How to Clean Oven Racks (5 Simple Methods)

Cleaning the oven racks tends to be one of the dirtiest home cleaning jobs to do. For this reason, most people put off doing it. But the longer you leave it, the more the grease and grime will bake into your oven racks.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be a hard job. In this article, we are going to tell you about five simple methods to clean your oven racks. Once clean, they will look just like the day they came out of the factory.

Our cleaning methods use products you probably already have in your home, like dish soap, white vinegar, and oven cleaner. This means you don’t have to go out and buy specialty products or equipment.

Let’s start with the soaking method.

The Soaking Method

The soaking method involves soaking your oven racks in a bathtub overnight. When left to soak in a mixture of soap and/or white vinegar, the grease and grime come off effortlessly. If you have a bathtub, give the soaking method a try! 

Follow these instructions to clean your oven racks using the soaking method:

1. Remove the racks from the oven.
2. To protect your bathtub, lay an old towel down on the bottom of it.
3. Place the racks onto the towel.
4. Fill the bathtub with hot water until the racks are completely covered.
5. Pour ¼ cups of dish soap (any type works) into the bathtub. For a natural alternative, use 1 cup of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda instead.
6. Mix around the soap or natural cleaning products.
7. Leave overnight to soak.
8. In the morning, scrub the racks with a scratch-free pad or brush to remove any remaining stains. 
9. Once clean, drain the bathtub and rinse the oven racks under hot water.
10. Place the oven racks back into your oven.

The Outside Method

This method, as the name suggests, involves taking your dirty oven racks out to your yard to give them a clean. This helps you avoid making a mess in your kitchen or laundry room.

Follow these instructions to clean your oven racks using:

1. Remove the trays from the oven.
2. Take them outside into your yard.
3. Lay them down on the ground and give them a rinse with your hose.
4. Fill up a bucket with hot water and dish soap (a degreasing variety works best).
5. Scrub and rinse the racks until clean using a non-scratch pad or brush.
6. Once clean, rinse them off.
7. Dry the racks with a kitchen towel or leave them to dry in the sun.
8. Place back into the oven.

The Natural Method

The natural method is for you if you want to use natural cleaning products to clean your oven racks. All you need to do is make a paste and then cover the racks. After they have been left for a few hours, most of the grease and grime will come off.

Follow these instructions to clean oven racks using the natural method:

1. Start by making your cleaning paste. Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 3 tablespoons of baking soda. If you want to, you can also add a couple of drops of orange essential oil.
2. Remove the racks from your oven.
3. Place the racks in the sink.
4. Use a cloth or sponge to spread the paste onto the racks evenly.
5. Leave for 6-8 hours to let the paste set.
6. Once set, scrub the racks using a brush or non-scratch pad.
7. Once all grease and grime have been removed, rinse the racks under hot water.
8. Dry the racks and place them back into the oven.

The Heavy-Duty Method

The next method is what we call the heavy-duty method. This method involves using a strong commercial cleaner. All major brands of oven cleaners are suitable for the job. It’s best to do the cleaning outside if possible to stop the fumes from the cleaner lingering in your home.

Follow these instructions to clean over racks using the heavy-duty method:

1. Place an old towel or sheets of newspaper down on a flat surface like a table or bench.
2. Remove the trays from the oven.
3. Lay the racks down on your work surface.
4. Put on a pair of safety gloves. 
5. Spray the oven cleaner over the racks. 
6. Let the racks sit for 15 minutes.
7. Scrub the racks with a scratch-free pad or small brush.
8. Once clean, rinse the racks under hot water or use a hose if outside.
9. Dry and place the racks back into the oven.

The Foil Method

The aluminum method involves wrapping the racks in foil and then leaving them to soak in water and dish soap. The foil and soap combine to remove grease and grime.

Follow these instructions to clean oven trays using the aluminum method: 

1. Remove the trays from the oven.
2. Wrap each tray in aluminum foil.
3. Place the wrapped trays in a sink or tub.
4. Fill the sink or tub with hot water and throw in a couple of tablespoons of dish soap or use a dishwasher tablet.
5. Leave for 2 to 3 hours.
6. Remove the tray from the sink and take the foil off.
7. If required, scrub the racks with a non-scratch pad or brush.
8. Once clean, rinse under hot water.
9. Dry the racks and then place them back into the oven.