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Nov 10, 2024

How to Clean Baking Sheets So They Look Brand New

Don't toss out that old sheet pan! Remove those tough messes using one of these five simple methods using supplies you probably already have at home. Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher,

Don't toss out that old sheet pan! Remove those tough messes using one of these five simple methods using supplies you probably already have at home.

Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Learning how to clean baking sheets properly can help prolong the life of your equipment. Even the most attentive cook can't prevent occasional burnt-on messes, greasy splatters, and sticky sugars that cause buildup on baking sheets over time. Sometimes all a cookie sheet needs is a little TLC to get it looking like new. The following methods break down how to clean baking sheets with DIY cleaning solutions using ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide that you probably already have at home. Additionally, you'll learn which store-bought cleaners and tools work best for removing tough messes on baking sheets.

Non-stick baking pans require different care than their uncoated counterparts do. Do not scrub a non-stock pan too vigorously with an abrasive sponge because that could wear away the coating. Where possible, we offer a variation on each method that is safe for non-stick pans while also removing as much grime as possible, but some methods are simply not suitable for non-stick pans.

This simple method requires nothing more than baking soda, boiling water, and dish soap.

Pour boiling water onto the pan, then sprinkle on a few tablespoons of baking soda.

Once the solution stops bubbling, allow it to sit for an hour before wiping away the debris with a soft cloth. Then hand-wash the sheet pan using mild dish soap.

If steps 1 and 2 didn't take care of the stains, Melissa Maker of Clean My Space recommends you soak the pan in a solution. Mix the following in the pan: 1 tbsp. baking soda, a few drops of dish soap, and hot water. Let this mixture sit for at least an hour or as long as overnight. After soaking, you should be able to scrub away any debris or stains.

Maker says this combination works well for non-stick pans due to the gentle abrasion of baking soda and the grease-lifting power of dish soap. Always avoid heavy-duty or abrasive scrubbing of non-stick pans.

You can also use baking soda and vinegar to clean baking sheets. Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach and author of The Joy of Green Cleaning, says this simple method works well because baking soda is a great lifter and vinegar is a natural acid.

Fill your kitchen sink with hot water and pour in equal parts baking soda and vinegar (approximately a half cup each). Place the cookie sheet in the sink and let it soak for 30-60 minutes.

Scrub with the abrasive side of a basic kitchen sponge. If the pan is non-stick, though, do not scrub too vigorously in order to protect the coating. After you've cleaned off the baked-on residue, wash the pan with mild dish soap.

For a non-stick pan that did not come clean after steps 1 and 2, start over with a more concentrated cleaning mixture. Here's how you do it: Cover the baking pan with 2 tsp. baking soda and 1 cup vinegar and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Gently scrub then wash the pan with mild dish soap.

Another option is to roll up your sleeves and clean old baking sheets using a scouring tool, such as a copper cloth or even a balled-up sheet of aluminum foil, and good old-fashioned elbow grease. A granulated detergent like Bar Keepers Friend or Bon Ami combined with abrasive scrubbing is no match for an old sheet pan.

However, this method is not recommended for non-stick pans. The research and development team at Calphalon recommends skipping the scouring tools and agents when cleaning non-stick pans. The silicone polyester coating can be damaged by an abrasive cleaner or cleaning tool such as a steel wool sponge.

In addition to its first-aid uses, hydrogen peroxide is an effective household cleaning agent. Keep a bottle in your cleaning caddy and break it out alongside baking soda to clean your cookie sheets.

Sprinkle your scorched pan with baking soda and pour hydrogen peroxide over it, followed by another layer of baking soda. Let the mixture sit on the pan for up to two hours.

Wipe the mixture off with a sponge. If needed, repeat the process for tough stains. Once finished, rinse the baking sheet well and wash it with mild dish soap.

Cleaning pro Melissa Maker cautions that peroxide can have a bleaching effect and is not a food-grade product. If you choose to use peroxide, first test on an inconspicuous spot. Thoroughly rinse and wash the sheet pan after you complete the stain treatment.

As a last resort, place your ruined baking sheets in the oven and turn on the self-cleaning cycle. Be sure to follow the oven manufacturer's instructions. Once the cycle is complete and your sheet pans have cooled, wash them with mild soap.

If your attempts to salvage a scorched baking sheet aren't successful, it might be time to purchase new pans. This is especially true if they are scratched, warped, or the non-stick coating is peeling, scraped, or worn away.

Cover all rusty spots on the baking sheet with baking soda. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Gently and carefully scrub the pan while the baking soda is still on the spots, then rinse well.

If your baking sheets are discolored due to dark food stains rather than from scorching, a paste made from 1 tbsp. of baking soda and 2 tbsps. of hydrogen peroxide will help. Scrub the pans, then spread the mixture onto the stains. After about two hours, scrub the mixture off. The stains should be gone, but repeat if necessary. Wash with mild soap.

A proper cookie sheet has two raised sides for better air circulation as opposed to the four raised sides of baking sheets. The best cookie sheet should be light in color and heavy duty enough to support a full sheet of dense cookie dough.