won't serve any purpose. Either it works or it doesn't.

Answer 2

I've never known an oven to explode or anything like that during self cleaning, you may experience some smoke and a somewhat unpleasant odor but that should be about it