oven cleaning

[invalid.address]

Hello,

We moved into a house with a fitted Hotpoint oven, I can't remember the model number apart from the fact it's obsolete but I imagine most ovens are the same in this regard. The oven has panels on the sides and back, with thumb screws holding these panels on. I have unscrewed the side panels and removed them from the oven for cleaning but I am having problems removing the rear panel.

The rear panel has two screws: one either side. I am trying to unscrew these. the nuts rotate but never actually come off. I presume the whole nut and bolt are rotating as one. Perhaps they are so gunged up, the grease has "welded" them together! Perhaps the previous house owners never cleaned it!

Can anyone offer any suggestions how to remove this plate?

The fan is behind this plate; I presume there is an element also? Will anything dangerous be exposed when I remove the plate? Power off first!

The fan looks absolutely filthy. Do I leave that as it is, or should I remove that and give that a good clean too?

Thanks.

[Cicero]

================================== There may be some kind of latching mechanism. Try this. Turn each screw clockwise until it locks. Then try turning each screw so that the slot is vertical before pulling the plate out. If that doesn't work try turning the screw slots to horizontal.

Cic.

[Andrew Gabriel]

If they are pyrolytic self-cleaning liners (slightly rough absorbant surface), then you mustn't clean them this way. You just turn oven up to max, and they self-clean, leaving ash at the bottom of the oven to sweep out when cooled.

[invalid.address]

I shall have a closer look. I still think I need to remove them because the grease gets behind them (or has done on the side panels). How long do you have to turn the heat up for? Why don't they clean each time you do a Sunday roast? Do they actually work and how?

Thanks.