Oven cleaning is often cited as being among the most strenuous, complex, and time-consuming of all kitchen cleaning chores. Grease and food residue tend to stick to the walls and the oven door and if left untreated for a relatively long time, they become almost impossible to remove. Elbow grease tends to stick to baking trays as well, and food spills make them quite an unpleasant sight. There is, however, a way to restore them to their original condition. It takes a little bit of effort and preparation, but we will try to show you how to clean enamel oven trays successfully, focusing on effective methods for cleaning baking trays.
Don’t throw out your dirty oven trays
The first step is, of course, to not give up. Even if you haven’t paid attention to your oven trays for a long time, you still can use some pretty simple tricks to make your favorite – and let’s face it – quite expensive – enamel oven look as good as new. Even if you have already tried to clean greasy baking trays from grease and burnt-on food before with little to no success, including in the dishwasher, it is certainly not the time to despair. Cheer up, roll up your sleeves, get some simple supplies such as paper towels, hot water, and oven cleaning products, including baking soda crystals, and you will be able to make your oven trays completely clean again in just around an hour.
Before starting, consider using disposable roasting tins or lining paper to catch drips in the future, reducing the need for frequent cleaning.
Use dish soap and a scratch-free scouring pad
A reliable scouring pad, a wooden scraper tool, and dish soap are two of your best friends when it comes to making your enamel trays look as good as new. Soak the enamel trays in hot water and add the dish soap. Use the scouring pad, or a sponge to gently rub the burnt-on food residue and the grease stains from the surfaces of your enamel baking trays using a gentle circular motion. One of the top tips about how to clean enamel oven trays is to consider this stage a simple preparation, instead of expecting the tray you are treating to become completely clean here. There are other steps you need to take in order for them to shine as if they’ve just come out of the store. Don’t skip the preparation stage so put in as much effort as needed. For non-stick baking trays, don’t use steel wool or anything that will damage the non stick coating.
Can you use vinegar to clean dirty oven trays?
White vinegar is one of the most popular home cleaning solutions for removing stains and food residue from many surfaces and materials – even though not as strong as the specialised products you can buy. Baking soda and vinegar is a powerful combination for cleaning various kitchen items including oven trays. It’s strong, effective and 100% green as it’s made from organic products with natural fermentation which is why many people prefer it. The good news is that vinegar is safe to use on enamel oven trays too. Put it in a spray bottle and spray the areas of your trays you want to treat. Let it sit and soak for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with the wooden spoon and boiling water.
Remember to always wear rubber gloves when cleaning enamel oven trays. Protect your skin from the hot water while you rinse. To remove excess grease sprinkle some biological washing powder before applying vinegar as it can break down the grease better.
Cleaning your enamel tray with baking soda
Baking soda is another all-time favorite when it comes to natural cleaning solutions, especially for cleaning oven trays. The baking soda crystals are particularly powerful when it comes to removing stubborn stains from grease that even the longest dishwasher cycle is unable to take care of. They also absorb bad odor that often accompanies stains from cooking. Mix the baking soda with some cold water and rinse it over your baking trays. You can soak them completely in the solution if you deem that necessary. After fifteen minutes, give the tray a good scrub with warm water and then gently wipe the loose residue with a paper towel, a sponge, or a clean cloth. You will notice that your oven trays look significantly better now. Also using hot soapy water straight after cooking can prevent the build-up of excess grease, making the trays easier to keep clean.
Get rid of the grease
The best and easiest way that we know of to make sure that the grease is completely removed from your oven tray is to check if said tray is dishwasher safe and put it in the dishwasher on a long program with lots of hot water. Most modern enamel trays are indeed perfectly fine to clean in a dishwasher, but in some cases, the dishwashing liquid, the heat, and the boiling water in the machine neither do a good job nor are particularly safe for the surface, and you probably don’t want to damage them. To avoid scratching your trays and achieve optimal results, you might want to use abrasive cleaning products that are at the same time somewhat gentle, and a sponge. Soak the trays in the specialized grease-removing cleaning product for an hour and then use the sponge to remove the buildups. Rinse any residual liquid and leave the oven trays to dry on their own, before putting them back into the oven. Remember, for non stick trays, use a soft sponge to avoid damage.
Use a commercial oven cleaner
In addition to the natural, homemade solutions such as vinegar and baking soda, you can approach the cleaning process using commercial oven cleaning products with the same success rate. It is important to check a few things before you purchase the oven cleaner you’ve laid your eyes on though:
- It should be suitable for treating oven trays.
- It should be made for treating the types of stains you will be dealing with
- It should not contain dangerous chemicals you or a member of your family might be allergic to.
Additionally, using baking sheets can help protect your trays and make future cleaning easier.
Follow the instructions on the label strictly in order to ensure optimal results. Applying a thin layer of cooking oil to your baking tray after cleaning can help prevent future food residue from sticking.
Ensure you dry it thoroughly
Using the right tools and products is important when cleaning an enamel tray of your oven, but making sure the surface is dry before putting it back in the oven and using it to bake stuff is just as important. Once it’s dry, like 100%, you can check to see if you got all the stains and buildups out. And wiping the surface and making sure it’s dry and shiny will prevent water spots from forming which although not unhealthy, don’t look good at all.
Regular maintenance and a quick wipe with a paper towel after every use will keep your oven trays clean and make them last a lot longer.
