Cleaning the racks in your oven is probably a chore you put off. The high heat of the oven causes grease, spilled sauces, and bits of food to burn and bake onto the metal racks, making them difficult and unpleasant to clean. Isn’t there an easy way to clean oven racks, like putting them in a dishwasher?
There’s no harm in washing wire oven racks in the dishwasher, provided they fit inside the tub without obstructing the rotating spray arm. A normal or super dishwashing cycle (if available) will clean the surface grime off the racks but may not remove burned-on grease. Still, you might have less total scrubbing to do if you run the racks through the dishwasher first.
Oven racks are made of stainless steel and can be cleaned safely in the dishwasher, just like your stainless steel cookware.
Some dishwashers have heavy-duty or pot-scrubbing cycles that use higher heat and more water to clean extra soiled dishes. However, even when set on heavy mode, the spraying pressure of the dishwasher isn’t strong enough to provide the type of scrubbing you can do by hand.
You might consider putting the racks in the dishwasher first to remove most of the gunk and then scour the remainder of the mess with a pot scrubber.
How Do You Put Oven Racks In the Dishwasher?
It’s easy to get oven racks out of an oven—you just pull them straight out. But are they just as easy to put into the dishwasher?
Fitting oven racks into a dishwasher can be a challenge, depending on the size and design of the dishwasher’s interior. They will probably fit, though the biggest potential obstacle to watch for is the position of the rotating spray arm, which is usually attached to the bottom of the top rack.
The standard oven rack is about 24 inches wide by 16 to 17 inches deep. The exterior of the average dishwasher measures 24 by 24 inches, with a height of about 34 inches. So the oven racks will fit, though you may need to slant them or lay them flat because of the top rack and spray arm.
If the oven racks block the spray arm from rotating, the dishwasher will not function correctly. It is possible and even easy to remove the spray arm, but it’s not recommended. Without the spray arm, the water cannot circulate properly throughout the dishwasher tub.
What Is The Easiest Way To Clean Oven Racks?
Washing oven racks in the dishwasher sounds like an easy way to clean them, but it is probably not the most effective way. Because the racks usually have baked-on grease, stronger detergents and pressure are needed than your dishwasher can provide.
Although there are several recommended ways to clean oven racks, the easiest way is to spray them with a commercial oven cleaner, let it soak in for the recommended time, and then rinse it off. The oven cleaner works to loosen the grime while you wait, but you may still need
to scrub a little. Since the cleaner contains harsh chemicals, you will have to wear gloves.
There are several alternatives to commercial cleaners but they do require more scrubbing. Those wishing to use a natural product may want to try a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap. Spread the mixture on your racks, let it sit, and then wipe off, using steel wool to clean off the hardened parts.
Some people also recommend baking soda and vinegar because the mixture foams up, and the foaming acts as a scrubbing agent.
Put the racks in a bathtub or a utility sink. Make a paste of baking soda and coat the rack, using a little extra on the tough spots. Let it sit for a while, and then put white vinegar in a spray bottle. When you spray on the vinegar, the baking soda will start to foam.
It’s a smelly method, but it’s safe and all-natural. After rinsing, you will have clean racks that might need just a little elbow grease in some areas.
A less recommended cleaning method involves using garbage bags and ammonia. Slide your oven racks into a new garbage bag with about one-half quart of ammonia. Seal the bag with a twist tie and place it in a garbage can or lay them flat.
It’s important to make sure the bags are tightly sealed because the ammonia and its toxic fumes can leak out otherwise. In any case, keep the bags outdoors the entire time you’re trying this method. Wear gloves and safety glasses and rinse the racks thoroughly with fresh water before bringing them back into your house.
You may be surprised to learn that dryer sheets can be used to clean oven racks. Dryer sheets contain an anti-static agent that works to break up the bond between the metal racks and the gunk sticking to it. Here’s how to do it.
Add a little hot water to the bathtub and add up to 10 dryer sheets and a little dish soap. Submerge the racks and let them soak overnight. In the morning, drain the tub and rinse off the racks.
Any method you use to clean the racks, you will need to remove them from your oven and clean them in a well-ventilated place.
How Do You Clean Really Dirty Oven Racks?
Whatever cleaning method you choose, it’s not likely to instantly clean oven racks that have years of burned-on grease, sauces, or other gunk.
Unfortunately, really dirty oven racks will require scrubbing by hand. There is no product, commercial or homemade, that can scrape off all of the grime adhering to the metal racks. The only question is what scrubber works the best and is easiest to use.
Brushes don’t usually work well on oven racks because the bristles go between the grids and miss lots of grime. A scrubber you can mold around the metal grids will allow you to clean better everywhere.
Stainless steel wool or wool pads are traditional choices for scrubbing metal. You can buy them plain or infused with detergent.
The rough texture of steel wool scrapes off just about anything, including tough grease. But they can be hard on your fingers, so be sure to wear gloves while using them. A chainmail scrubber works in a similar way but is a little easier on the hands.
Flat scouring pads made of tightly-spun synthetic fibers can also be effective at cleaning greasy oven racks. These are flexible and can reach around in tiny areas like the places where the rack wires join or cross.
Scouring pads are easier on the hands than steel wool but tend to wear out quickly. Still, they are inexpensive so you won’t mind if you need to use more than one.
You might also try a pumice stone. Although pumice stones are usually used for cleaning stains off porcelain toilet bowls, they can also be used on metal and can be effective in cleaning off built-up grease and grime.
Finally, though cleaning oven racks in the dishwasher isn’t the best method, using a dishwasher detergent tablet might just do the trick.
Start by wrapping your racks in aluminum foil and placing them in the bathtub in hot water. Add a dishwashing tab to the top of each rack and wait. There’s a chemical reaction that happens between the aluminum foil and the detergent to clean the racks.