Fact or fiction?

It’s a good idea to keep your electric oven looking clean by placing aluminum foil on the racks and on the oven floor.

Answer: Fiction

Aluminum foil placed on the oven floor reflects and intensifies heat, which can cause the baking element to burn out prematurely. Foil placed on the racks traps heat in the bottom of the oven, keeping the heat from circulating and reaching the heat sensor near the top of the oven. Severe overheating is possible and, in addition to damaging the baking element, the overheating could affect the insulation in the oven’s walls and discolor or crack the oven door’s glass. By disrupting the air temperature and circulation, aluminum foil also affects cooking times.