Do you often hide your cooker door with a tea towel folded over the handle?
If you are looking to give your home a thorough spring clean ahead of welcoming back family and friends as lockdown lifts but are embarrassed by the state of your oven, help is at hand from Darren Hall, of OvenGleamers, based in Beverley.
Darren joined OvenGleamers, the eco-friendly oven cleaning business with franchisees across the country in December 2020, after a successful career in the motor trade.
Beginning as an apprentice heavy goods mechanic, Darren then worked as a mobile windscreen fitter before his sunny personality and communications skills saw him move into automotive sales.
Darren had a very successful career in the industry, starting with Ford, he then worked his way up through the trade, becoming a sales development manager for Skoda UK.
He eventually moved back to the local area to help manage a multi-franchise group that prides itself on customer service and total satisfaction.
However, after working 12 hour days, 7 days a week, Darren realised he needed a better work/life balance and decided to “invest in himself” starting his own OvenGleaming franchise.
‘I really wanted the freedom to do my own thing and to back myself as a person and as a business owner,’ explains Darren.
‘I had changed job roles a few times in recent years and moved house and I needed to find something that gave me a solid platform to grow on, both as a person and a business owner.
‘Starting a new business during lockdown was never going to be easy but it is far better than doing 12 hour days! Best of all, I get to meet new people every day which is fantastic for me as I thrive on that and work/life balance is all about doing what you love. I used to take engines apart which was pretty greasy work but trust me, ovens can be pretty grimey too. Here’s hoping I can make a few “gleam” for my customers this year.’
Here’s Darren’s 5 top tips to banish the burns, stymy the stains and release the grease.
‘Let’s be honest, the vast majority of us hate cleaning our ovens. The thing is though, the benefits of cleaning it really are worth the effort and not just from an appearance point of view, even though we all love a gleaming oven.
‘If your oven is greasy, each time you heat it up, the grease already caked on will start to vaporize and taint your lovely fresh food. Urgh! You’ll also find that your oven takes longer to get up to temperature as the grease forms a layer which has to be heated first, before the cavity of your oven gets heated. Keeping that oven door glass clean not only looks nice but also gives you the chance to check your food whilst it’s cooking.’
So with spring in the air and lockdown lifting, what can people do to get their ovens gleaming again?
Here are Darren’s 5 top tips for keeping your oven looking good:
1. Wipe up spills on the inside of the oven and oven door whilst the spills are still liquid.
2. Use an oven liner on the base of your oven or on the bottom rack to catch drips.
3. Do NOT clean the exterior of an oven if it is hot. The heat will quickly evaporate the cleaning solution and leave a residue.
4. Soak your burner racks in warm, soapy water.
5. For stoves with flat top hob – simply spray with a gentle cleanser and wipe dry.
OvenGleamers’ local experts offer a professional deep cleaning service of cooking appliances and are the only local oven cleaning company that does not use harmful chemicals within the home.
Find your local Oven Gleamer at https://www.ovengleamers.com/ or call the gleam team 0800 45 82 357
