Cleaning kitchen appliances in general is a pain. No one likes to do it – not really. But one thing that seems to always stay greasy and grimy is oven racks. But, learning to clean oven racks isn’t as difficult as it might seem, and no, it doesn’t involve hours and scrubbing or inhaling noxious fumes of oven cleaner.
All you need is baking soda and a few other things –let’s get into it.
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What you need
First up, let’s gather everything you need to get your oven racks to sparkle:
- Baking soda
- A scourer (preferably a stainless steel one)
- A cloth (preferably a microfibre cloth)
- Optional: White vinegar and dish soap
Once you’re armed to the teeth – rubber gloves and all, it’s time to grab those racks and begin cleaning.
4 steps to clean oven racks
Step 1: Remove the racks
Removing the racks from your oven is a logical step, yes. But if you’re training yourself out of using spray oven cleaners, this might seem odd. Regardless, when using this method though, it’s just easier to take them out so you can scrub and soak them easier. Your back will forever be grateful.
Step 2: Soak ‘em up
Place your racks in a bath (or sink, if it’s big enough) and fill it with hot water. Boiling hot water, so the grease and grime can flake off easier. Once the racks are fully submerged, toss about 1 cup of baking soda into the bath and let it soak for about two hours.
To enhance the effects of the baking soda, you can pour in some white vinegar and even dish soap.
Step 3: Scrub, scrub, scrub
After two hours, you can grab your scouring brush and your rubber gloves, and start scrubbing your oven racks. Thanks to the baking soda and hot water, the grease should come off quite easily. If you feel that the grime is being stubborn, leave the racks to soak for a little longer. The longer they’re in the hot water and baking soda mix, the better.
Step 4: Rinse
When your oven racks are sparkly clean, rinse them off with some clean water. Now, you can either let them air dry, or you can dry them off with a cloth. If you use a microfibre cloth, though, you’ll have them shining like they’re brand new – which, let’s face it, is what we always want when cleaning our appliances.
Once the oven racks are dry, pop them back into your oven and voila! You’ve got grease-free oven racks – ready for your next roast.
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Featured Image: Pexels
