How to Clean an Ooni Pizza Oven and Pizza Stone

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Burn food from the stone at high heat

Remove loose toppings with the oven cool, then run the empty oven at its highest temperature for about 30 minutes, following the model's lighting and supervision instructions. This turns stuck flour, cheese, and sauce into dry carbon that can be brushed away. Do not add chemical cleaner, foil, or water. Shut the fuel off correctly and let the oven and stone cool completely.

Step 2: Brush the cold stone without water

Once cold, use a pizza-oven brush to sweep side to side and front to back. Wipe remaining dust with a dry cloth. Ooni says the stone should not be washed with water or soap and should never go in a dishwasher. Dark marks are normal evidence of use. The goal is to remove raised residue that could smoke or transfer to dough, not return the stone to a uniform color.

Step 3: Flip the stone when the model allows it

If the stone is removable and the manual permits flipping, turn the cleaned stone over before the next cook. The next high-temperature session helps clean the former underside. Support the stone with both hands, avoid striking edges, and place it flat in its intended position. Do not handle a warm stone or force one that is fixed in the oven.

Step 4: Clear soot and fuel debris dry

For wood or charcoal models, empty the fully cold fuel tray and brush dry soot from accessible interior surfaces, chimney, and cap as the manual describes. For gas models, disconnect the gas supply before removing an approved burner assembly. Keep burner ports and ignition components dry, and never poke or enlarge a gas orifice. Excess black soot can also indicate improper fuel or airflow that cleaning alone will not fix.

Step 5: Wipe the exterior with controlled moisture

Use a soft cloth dampened with warm water and a little dish soap on the cold exterior, then wipe with clean water and dry. Apply liquid to the cloth rather than spraying vents, seams, controls, thermometer openings, or burner connections. Avoid abrasive pads and harsh chemicals. Stainless steel can show heat tint and weathering even when it is clean.

Step 6: Clean an approved removable glass door

On models with removable glass such as applicable Karu ovens, let the door cool and remove it exactly as the manual directs. Ooni recommends a solution of one part vinegar to three parts water for the glass: apply, wait five to ten minutes, wipe, rinse, and dry. Do not use this wet method on the pizza stone or an electronic display, and do not clean hot glass.

Step 7: Inspect the stone and reassemble

Check for a crack that passes through the stone, a rocking stone, damaged fuel components, blocked vents, or a deteriorated gas hose. Light surface crazing and stains differ from an unstable break. Reinstall only model-approved parts in the correct order. After reconnecting gas, follow the manual's connection and leak-check procedure; never use a flame to look for leaks.

Step 8: Keep rain out between cooks

Make sure the oven is cold, clean, and dry before covering. Store removable chimneys, caps, burners, or doors as the exact model manual recommends. A weather-resistant cover helps with dust and rain, but long-term storage is best in a dry sheltered place. Never fire the oven to dry a stone that has accidentally soaked; contact Ooni for model-specific advice if it absorbed substantial water.