Dr. Beckmann Rescue

There are some things in life that irk me; rude people, cyclists going the wrong way down one-way streets, people who don't indicate at roundabouts instead preferring to use telepathy and having to clean my cooker.

Once every other month, usually on a Sunday, I could be found in the kitchen donning an apron and a pair of rubber gloves scrubbing the bottom of my oven like fury but there was always a little bit of un-identifiable burnt on sticky-something that wouldn't budge that would evade me.

I tried aerosol oven cleaners that involved wearing goggles, breathing apparatus and industrial strength gloves but even leaving the foul smelling concoction on over night didn't really leave me with an oven that was 'squeaky'. Instead I would have streaming eyes and a hacking cough and even my two mogs would beat a hasty retreat when they saw the can being shaken (even now they still make a desperate wild-eyed dash for the back door when I shake ANY can, it has scarred them that much!).

One day whilst watching TV I saw an advertisement for Dr. Beckmann Oven Rescue, it was being marketed as a safer cleaner, so safe infact you didn't even have to wear rubber gloves when applying OR removing the stuff. The final line on the advert was "My Kinder Cleaner" - I had to get me some of that so the next time I was in Sainburys I bought myself a bottle. Please keep in mind the first time I bought this spray was over a year ago so I have no recollection of the price I paid then although now you can pick up a bottle for around £2.45 give or take a few pence.

Once indoors I took the roasting tins and whatnot out of my oven but I left the two oven racks in there as I had no space left on my work surfaces. I then shook the trigger-pack, aimed and sprayed. The spray is a thickish white gel which clings to the sides of your oven. It has a very slight chemical smell to it but it's not overbearing or nasty so providing you don't go shoving your head in the oven whilst spraying you won't be affected by it. I went ahead and sprayed the interior of my oven and gave a few squirts to the oven racks too, not really expecting it to remove anything from them.

As my oven was quite gungy I left it to work its magic for the 24hrs suggested for seriously mucky ovens and the next day went back to check out the oven all ready to pour scorn on Dr. Beckmann. I prepared a bowl of hot water and a scrubby-sponge and set to work, wiping up the thick gel which had now turned a pale creamy yellow as it had mixed with the grease in my oven. To my surprise I didn't have to scrub once, everything came up perfectly clean first time - even the glass on my oven door which was so splattered I thought I'd never be able to see through it. You recall how I did a few sprays to the oven racks too? Well, I gave these a wipe not expecting it to have worked as the racks had burnt on grease (not my fault - previous owner did it!!) and the racks winked back at me, all sparkly and silver again!

The spray can be used on warm or cold ovens = if warm, it needs just 30 - 60 minutes and if cold 2 - 4 hours but if the oven is seriously icky, 24 hours will do the trick. It cannot be used on self-cleaning ovens, plastics, lacquered or aluminium surfaces.

In short, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product to you, o.k. it may be a little pricier than some of the alternatives out there but you won't be rasping for breath, nor will you have to don a chemical suit to use it (shame, the Boyf quite liked it when I wore mine). You can visit the Dr.Beckmann website where you can see details of all their products - I didn't realise they made so many - and you can even order on-line for £3.95 incl. P&P for a 375ml trigger bottle which will fit through a standard size letterbox.

Most supermarkets stock this spray and I recently bought another bottle in Robert Dyas with a promotional collar on it saying that if you are not happy with the spray, simply write why and return it with the receipt and they'll give you your money back. Can't say fairer than that!

P.S. I've since used this product a few more times and don't wear gloves and it doesn't tingle, sting or hurt my skin at all although if you have hyper sensitive skin I'd suggest keeping the gloves on, just incase.

~ Other Info ~
www.drbeckmann.co.uk

Acdoco
Customer Service Department
Bolton
BL1 8PP