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[Purple Gorilla]

I am pretty sure, that baking "soda" is in fact Natron (Natriumhydrogencarbonat, NaHCO₃), which is not a lye as opposed to washing soda (Natriumcarbonat,Na₂CO₃), which is a lye.

[Djohaal]

If I remember my chemstry we have baking soda (NaHCO3 - sodium bicarbonate), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) which is an even stronger alkali (~ 10,  bit more times more alkaline if the pKa values in wikipedia and my math are right), and caustic soda (NaOH, the base itself, not a salt) but the stronger bases are more difficult to find, and obviously more dangerous to handle; specially caustic soda, be very careful if you use that, can cause horrendous skin burns or even blindness if it hits your eye (unlike acid burns, base burns are actually worse because they keep on diffusing on the skin). What you want for cleaning caked grease stains is a very strong alkali to try and react with the fats and soften them. I may ask, is the oven easily deassembled? you might make some progress removing the parts and letting them soak overnight in hot or boiling water.

Natron is a mix of these two salts.

[Sappho]

May I just say that I genuinely love that my cleaning question turned into a chemistry lesson. Only on Bay12!

My oven is definitely not easily disassembled. My plan is to do this: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-clean-an-oven-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-201191

I shall report back on how it went, hopefully tomorrow but we'll see. If it doesn't get it done, I will start trying some of you guys' more dwarfy suggestions.

[Djohaal]

If all else fails bring it outside and use a pressure washer! 

[Il Palazzo]

And if that fails too, pick up a book or two from neoclassicist philosophers and redefine what it means to be a dirty oven.