20.

This is our oven AFTER the fire.  Yep, that's right, we had a fire.  Our oven was really dirty and I had tried to clean it, but without much luck.  So, I thought I would try the auto clean option for the first time in my life.  I almost wasn't home during this whole event, but at the last minute decided against leaving the house while the clean cycle was running.  Jase and I were playing when the house was started to smell funky, but I have been told that auto clean doesn't smell too good.  Then the funky smell turned into a smokey smell and then the house started getting hazy.  I walked into the kitchen to see big flames inside my oven.  I didn't know what to do.  I couldn't open the oven because as a safety measure it locks during auto clean and won't open until the oven is completely cooled down.  I frantically tried calling MM and when I couldn't get a hold of him and the flames were not subsiding I called 911.  The operator told me to leave the oven alone and wait outside for the fire department.   Of course as I stand in my driveway, holding my son, praying the flames don't exit our oven, and with fire truck sirens in the distance MM calls me back.

Him: "What's going on?"
Me: "Oh, I tried calling you, but now the fire department is on their way to our house"
Him: "What?!"
Me: "Our oven is on fire, but don't worry the firefighters are pulling up.  Gotta go"

The firemen pulled the oven out from the wall.  They too, could not get into the oven because of the safety lock, so we stood around watching the fire slowly die down.  Once the flames were out we opened up the house to air it out.  There wasn't a real need for the fire department, but I was happy to have them here anyway.  I am thankful the fire stayed contained and didn't do any real damage.  One fireman confessed that the one time he attempted to use auto clean on his oven it caught on fire too.  That made me feel better. 

I spent many hours bent over in the oven cleaning and scraping and wiping and spraying.

 

Here is our oven after my cleaning efforts.  The black spot on the bottom right hand side is where the fire was burning and I think it will be staying as a permanent reminder to never use auto clean again.