How to clean oven racks – 2 easy ways to get them ‘as good as new’

White vinegar and baking soda used for cleaning oven glass

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As generally frequently used appliances, shiny racks can quickly become a distant memory for many as cleaning them can often be put off or simply forgotten about. And, it doesn’t take long for oven racks to suffer a build-up of grime and grease to start with. However, the task doesn’t have to be that arduous, and there are multiple easy ways to get them shining again.

Even for those who sparingly use the oven, a residue will still accumulate, and ignoring the task will only put off the inevitable.

It will also make the work required to remove the grimy debris much harder.

In any scenario, it’s important that the appliances you use to cook with are as clean as possible to prevent any negative health impact.

For this reason, it’s recommended you should clean racks at least once a month.

And although this might sound daunting, there are some super simple ways to smash out this task, and a bonus is that it requires very few items to do so – and you won’t need any fancy or expensive oven cleaners, either.

Here are two easy ways to clean your oven racks with items you probably already have in the cupboard.

How to clean your oven with vinegar and baking soda

To prevent unnecessary mess and give yourself more space to get all of them done at once, it’s suggested you carry out this method using the bath.

Simply place all of your oven racks in the bath and sprinkle on some baking soda. The baking soda acts as a cleanser, as well as a deodoriser for the racks.

Next, douse the racks in white vinegar. Vinegar’s acidic nature is so powerful it can dissolve mineral deposits, dirt, grease, and grime, as well as other kinds of bacteria.

Run the hot water tap over the top until the racks are submerged and allow them to sit overnight.

In the morning, wipe the racks down using a tea towel – the grime should slide off easily.

Use an old toothbrush to get into any corners that need extra attention, and if you’re really struggling, it’s advised to create a more abrasive scrub by adding a hardy substance like kosher salt to the brush.

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Rinse off the racks completely. Then they should look as good as new.

If you don’t have time to let them sit overnight, adding half a cup of white vinegar and a quarter of a cup of baking soda to a sink of warm water for five minutes will also work. You might just have to scrub a little harder to remove the grime.

How to clean oven racks using dryer sheets and washing up liquid

Another simple way to clean oven racks again involves returning to the bath.

Line your bathtub with dryer sheets and lay the oven racks on top. Fill just enough hot water over the racks, then add half a cup of washing up liquid.

Allow it to sit overnight, then drain the bath. You can use the soaked dryer sheets to wipe the racks clean.

This is an effective method to remove old food and dirt, due to the antistatic nature of the dryer sheets. It can help separate food from the rack by diluting the bond.

Should I use ammonia to clean oven racks?

Although ammonia is recommended for this task by many and tends to inhabit many household cleaning products, adding it to bin bags to clean oven racks can be a bit more hazardous.

It’s an irritant and needs to be handled with care and in well-ventilated areas.

So in this case, it’s better to stick to the more simple and safer methods listed.

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