How to clean baking trays until they shine

How to clean baking trays until they shine

There’s nothing better than a brand-new baking tray — shiny, silver, sparkling clean. Sadly, they don’t often stay that way. With time, most baking trays become dull, encrusted with grime and grease no matter how many times you attack it with the washing up sponge. So what is the best way to clean baking trays?   

Read on to find out how to clean baking trays with just a little know-how and some elbow grease.

So what’s the best way to clean baking trays

Even if you diligently use baking parchment and wash your baking trays after every use, somehow they still become greasy and caked in burned dirt. In order to clean them so they’re almost as good as new, you need to loosen up the grime before using something abrasive to scrub it off.

There are a few different methods for loosening the grime – such as using baking soda and white vinegar, oven cleaner or just good old-fashioned hot soapy water. Whatever you decide to use, the key is to thoroughly soak your baking tray in the loosening liquid before getting to work with a scourer.

If you want to have sparkling clean baking trays without needing to use harsh chemicals, then the classic cleaning combo of baking soda and white vinegar is the method for you! Here’s how you do it:

How to clean a baking tray with baking soda and white vinegar

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Abrasive scouring pad
• Sponge scourer
• Washing up liquid
• Plenty household towel

Start off by adding your baking soda mixture to the detergent drawer (we’ll show you how to clean the washing machine drawer later). Next, pour the vinegar into an empty machine and run on a full cycle. Once the machine has finished use a piece of strong, damp kitchen paper to wipe away the remaining debris.

1. To start off, use a sheet of Plenty household towel to remove any loose bits of food burned onto your baking tray.

2. Cover the entire baking tray with baking soda then apply white vinegar by either pouring or using a spray bottle. Don’t be alarmed if it fizzes and bubbles – this is a good thing!

3. Make sure that the mixture is spread evenly onto your baking tray. Use a sponge to dab the mixture to ensure it covers all the grimy areas (even the sides and raised edges).

4. Leave your baking tray in an empty sink to sit for around 30 minutes and let the mixture work its magic! While you wait, why not use the time to clean the house quickly and thoroughly.

5. Use a sponge scourer to lightly scrub your tray to help loosen everything up. You might want to wear gloves to protect your hands from grease and grime.

6. Pour off the liquid mixture then use an abrasive scouring pad along with a bit of elbow grease to scrub away the encrusted grime.

7. Once you’re happy that your baking tray is looking shiny, wash it in the dishwasher or in the sink with washing up liquid and rinse to finish off. Use Plenty household towel to dry your tray and use it right away!

It’s as easy as that! Though it can take a little time and some concerted effort to get your baking trays clean, it is definitely worth it. Once you’ve removed the built-up grime, it will be much easier to keep on top of it going forward. While you’re on a roll, why not give your oven some TLC with this article on how to clean a very dirty oven or check out more of our cleaning tips