As a well-loved appliance in many homes, ovens see a lot of wear and tear over time. When it does come time to give your oven a clean, it is best practice to remove the oven racks and either manually scrub the appliance or run the self-clean cycle.
While both methods effectively clean the appliance, you will still be left with grimy oven racks. What are the best ways to get them as shiny as the rest of your oven?
There are six very effective ways to clean your oven racks:
- Baking Soda & Vinegar
- Baking Soda, Vinegar & Orange Essential Oil
- Dryer Sheets & Dishwashing Liquid
- Towels & Dishwashing Liquid
- Commercial Oven Cleaner
- Ammonia & Trash Bags
We’ll describe each method in detail below, as well as how to take care of the most stubborn grease, and whether oven trays can be cleaned in the dishwasher when in a hurry.
Best Ways To Clean Oven Trays
Even though oven racks tend to build up more grime than any other fixture in your kitchen, there are fortunately many effective ways to clean them using supplies you already have in your home.
1. Clean With Baking Soda & Vinegar
The first method uses just a couple of ingredients that almost everyone has on hand.
As your oven racks are either too large to fit in your kitchen sink, or are simply inconvenient to leave soaking in your kitchen sink, you will use your bathtub to clean. First, make sure to lay down old towels in the tub to protect it from scratching or greasy residue.
Next, place your oven racks on top of the towels. Then, cover them with a generous layer of baking soda.
Finally, pour distilled white vinegar over the baking soda and allow it to foam. Once foaming subsides, run very hot water until the racks are submerged, and then allow them to soak overnight.
The following day, use one of the towels to scrub off any remaining debris. Rinse and dry thoroughly, and then replace in your oven.
2. Clean With Baking Soda, Vinegar & Orange Essential Oil
The second method uses the same two ingredients as the first, with an additional ingredient for extra cleaning power and a more pleasant experience.
First, mix together baking soda and orange essential oil. Not only does orange essential oil have a very pleasant smell, but it also contains terpenes, which are powerful antimicrobial compounds.
Then, add a small amount of vinegar to form a paste. Place your oven racks in the bathtub (lined with towels), and apply the paste to the oven racks. Allow them to sit overnight.
Finally, scrub lightly to remove residue, rinse and dry well, and replace.
3. Soak In Dishwashing Liquid & Scrub With Dryer Sheets
The third method will also require the bathtub and household items, making it very convenient.
First, line your bathtub with dryer sheets and place your oven racks on top.
Not only do the dryer sheets create a barrier between your tub and the oven racks, but the antistatic in the dryer sheets acts as a separation agent between the racks and the food debris, and the fabric softener helps to soften the food particles.
Fill the tub with hot water to cover the racks and then add one-half cup of dishwashing soap. Allow the mixture to soak overnight, then use the dryer sheets to scrub the oven racks clean. Rinse, dry, and replace.
4. Clean With Towels & Soak In Dishwashing Liquid
This method is fairly simple and ideal for those with minimal supplies on hand.
First, line your bathtub with old towels and place your oven racks on top. Then, fill the tub with enough hot water to submerge the racks. Add dishwashing liquid or powder, and let sit overnight.
The next day, scrub with the towels to remove residue, then rinse and dry thoroughly and replace. Since dishwashing liquid (or powder) is the only cleaning agent involved, it may take some extra scrubbing to remove all debris. You can also repeat the process a few times as needed.
5. Clean With Commercial Oven Cleaner
The next method uses a powerful commercial oven cleaner, so be sure to use it with caution. You will first need to bring your oven racks and cleaner outdoors to ensure plenty of ventilation, as the cleaner will produce toxic fumes.
Next, cover your work surface with old newspapers, and place the oven racks on top.
Put on rubber gloves before handling the oven cleaner, and then spray the product generously on both sides of the oven racks. Allow it to sit as long as designated on the cleaner’s package.
Finally, scrub the racks with a rag and spray clean with your garden hose. Allow to dry, and then replace.
6. Clean With Ammonia
The final method also uses a toxic substance, so use an abundance of caution. You will also need to use this cleaning method outdoors.
First, place your oven racks in a trash bag. Add half a quart of ammonia to the bag, and then tie it very tightly to ensure a seal.
Place the bag into a garbage bin to keep it upright, and let sit overnight.
The next day, be sure to wear gloves and goggles to protect yourself from the ammonia fumes, and ensure you do not inhale them when opening the bag.
Remove the racks, and spray with a garden hose to remove any remaining residue. Allow to dry, and then replace.
How To Remove Baked-on Grease From Oven Trays
While each of these methods is effective at cleaning oven racks, there may be occasions when the grime is more stubborn, particularly with baked-on grease.
If your method of choice was not successful in removing all residue from your oven racks, simply repeat the process until all grease has been removed.
If you are still unsuccessful at removing the baked-on grease, there is a product that may do the trick when paired with one of the cleaning methods; though not as commonly found in most kitchens, it may be worth the trip to pick up!
A steel wool pad is one of the best products to have on hand when cleaning. Extremely abrasive, steel wool is very effective at removing residue when applied with pressure.
Once you’ve soaked your oven racks using any of the above methods, use your steel wool pad to scrub off residue while still wet.
Can Oven Trays Go In the Dishwasher?
Each of the ways that we’ve discussed to clean your oven racks requires a significant amount of soaking time to ensure food particles have the chance to soften and separate from the rack.
If you aren’t wanting to invest that much time in cleaning, you may be wondering if you can simply place your oven racks in the dishwasher instead.
You can place your oven racks in the dishwasher – because they are stainless steel, they are dishwasher-safe. However, depending on the size of your dishwasher, they may not fit.
If they do fit in your dishwasher, though it is certainly convenient to run them through the dishwasher cycle rather than soak, your dishwasher will not be quite as effective at removing the food debris (and it certainly will not be able to remove stubborn grease).
Your best bet if your oven racks are particularly grimy is to use one of the previously outlined methods to clean.
In summary, there are six effective and fairly simple methods of cleaning oven racks. Select the method that would work best for you by evaluating the supplies you have on hand, and how grimy your oven racks are.
If you’re short on time, and they will fit, you can even place your oven racks in the dishwasher for a quick, although less thorough, cleaning.