Banish stubborn stains from baking trays with 65p kitchen staple

One item sitting in your cupboard could revitalise your old baking trays.

When you cook, it’s inevitable that your utensils will get dirty. Whether you’re using pots and pans, or putting things in the oven in dishes or on trays, it’s a fact of life that you’ll need to do the washing up once you’ve had your dinner.

But if you’ve ever used a baking tray or a roasting tin, you’ll know that it’s not always as easy as just soaking them in hot water and washing up liquid. Grease and grime from the cooking process can become burnt on, and if you don’t use the right methods to get rid of the stubborn marks, they’re a nightmare to remove.

You might be tempted to splash out on expensive products to get the job done but, according to cleaning fans on , you don’t need to break the bank – as you could clean your baking trays for as little as 65p.

What’s more, most of us won’t have to spend a single penny, as the item you need might already be in your kitchen cupboards.

The cleaning hack was shared on after one person asked for help cleaning the burnt marks from a “huge non-stick baking tray”. They said: “I’d appreciate any tips! I’ve tried blasting it with hot water and letting it soak, as well as trying a baking soda and vinegar combo, to no avail. Any tips and advice would be appreciated!”

One of the most popular recommendations was to simply ditch the white vinegar and use baking soda alone. Baking soda can be picked up at most supermarkets for around 65p, but many of us will already have some in our kitchens.

Cleaning fans urged the person to make a “loose paste” by mixing baking soda with water, and then spread it over the baking tray and leave it until it dries into a chalky mixture.

One person said: “Make a loose paste of baking soda and water and paint it on so it looks pretty chalky and leave it to dry. I just leave them in the sink overnight. Then, use a scrubby sponge. Just get it a little bit wet and use it to scrub off the staining.

“You want it wet enough to move the soda around without scratching but not so wet that it just rinses it all off. It seems to draw some of the staining out.”

The commenter went on to suggest that the person should practice this method occasionally when cleaning their trays, as it will help to lift “more stains each time you use it.”

Another person stated: “I put mine on the stove, fill the pan with a bit of water, baking soda, salt and dish soap and bring it to a boil. Let the water continue to boil off and add more water before it can all evaporate.

“I do this for about 30-40 minutes and take a plastic spatula or a silicone scrubber and scrub away; the million-year gunk just slides right off.”

How to clean baking trays with baking soda

1. Sprinkle baking soda generously across the surface of the baking tray.
2. Pour hot water over the baking soda, enough to cover the tray.
3. Add about ½ cup of vinegar to create a bubbling reaction.
4. Let the solution sit for 30 minutes to an hour (or longer for tougher stains).
5. Scrub with a sponge or scouring pad to remove any stubborn spots.
6. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly.

You can also use alternative cleaning solutions, such as lemon and salt. The salt is abrasive and allows you to scrub at the stains using half of a lemon, while the lemon juice helps to cut through grease.