Baking sheet, sheet pan, baking pan or cookie sheet - no matter what you call it, you've probably used a sheet pan that time you made cookies, roasted potatoes, or anything that required you to bake on a flat surface. Baking often leaves dried food and grease on these sheet pans, resulting in dirty baking sheets that you wouldn't want to bake on.
In this article, we'll guide you through cleaning baking sheets: both the aluminum kind, and the nonstick variety! All you'll need is some household staples, and a bit of elbow grease to get the job done:
What You'll Need
Aluminum or Stainless Steel Baking Sheets
With aluminum or stainless steel baking sheets, you don't have to worry about scrubbing off the top layer of your cookie sheet. While the cookie sheets are still prone to scratches, you can use more abrasive scrubbers on an aluminum or stainless steel baking sheet than a nonstick one! Here's what you'll need:
- Dish soap
- Hot water
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Sponge
- Abrasive scrubber or Scouring pad
- Drying towel
Nonstick Baking Sheets
Nonstick pans and baking sheets, on the other hand, often have a layer on top that provides the nonstick surface. You will need to be careful not to remove this layer, as scratching your baking sheet will remove its non-stick properties. Here's what to use to clean nonstick sheet pans:
- Dish soap
- Hot water
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Soft sponge or Old toothbrush
- Clean cloth
- Drying towel
How to Clean Baking Sheets: A Step-by-step Guide
Aluminum or Stainless Steel Baking Sheets
Step 1: Wash as Normal
Wash the sheet pan as you normally would to remove any residue or loose grime. Use a mild dish soap and a scouring pad to scrub away as much grime as possible. This will help expose the stains, making it easier for the cleaning solution to penetrate through.
Step 2: Fill the Sink with Hot or Warm Water
Fill the sink with water, and dunk the baking sheet in until each area is submerged. If your sink is too small, use a large plastic container, basin, or even a kiddie pool to clean your baking sheets, but use warm instead of boiling water to prevent melting through the plastic.
Step 3: Add Baking Soda and Vinegar
Add a cup of baking soda, and a cup of white vinegar into the water. swirl the mixture around to incorporate, and let the baking soda settle on your baking sheet. The baking soda and vinegar will work to lift the stains out, and soften any hardened, dried or burnt bits from your baking sheet. You can layer your sheet pans to clean multiple at the same time.
Step 4: Let it Sit
Let the sheets sit in the solution for about half an hour. In the meantime, you can work on cleaning the rest of your oven, or do other kitchen chores! If the stains don't seem to lift off after 30 minutes, give it another 10-20 minutes to thoroughly remove all the gunk.
Step 5: Scrub the Stains Clean
You might need to use some elbow grease, but you can now start scrubbing those sheets clean! Use the scouring pad, or an abrasive scrubbing tool like steel wool, to remove the remaining stains. Most stains should come out easily after the baking soda and white vinegar soak, but deeper stains may require you to scrub them out manually.
Step 6: Dry
Dry your sheet pan using a clean kitchen towel, then store it in a dry location. You can also dry the sheets in a hot oven, but this is unnecessary. Always store your cookie sheets dry to prevent rust from forming.
Nonstick Baking Sheets
Step 1: Wash as Normal
Wash the sheet pan as you normally would to remove any residue or loose grime. Use a mild dish detergent and a soft sponge to wipe away as much oil and food crumbs as possible. This will help expose the stains, making it easier for the cleaning solution to penetrate through.
Step 2: Create the Cleaning Paste
Create a cleaning paste by mixing enough hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to form a thin paste. Hydrogen peroxide is great for removing stains as it works with baking soda to lift stains away gently, unlike vinegar that works against baking soda. This creates a mild solution that won't damage your nonstick surfaces.
Step 3: Spread the Cleaning Paste Evenly on the Baking Sheet
Spread the paste around the entire surface of your sheet pans. Focus on the spots where there is heavy staining, and use a cloth to gently rub the paste into food bits. Let the paste sit for 15 minutes, then wipe the residue away. Repeat the process if not all stains have been removed.
Step 4: Rinse Away Residue
Rinse the pan to remove any remaining residue. You should notice the stains lift out almost immediately, and any remaining stains are removed after a good rinse. Let your sheet pan drip on a drying rack to get rid of excess moisture.
Step 5: Dry
Dry the pan using a kitchen towel, a paper towel, or by placing it in a hot oven to evaporate the moisture. Store your fully-dried pan away, and protect the nonstick surface by placing a brown paper bag, newspaper, or wax paper over the nonstick side.
Keeping Baking Sheets Spotless
Here are a couple of tips to keep your sheets spotless. You've worked hard to remove those stains, so here are ways you can prevent them from forming again! Keep in mind that it is important to clean your baking pans after each use, even if you use parchment paper.
- Cover the sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to prevent food from staining your pans.
- Refrain from using steel wool, scouring pads, and the abrasive side of the sponge on nonstick pans, as these will cause scratches that removes the nonstick property of the pan.
- Clean your pans with some hot, boiling water and dish soap to remove excess gunk after every use.
- Do not run your hot pan under cold water immediately as the extreme temperature change will cause your pan to warp or misshapen.
Keep Baking!
Keeping your kitchen clean energizes you to keep cooking and baking, but when you're already stressed with your work and home life, you can trust us at Luce to keep your kitchen spotless for you! You can keep on baking while we handle the tough grime and stains in your kitchen, as well as the rest of your home!
Contact us today, and we'll schedule you a house cleaning service that is tailor-fit to your home!
