Cleaning Baking Sheets (and the Crazy Thing that Worked Best!)

Have you ever wondered what cleans baking sheets (cookie sheets) best? These are old, some are rusty, caked in buildup.

Use a Silicon Baking Mat to prevent messes (and save yourself a lot of work!)

I tried vinegar and baking soda, Easy Off oven cleaner, ketchup, Borax, Bar Keeper's Friend, hydrogen peroxide, Dawn Powerwash, Brillo Pads, Comet, Magic Eraser and even razor blades!!

Razor Blade

Baking Sheet, we recommend a heavy aluminum one (non-stick are impossible to clean)

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There are so many YouTube videos on how to clean baking sheets. But the best method depends on the kind of baking sheet you have. One method won't work on everything. Metals are all different. But I found a hack that worked best.

What I learned is that EVERY BAKING SHEET IS DIFFERENT. Non-stick is different than regular baking sheets. And the higher quality baking sheets are better because they hold up longer and clean easier. So invest in QUALITY baking sheets and you'll use them for years to come!

[angelas.]

For those lacking patience (me) go to 14:32 for final results on what worked best (ketchup, which is acid-based).

[sierraechopnw]

You might want to rethink which sheets you want to keep the patina on. I’m an avid baker and prefer clean ones to bake cookies and such. However, a good patina sheet is what I use for meats and vegetables. You are scrubbing away the benefits of that well seasoned pan. Think of it like a cast iron pan or stoneware that gets better with time.

From Epicurious: That patina—which is really baked-on oil—carries a host of advantages. The darkened surface aids in the caramelization of whatever food is in direct contact with it. Epicurious food director Rhoda Boone always uses a well-worn baking sheet for roasting vegetables. "The seasoning gets the cut edges nice and golden brown, " she says. "More so than vegetables cooked on a lighter baking sheet." She also prefers it for roasting chicken thighs and pork chops.”

[courtneydurham]

I have two baking sheets. One pristine and one intentionally seasoned black. The pristine one is for baking cookies so they don't burn on the bottom and the black baking sheet is for roasting vegetables. You get better browning on a dark surface. More fond.

[marylouriddle]

In the south, the brown pans are considered seasoned as in cast iron cookware.

[RachelLWolfe]

The juice of an actual tomato works way better than ketchup. I found that out a long time ago when some tomato juice sprayed onto a discolored stainless steel burner cover, when I was cutting it, and the discoloration disappeared where the tomato juice had landed.

[tamaranelson]

Before baking I put a piece of parchment paper on the cookie sheet. No cleanup no mess, my cookie sheets look brand new years later :-)

[bethanyquesnell]

Baking soda and peroxide/vinegar "paste" doesn't work as a cleaning solution because the active ingredients neutralize each other. Baking soda is a base and peroxide is an acid. Use them on surfaces separately, or one after the other, but not mixed together.

[rosefazio]

I use the bar keepers friend but have found that the powder version works a lot better than the liquid version.

[carttart]

I am a frequent baker. I have very expensive fancy cookware.
Believe it or not : the BEST cookie sheets/pans -- Rachel Ray's @ Kohls. The style that has the orange silicone insets in the handles.
Yep. Picked it up on a whim. It's now my go-to bakeware.
Cleans up with just a wipe.
Who knew?!!
****you can also extend the life of your cookie sheets by using silicone/silpat liners.
I got some cheap at Aldi.

[lucyrickard]

Wow!! You are one determined lady. I put foil on my new pans before cooking to keep them nice longer. I would never have the patience to do what you did here. Thank you so much for all that hard work finding the best way to clean pans. You are the

[Carolmaizy]

I guess I won't worry about my sheet pans anymore, lol. Thank you, everyone, for the seasoning tips.

[powerofknowledge]

Some cookie sheets are easier to clean than others because of how they are made and what they're made of. So I think a more reasonable experiment would be to section off just one cookie sheet with tape, then clean each section with the different cleaners. It seemed that the one with ketchup was actually one of the easier to clean sheets, regardless of the cleaning solution. It also started off more clean than the others.

[jackverified]

Instead of putting a lot of elbow grease you can make a electric scrubber by attaching a scrubbing brush with electric drill. It works so well

[PageCreations]

Comet & steel wool. That's what I use. I also use things like parchment paper or foil to avoid getting my pans to that point in the first place.

[three]

They ARE tough to clean and baked on sugar residue can cause smoke when you bake. Years ago I started putting parchment sheets on the baking pans for cookies, under pies to catch dripping. It has really helped preserve my favorite baking pans. 😁

[xuanofnv]

I don't normally comment, but the ketchup totally worked on my worst baking sheet! You were on point. Thank you.

[rocoride]

People should keep in mind in haphazardly mixing together kitchen chemicals some react with others, some becoming toxic, (ex..bleach + ammonia) so be careful with items you mix together.

[hutchrt]

I love using a steamer for the oven, we don't have a self clean oven but I did get a $40 steamer at harbor freight and it has been life-changing for cleaning and floors and tubs and tile. But it rocks inside an oven!

[terrythedad]

Ammonia actually also works like a dream for that caked on gunk. It just has to sit a lot longer. And depending on the metal, can etch it. I usually soak my oven racks in a garbage with some ammonia (outside) overnight. The next day, the crud just falls off with a scrub brush. You def don’t want to try it on your non-stick pans though. I’ve heard that the fumes are enough to do the trick, not actually soaking in the solution, but I haven’t tried it.

[michaelfoxbrass]

Use the powdered Barkeeper’s Friend, not the liquid. Beats everything.