Landlord Dude came over today to check out the oven, and we jointly fished out the following mess from underneath:

The tally includes
1. a second disposable lighter
2. a lipstick-sized bottle of Advil (pills still inside, ugh)
3. a mouse-shaped cat toy
4. pieces of dry pet food
5. two beer caps
6. a lump of silly putty
7. a pen cap
8. a list of things not to forget
9. a cigarette butt
10. cashew shells
11. the lid to a spice jar
12. a long piece of straw or wicker
13. various plastic pull-tab lids
14. a small bolt and washer
15. one penny
16. the metal top of a THIRD lighter
17. so much dust
18. ashes
It is pretty damn obvious that Landlord Dude and Former Landlady forgot to clean under the oven as part of the turnover before I moved in. He apologized for this, as well he should.
I have vacuumed under the oven and inside the broiler drawer as thoroughly as I could, and also vigorously scrubbed the whole area with Windex. There was so much grease and grit and gunk. SO MUCH.
I'm now letting the whole thing air out overnight, and I think I may not use it until Tuesday, since that's when I'll be able to turn the oven on for an hour or so early in the afternoon and hopefully work through any residual burned plastic smell before I cook dinner that evening.
We shall see how it goes. :)

The tally includes
1. a second disposable lighter
2. a lipstick-sized bottle of Advil (pills still inside, ugh)
3. a mouse-shaped cat toy
4. pieces of dry pet food
5. two beer caps
6. a lump of silly putty
7. a pen cap
8. a list of things not to forget
9. a cigarette butt
10. cashew shells
11. the lid to a spice jar
12. a long piece of straw or wicker
13. various plastic pull-tab lids
14. a small bolt and washer
15. one penny
16. the metal top of a THIRD lighter
17. so much dust
18. ashes
It is pretty damn obvious that Landlord Dude and Former Landlady forgot to clean under the oven as part of the turnover before I moved in. He apologized for this, as well he should.
I have vacuumed under the oven and inside the broiler drawer as thoroughly as I could, and also vigorously scrubbed the whole area with Windex. There was so much grease and grit and gunk. SO MUCH.
I'm now letting the whole thing air out overnight, and I think I may not use it until Tuesday, since that's when I'll be able to turn the oven on for an hour or so early in the afternoon and hopefully work through any residual burned plastic smell before I cook dinner that evening.
We shall see how it goes. :)