Source: Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens
Cleaning oven racks regularly can prevent stubborn messes while keeping your favorite appliance in top working order.
Cleaning oven racks doesn’t have to be an arduous project. With the right cleaning solution and tools, the hardest work can be completed hands-off. Here, we describe both basic and deep cleaning methods to help you keep your oven racks in top shape.
Our step-by-step guide, routine maintenance tips, safety precautions, and advice on how often you should clean your oven racks will ensure you’re giving your oven all the care and attention it needs.
Before Getting Started
We know what you’re thinking: Why scrub racks by hand when you can turn on the oven’s self-cleaning function? While a good self-clean can do wonders for the interior of an oven, it can damage the racks if you leave them in during the process. For that reason, it’s best to remove the racks and clean them by hand.
Because oven racks are bulky, figuring out the best location for cleaning might take some forethought. If your sink is large enough to accommodate the oven racks, that’s your best bet, though a bathtub will also work. Just be sure to place a towel in the bottom of the tub to avoid scratching the porcelain.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
Deep sink or tub
Sponge
Materials
Baking soda
Dish soap
Instructions
The Best Way to Clean Oven Racks
Prepare Cleaning Solution Fill the sink or tub with two to three scoops of baking soda, anywhere from a couple of tablespoons to a half cup of dish soap, and enough hot water to cover the racks.
Soak Oven Racks Let the racks soak for 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on how messy they are, then scrub them with a clean sponge.
Rinse and Air Dry Rinse the racks with clean water and allow them to dry before placing them back in the oven.
Additional Cleaning Methods
While there are plenty of additional methods for cleaning oven racks, these three have the benefit of being effective, safe, and less messy than some other options.
Laundry Detergent: Use the same method for deep cleaning as prescribed above, but instead of using dish soap, add ½ cup to ¾ cup of laundry detergent.
Dryer Sheets: Place racks in the tub or sink, add a tablespoon or two of dish soap, and fill with hot water until the racks are covered. Add a few dryer sheets to the tub and swirl them around until the water starts to foam. Let them sit up to overnight. Drain the water and wipe down the racks with the dryer sheets to remove any leftover residue. Rinse thoroughly and let them air dry before placing the racks back in the oven.
Vinegar and Baking Soda: Once the racks are in the tub or basin, sprinkle them with baking soda and vinegar. After the foaming subsides, add enough hot water to cover the racks and let them soak up to overnight. Scrub with a sponge or towel, switching to a scrub brush or toothbrush for the most stubborn areas.
Safety Precautions
When cleaning oven racks, there are certain safety precautions to keep in mind. First, if you’re using a heavy-duty cleaner, make sure your space is well-ventilated or take your cleaning materials outside. Second, ensure that the racks are completely cool to the touch before starting the cleaning process.
How Often to Clean Oven Racks
We recommend using the soak-and-scrub method every two to three months, but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook the rest of the time. Regularly wiping down the racks between the soak-and-scrub processes saves you from the most stubborn and stuck-on messes and reduces odor potential. You can perform this process daily—if you use your oven each day—or as needed. All that’s required is hot, soapy water and a sponge.
Daily Cleaning Process: Remove the racks and wipe them down, ensuring you clean both sides. Rinse them with clean water and allow the racks to dry before placing them back in the oven. Oven racks should receive this type of basic cleaning whenever messes arise, as allowing prior messes to bake on makes them harder to remove.
Maintenance Tip
If your oven racks and oven are clean and the racks still aren’t sliding out easily, place a small amount of vegetable oil on a cloth and wipe down the right and left sides of the racks (the portion that comes in contact with the side tracks). It’s important to use only vegetable oil, as it can stand much higher temperatures than other oil varieties.
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