How to clean oven racks

Baked-on grease, carbonised cheese. Those oven racks don’t look like they could ever be restored to their gleaming oven rack glory. Or could they? Here are some restoration suggestions.

What your racks need are a good soak in washing-up liquid. A good steeping. You’ll need your bathtub to lay them in, but first line the bottom of the tub with some old sheets, towels or sponges to save the racks scratching the enamel. Now pour in enough piping hot water to cover the racks and half a cup of washing-up liquid. Leave for at least 4 hours or overnight if you can. When you remove the racks, you should be able to simply scrub any remaining spots with a non-abrasive brush or a sponge. Hey presto, they’re in mint condition ready to pop back in the oven.

Another method you can use is the same bathtub set-up as above except before running the hot water, sprinkle the oven racks with baking soda. This acts as a cleanser and deodoriser. Next pour vinegar over the racks. The two chemicals react to form a foam. When the foaming stops, turn on the hot water tap and cover, as before. Again leave overnight. The racks can then be scrubbed with a rag to remove any grease or grime. Use an old toothbrush to remove any baked-on stuff. Anything more stubborn can be tackled with a dousing of salt, an abrasive with which to further scrub. Rinse the racks thoroughly and return to their rightful place.

A more straightforward no-mess method, but perhaps less eco-friendly requires that you have some outside space. Place the oven racks in a large bin liner into which you pour 500ml (a pint) of ammonia (purchased from a chemist or hardware store). You’ll need rubber gloves, safety goggles and workclothes. Tie the bag tight and then sit the bag inside a garbage bin placed outside, overnight. The ammonia will circulate inside the bag and get to work on the grease. When ready, open up the bag outside where it’s well ventilated, being careful of the fumes. Spray the racks down with a hose and the grease will melt away. A quick rinse and dry and those oven racks are as good as new.

It’s messy and time-consuming work, but if you’d like your oven cleaning done by a professional, don’t hesitate to give us a call here at OvenBliss.