You cook food in our ovens most nights, but how often do you clean your oven trays and racks? Grease and oil can easily build-up in these areas and if you’re not careful then it could lead to a big cleaning job. Put burnt trays and oven fittings in their place with our tips for cleaning oven racks. We’ll even talk you through how to clean burnt oven trays.
Whichever product you decide to use, let it do most of the job for you by leaving it to work for a while. If you’re using a product like Jif, leave it for about five minutes.
How to clean oven racks
Cleaning oven racks may look like a tough job, but it doesn’t need to be painful or time-consuming. The best way to clean oven racks is to use an effective and fast-acting product like Jif, which will cut through tough, burnt-on grease.
Apply some Jif cream with a sponge (remember to wear gloves), leave it to work for a few minutes and then wipe off
Soak the racks in hot soapy water and wipe clean to remove any remaining marks. You may need to use the rough side of the sponge to remove more stubborn grease
Take care not to rub painted oven racks too vigorously as the paint may come off
You can also clean oven racks by submerging them in hot water with some good quality dishwashing liquid, which will cut through the grease. The hot water will help to dissolve and remove the grease.
If you haven’t pre-treated with Jif then leave the racks in hot, soapy water for an hour or so. Don’t let the water get too cold before you return and start scrubbing
Scrub the oven racks with the rough side of a sponge until you have removed the grease
Rinse the racks to remove any remaining grease and soap
How to clean oven trays
Want to know how to clean baking trays and other large oven trays? You can either use the method with dishwashing liquid and hot water described above, or you can try this neat little trick:
Fill your sink with enough hot water to submerge the oven tray
Add a cup of baking soda and don’t be alarmed when it starts to fizzle
Put the oven tray in the water and leave it there for about an hour
Scrub the oven tray using the rough side of a sponge
Rinse off the oven tray and voilà – no more grease stains!
Now you know how to clean burnt oven trays and racks, you don’t have to worry about those pesky grease and oil stains anymore.
Always wear gloves to protect your hands when cleaning
Apply your chosen cleaning product, following the instructions on the label
Leave it to work for at least 5 minutes, or as long as directed on the packaging
Wipe off the residue and rinse the trays and racks in hot soapy water
Dry thoroughly before storing