The Easiest Way to Clean Oven Racks - Tried and Tested Method

After a delightful yet messy meal prepared by my husband, I found myself on a mission to clean the dirty oven racks.


I had previously experimented with cleaning the racks with dishwasher tablets and letting them soak in a closed bag in the bathtub, but I discovered a clever alternative from KoalaSewing.


This method proves to be the easiest way to clean oven racks, avoiding the hassle of dealing with a dirty bath afterward.

Tools and Materials:

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Dirty oven rack

1. Remove Racks From Oven

Start by taking the oven racks out of your oven. This allows for easier and more thorough cleaning.

How to clean oven racks with cling film

2. Prepare a Tray

Grab your oven's baking dish and cover it with a layer of aluminum foil. On top of the foil, add a layer of plastic wrap, leaving it uncut for now. Place the oven rack on the cling film.

Spray racks with cleaner

3. Spray Cleaner

Generously spray the oven cleaner all over the oven rack, ensuring every nook and cranny is covered.

Wrap the racks with cling film

4. Wrap Up The Rack

Cover the top of the rack with the plastic wrap, cutting it off the roll and sealing all edges. Let it sit for a few hours to allow the cleaner to work its magic.

Oven racks after sitting in cling film with cleaner

5. Scrub

After the cleaning solution has had time to break down the grime, remove the plastic wrap.

Easy method for cleaning oven racks

Give the oven rack a thorough scrub using a Scrub Daddy sponge and some dish soap.


More Oven Cleaning Tips

Learn more about the basics of oven upkeep in our How to Clean an Oven guide.

Plastic wrap hack for cleaning oven racks

The Easiest Way to Clean Oven Racks: DIY Tutorial

This method, while requiring minimal effort, is definitely effective. The plastic wrap retains moisture, allowing the cleaner to work more efficiently.


While it might entail a bit more scrubbing compared to the dishwasher tablet and bathtub method, it's a convenient and frequent cleaning solution, leaving the bathtub for more intensive deep cleaning.

Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
  • Jjqq Jjqq on Nov 22, 2023
    Why are those oven racks so tiny? Are they from toaster oven?
Comments
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 2 comments
  • Dolores Esparza Dolores Esparza on Nov 27, 2023
    I have wrapped the racks in newspaper, place in plastic bag and pour in ammonia that newspaper soaks op. seal bag and place outside or in garage overnight.... This works BBQ grills too! Gunk rubs of with light scrubbing.
    • Joanie Joanie on Nov 29, 2023
      I’ve heard about ammonia in trash bags for cleaning oven racks, but not about the newspaper layer. Will give it a try. Thanks Dolores. 😀
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