How to Clean Oven Racks Naturally

If you regularly use your oven, you probably know the struggle of cleaning it. Because our ovens consist of many parts that tend to become greasy over time, it is always helpful to know a solution that can ease up the oven cleaning routine. If you are a happy owner of a self-cleaning oven, the oven racks still require old-fashioned cleaning, as they might get damaged from the self-cleaning functionality.

There are many cleaning products that you can easily find in a local store. However, most of them are filled with dangerous chemicals that release harmful fumes. So, is there any way to clean oven racks naturally? Of course, there is!

So, if you are someone who:

• Avoids using chemicals in their house because of allergies and health problems;
• Wants to clean their oven racks using only natural products; 
• Doesn’t have specific oven cleaning products at the moment.

Then this article is just for you! Here, you will read all about how to clean your oven racks naturally by using products such as baking soda, white vinegar and more!

Self-cleaning feature 

You might think there is no point in cleaning oven racks by hand if your appliance has a self-cleaning feature. However, the high temperature of this cycle can be damaging to the internal components of the cooking appliance. It would also likely destroy the finish of any chrome or stainless steel racks. This is why we recommend you clean this important part of your oven by hand and with natural products. It will help keep your oven in good working order, and there will be no dangerous fumes escaping and polluting the air.

How to clean oven racks with ammonia

There are two ways you can use ammonia to clean your oven racks – by taking them out or by keeping them inside the cooker. But before you read the cleaning instructions…

Cleaning oven racks with ammonia by taking them out

In this case, you will need:

• About ¼ cup of sudsy ammonia;
• Heavy-duty rubbish bag;
• Rubber gloves;
• Stiff brush.

1. Once you take the racks out of the oven, put them in the rubbish bag. Make sure that there are no holes in it. 
2. Pour around ¼ cup of sudsy ammonia inside. Seal the bag tightly so nothing can leak out.
3. Place the bag somewhere away from pets and children and let it stay overnight. The ammonia will let out fumes which will loosen up the dirty grime on the racks and make them easier to clean up.
4. The morning after, put on some rubber gloves and take the racks out; 
5. Scrub the remaining grime off with some sort of stiff brush. Use dishwashing soap, if the grease doesn’t come off.
6. Rinse the racks with lukewarm water and you’re ready!

Cleaning your oven racks while they are in the oven

For this method, you will need:

• 1 cup of baking soda;
•  ¾ cup with non-sudsy and non-scented ammonia.

1. Place the cup with the ammonia in your oven and let it stay overnight, without turning the oven on or its self-cleaning feature. The idea is the same as with the garbage bag. The ammonia will loosen up any dirt on the racks. The morning after, just throw the cup away. 
2. Clean up the loose grease. This is where the baking soda comes in. Dip a slightly damp piece of cloth into the baking soda and gently scrub the racks and the insides of the oven.
3. As a finishing touch, rinse everything with lukewarm water and leave your oven opened to dry properly.

How to clean oven racks with baking soda and vinegar

Use the following items: 

• Baking soda – if you don’t have any, you can use borax; 
• Distilled white vinegar; 
• A scrub pad, or an old toothbrush if you don’t have a pad; 
• An old towel. 

Here is how to clean oven racks using natural white vinegar and baking soda: 

1. Place the old towel in a dry tub or a big basin, if you don’t have one. 
2. Put the racks inside and generously pour the white vinegar on them. 
3. Add the baking soda and wait for around 10-15 minutes. 
4. The two ingredients should start foaming. When that is complete, fill the tub or basin with hot water so that it covers the racks completely, and let them soak overnight. 
5. The day after, scrub the racks with the scrub pad or with a toothbrush to remove any grime that is still stuck. 
6. If there is any stubborn dirt left, you can add kosher salt to the water. The mixture will turn it into an abrasive cleaner. 
7. When you are satisfied with the results, just rinse with water and let the racks air dry.

How to clean oven racks with dishwashing soap

Dish soap is another everyday product that has proven itself as a useful and versatile cleaning solution for nearly everything: carpets, wallpapers, upholstery and even limestone fireplaces. 

Here is how you can use it to clean your oven racks: 

1. Again, you will need a tub or a very big basin with an old towel at the bottom. 
2. Put the racks inside and fill the tub/basin with hot water so that everything is covered. 
3. Add ½ cup of your dishwashing soap. 
4. You can combine this with the previous method and add some vinegar and baking soda; 
5. Let the racks soak overnight in the cleaning solution. 
6. The morning after, you can use the old towel to scrub the leftover grease and grime. If there are more persistent areas, you can use an old toothbrush to take care of them or add salt to the tool you are using to make it more abrasive. 
7. Once the racks are clean and shiny, rinse them well with water and let them air dry before returning them to the oven.

Hire a professional oven cleaner

Even though these methods can be quite easy, they can still take a lot of time, especially if you have to clean the whole oven and not just the racks. Save yourself the trouble and call Fantastic Services today to book a professional oven cleaning technician. They use a highly effective dip tank method that includes disassembling the whole oven and cleaning the parts separately. After that, the expert will put your oven back together and you will get to enjoy your shiny clean cooker again. Better food and more time with the people that really matter! Book your oven technician today!

Takeaways

• Taking the racks outside the oven makes them a lot easier to clean;
• Even if you have a self-cleaning feature in your appliance, it’s recommended that you don’t use it as often as it might damage the heating components in your oven;
• If you will be leaving your oven racks to soak in the tub, lock the room and keep any pets and children away from them;
• If you decide to go with a special detergent, we recommend using non-toxic, biodegradable solutions instead of harsh chemicals;
• Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning.

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What is your experience with cleaning oven racks naturally? Do you have any other tricks that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments down below and if you found this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your family and friends!

• Last update: October 21, 2020

Posted in Oven Cleaning