Learn how to clean your cookie sheets quickly and easily! These hacks and tricks will help you remove stubborn food residue.

 

Depending on how often you use your oven, cookie sheets can get some serious use! All this use can lead to burned or rusty cookie sheets. Thankfully, there are lots of different ways you can clean your baking sheets and make them look new.

 

 

How To Clean Cookie Sheets

 

Before you throw away your stained baking sheets, read these hacks. You’ll easily be able to clean them and make them shine like the day you bought them.

 

How To Clean Non-Stick Baking Pans

 

All of the following tips are for aluminized steel, stainless steel, or aluminum baking sheets. Do not use these ideas on non-stick pans. Anything that could scratch or remove the non-stick coating should be avoided.

 

The best way to clean a non-stick cookie sheet is either with washing soda and cream of tarter or water and baking soda. Either of those combinations will eat away at the stuck-on foods while keeping the non-stick surface safe.

 

Here is how to use washing soda and cream of tarter to wash a non-stick baking tray:

 

1. Liberally sprinkle both washing soda and cream of tartar on your baking sheet.

 

2. Pour a small amount of hot water on the baking sheet.

 

3. Mix this all together into a paste.

 

4. Spread the paste evenly across the pan.

 

5. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes, up to an hour.

 

6. Scrub the stains with a non-abrasive sponge or scrubbing pad.

 

7. Wash the pan with soap and water.

 

Here’s how to wash your non-stick pans with baking soda:

 

1. Sprinkle baking soda on the baking sheet.

 

2. Add a little bit of hot water onto the cookie sheet.

 

3. Mix it together until it forms a paste.

 

4. Spread the paste evenly across the pan, focusing on the stained areas.

 

5. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes.

 

6. Gently rub the stains with a non-abrasive scrubber until the spots are gone.

 

7. Wash with soap and water and dry immediately.

 

The rest of the methods will be for aluminum or stainless steel cookie sheets. Please remember, do not use the following methods on a non-stick pan.

 

Baking Soda & Aluminum Foil

 

If you have stainless steel or aluminum baking sheets, then this hack is for you! Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda on the baking sheet. Add a little bit of water – enough to make a paste. Let this sit for about an hour.

 

Then, taking a bunch of aluminum foil and make a ball. Use this to scrub your pans. This is durable enough to remove even the toughest burnt stains.

 

You can use the foil-scrubber hack with any of these combinations on this list. It’s a fairly low-cost way to scrub your pans.

 

Ammonia

 

I do not personally recommend using ammonia to clean your cookie sheets. Even though it’s really effective at removing stuck-on stains, it takes the most time to complete and it uses the harshest chemicals.

 

However, here’s how to clean cookie sheets with ammonia:

 

1. Place your cookie sheets inside a durable plastic bag like a garbage bag.

 

2. Pour 1/2 cup of ammonia into the bag with the baking sheet.

 

3. Seal the bag shut and let it sit out in the sun for an entire day. This gives it enough time for the ammonia to soften and react with the grease and stains on the pan.

 

4. Hold your breath when you open the bag. Do this step outside, the fumes are powerful!

 

5. Take out the pan.

 

6. Scrub the pan with a scrubber of your choice.

 

7. Use soap and water to remove any ammonia residue that was left behind.

 

Baking Soda and Vinegar

 

Using baking soda and vinegar is the most popular way to clean baking sheets. It’s so popular because most people already have these ingredients in their pantry.

 

The best type of vinegar to use is just plain white distilled vinegar. You can also use apple cider vinegar  – it works just as well!

 

Here’s how to clean your pans with baking soda and vinegar:

 

1. Sprinkle baking soda on the cookie sheet in a thick layer.

 

2. Pour some vinegar on top of the baking soda.

 

3. Let it fizz and sit for about an hour.

 

4. Use a scrubber to remove the stuck-on stains.

 

5. Wash it with soap and water and a clean dishrag.

 

Hydrogen Peroxide & Baking Soda

 

Another really popular way to clean your baking sheets and make them look brand new is by combining baking soda with hydrogen peroxide. This is almost like a science experiment in your kitchen. Just follow these steps:

 

1. Liberally sprinkle baking soda all over your baking sheet.

 

2. Add hydrogen peroxide on top of the baking soda.

 

3. Sprinkle more baking soda on top of this layer of paste. You don’t have to mix it together, just let the chemical reaction happen naturally.

 

4. Let it sit for up to 2 hours.

 

5. Rinse it off and wipe it down with a cloth.

 

This method is so effective that you won’t have to scrub!

 

Ketchup Hack

 

This is a very surprising hack! Did you know ketchup will help you scrub your baking sheets? Yup! It has vinegar and tomato in it – so the acid helps break up the grease and burnt bits on your baking sheets.

 

To do this hack, just liberally squirt ketchup on the stained or burned areas of your pan. Let it sit overnight. The next day, use a scrubber of some sort to remove the burned areas of your pans. They should come up easily!

 

Then, use soap and water to clean them completely.

 

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

 

 

If your pans are just stained, try to use a magic eraser on them. This is not a good option for food that is stuck on the pans or if you have burned grease on them.

 

Add some water to your magic eraser and start scrubbing. These things really do work like magic!

 

Can You Clean Cookie Sheets With Oven Cleaner?

 

Yes, you can use oven cleaner to clean your baking sheets. I don’t recommend this method for the same reason I don’t recommend using ammonia. This product uses a very pungent cleaner. The smells are so strong that you might want to stash the baking sheets in your oven to keep the smells at bay.

 

Another reason this method is problematic is that if you leave the oven cleaner on it for too long, it will dry – along with the stuck-on foods – giving you an even bigger mess to clean up.

 

How To Clean Cookie Sheets: Final Thoughts

 

As you can see, there are so many different ways to clean your burnt cookie sheets. Before you throw them out, try one of these genius methods. They are sure to shine up your pans and make them look like new!

 

Other Cleaning Tips:

How To Clean Your Stainless Steel Appliances

How To Clean Your Cast Iron Skillet

How to Keep Your House Clean With Kids At Home

 

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