Cleaning the baking tray: 6 home remedies to effectively remove burnt-on food

“Wow, your baking tray is so clean and shiny,” probably no one has ever heard this sentence before. After all, the baking tray is one of those kitchen utensils that you rarely show your guests.

Nevertheless, it is important that the baking tray is clean. At least if you don't want your frozen fries to taste like chocolate cookies and vice versa. And for hygiene reasons it also makes sense to clean the baking tray regularly.

Because even if we always use the sheet metalline with fresh baking paper or silicone mats,In order to save us the hassle of cleaning after each use, fat, sauce and other food residues often still make it through.

> Silicone mats are available here in a set on Amazon, for example.*

And although we actually know better, we don't remove dried cheese stains and other incrustations directly, but rather quickly wipe away coarse traces of oil before using the baking tray again.

The stains then burn stubbornly in the heat of the oven and make cleaning the tray even more difficult.

But you can also get a very dirty baking tray clean again. As with any kitchen accessory that comes into contact with food, you should use natural home remedies to clean your baking tray.

The reason:Store-bought cleaners often contain toxic chemicals.And no one wants to accidentally season their food with this. You should also stay away from often touted alternatives such as washing powder when cleaning the baking tray.

The good news:are cheaper than ready-made oven cleaners or other supermarket products and usually help just as well. Some home remedies work quite quickly, with others you have to be patient and if necessary leave the remedy to work overnight.

Tipp:Although most baking sheets are very sturdy, depending on the material and coating, they can easily be scratched by hard steel sponges. Use a soft cloth and do not try to forcefully remove the crusted areas with a spatula or, even worse, a knife. At most, you will injure yourself.

We'll tell you which home remedies you can use to remove burnt-in stains and clean your baking tray in an (environmentally) friendly way.

Here's how:To clean the dirty baking tray, spread 50 grams of baking soda powder on the tray and fill the bottom with water. Put the tray in the oven and heat it to 100 degrees top/bottom heat. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the water has evaporated.

Let the baking tray cool briefly before wiping off the baking soda mixture with normal dish soap, water and a sponge. The dirt should also come off.

Baking powder contains small amounts of baking soda and is therefore also suitable as a stain remover. To intensify the effect, it is best to add a dash of commercial vinegar.

Here's how:Depending on the size of the baking tray, mix three or four packets of baking powder with two tablespoons of vinegar and a little hot water to form a paste.

Apply the mixture to the dried stains and leave it on overnight. The next day the stains should come off if you rinse the tray under hot water. If necessary, go over it a little more forcefully with the dishwashing brush.

Washing soda also contains sodium carbonate, which is why it is also suitable for cleaning a baking tray. The advantage of this method over baking powder is that soda combines very well with water and therefore achieves an even stronger cleaning effect. And all without heating or baking.

Here's how:Mix two to three tablespoons of soda with hot water and apply to dirty areas. For stubborn stains, let the mixture work overnight. Then clean with fresh water.

> You can easily order washing soda here from Amazon.*

By the way: Soda is not only suitable for cleaning baking trays, but can also soften hard water, for examplebecome.

Each of us has salt at home and therefore an effective remedy for burnt food in the cupboard. However, be prepared that with the salt method you will need more muscle strength to clean the baking tray. The salt is more suitable for light to medium dirt.

Here's how:Spread half a packet of salt on the baking tray so that the bottom is completely covered. Now you simply put the tray in the oven and heat it to 50 degrees top/bottom heat. After an hour at the latest or when the salt has turned brown, pull out the baking tray.

Wait until it has cooled down a little and then rub the salt and the dirt off the tray. The dishwashing brush and hot water help with fine-tuning.

In the video: With these tips you can save time when cleaning

The all-rounder vinegar is a hot candidate when it comes to cleaning baking trays. Because the sharp smell of vinegar bothers many people, you can add a little lemon juice for a fresh scent. Citric acid is also an effective cleaning booster in itself.

Here's how:Cover the bottom of the tray completely with household vinegar. Mix in some hot water and the juice of one or two lemons. Place the tray in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees top/bottom heat.

Once most of the lemon-vinegar mixture has evaporated, even stubborn stains can be easily removed from the cooled baking sheet.

Cola is also often cited as a trick for dissolving dirt in baking trays - thanks to the phosphoric acid.

Here's how:Add fresh or stale cola to the baking tray until the bottom is covered. Then bring to the boil over low heat or bake or heat briefly in the oven. Then rinse thoroughly with fresh water.