Natural Cleaning Methods For Baking Pans: Easy And Effective

Baking sheets are often the most well-loved and well-used items in a cook's kitchen, but they can quickly become dirty and develop stubborn stains. There are several natural methods for cleaning baking pans, which use household items such as baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide. These methods are effective at removing grime and stains, and can make your baking sheets look as good as new.

Baking soda and water

Cleaning Baking Pans with Baking Soda and Water

Method

• Create a paste by mixing baking soda with a few tablespoons of warm water.
• Spread the paste onto the pan and let it sit for 30 minutes.
• Using a nylon pad, sponge, or brush, scrub away the paste until clean.
• Give the pan a final wash using dish soap and warm water.

Results

This method is the fastest, taking only 30 minutes to soak and 15 minutes to scrub. However, it requires the most elbow grease. This is likely because baking soda is not as strong as solutions paired with an acid like vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. After 15 minutes of scrubbing, there was a visible improvement, but deep, set-in stains remained. This method is best for pans with light staining or non-stick pans, as more abrasive solutions may damage the coating.

Baking soda and vinegar

To clean your baking pans with baking soda and vinegar, follow these steps:

Preparation:

• Use equal parts of baking soda and vinegar, approximately 1/4 cup of each.
• Sprinkle the baking soda onto the pan, spreading it evenly across the surface.
• Add the vinegar to the pan. The two ingredients will react with each other.

Cleaning:

• Submerge the pan into a sink filled with hot water and soak it for 30-60 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the water and wipe away any dirt or grime with a non-abrasive sponge or microfiber cloth.
• Finally, wash the pan with regular soap and water to remove any remaining residue.

This method may require a significant amount of time and scrubbing, but it is an effective way to remove grime and stains from your baking pans without the use of harsh chemicals.

Ammonia

Step 1: Prepare the necessary materials

Before you begin, make sure you have the following items:

• A durable plastic bag, such as a garbage bag
• Ammonia
• Steel wool

Step 2: Place the cookie sheets in the plastic bag

Place your cookie sheets inside the plastic bag. If you have a large baking sheet, you may need to clean it in sections.

Step 3: Add ammonia to the bag

Add 1/2 cup of ammonia to the bag. Seal the bag shut.

Step 4: Let the bag sit in the sun

Place the sealed bag in a sunny location and let it sit for a day. This will allow the ammonia to soften and react with the grease and food particles on the baking sheets.

Step 5: Remove the pans from the bag

After a day, open the bag and remove the pans. Be careful not to breathe in the ammonia fumes.

Step 6: Scrub the pans

Use steel wool to scrub the pans and remove any remaining stains or food particles.

Step 7: Wash the sheets thoroughly

Finally, wash the sheets with soap and water to remove any residual ammonia and complete the cleaning process.

Aluminium foil

To clean your pans with aluminium foil, first, soak the pan in water for an extended period. Next, bunch the foil into a ball and scrub the burned spots and stuck-on food. Finally, wash and rinse the pan with soap and water.

When balling the foil, be sure to keep any food residue on the inside of the ball so that you do not spread food particles onto the pan you are attempting to clean.

Washing soda and cream of tartar

First, make sure you're wearing gloves as washing soda can cause skin irritation. Then, sprinkle washing soda and cream of tartar onto the cookie sheet. Next, pour a small amount of hot water on top of the sheet and mix the ingredients into a paste. Spread the paste evenly across the pan and let it sit for 15 minutes. After this, scrub the stains with a non-abrasive scrubbing pad, then wash the paste and dirt off the pan with water and soap.

Cream of tartar is a dry white powder that is generally used in baking recipes. It is a powerful cleaning agent, especially for aluminium pans. It has mild bleaching properties, which help to get rid of baked-on stains.

Frequently asked questions