The first time I saw my Nana clean a blackened oven without scrubbing, I thought it was a magic trick. No harsh chemicals. No choking fumes. Just steam, patience, and a quiet smile. It looked too easy, almost suspicious. But when the door opened and the baked-on grime slid off with a single wipe, I knew this wasn’t a tip—it was a fam…
She never called it a “hack.” To her, it was simply the right way to care for something that fed the family. A low, gentle heat, a bowl of water, and a dishwashing pod doing silent work while she set the table or folded laundry. An hour later, the oven door opened like a reveal: softened grease, loosened stains, and only a cloth needed to finish the job.
For the stubborn corners, she’d patiently go back, sometimes repeating the process rather than reaching for a harsh spray. “If it steams, it softens. If it softens, it lets go,” she’d say. No stinging eyes, no rubber gloves up to the elbows—just a warm kitchen and a clean oven ready for the next meal. In a world of complicated products, her simple, eco-friendly ritual still feels quietly revolutionary.