Oven cleaning is something I have been putting off for quite some time. I am a work-from-home housemaker and have been using the oven quite often to cook and bake food.
While I love baking and using my oven, I am sometimes disgusted by how dirty the oven racks get.
They cannot be cleaned by the self-cleaning cycle and it looks impossible to scrub off the burnt charred gunk.
Not to mention the awful smell that sometimes gets inside my food as well.
I decided to find out if Mr clean magic eraser will work on the oven racks as it does a pretty good job on my stovetop.
Can You Use a Magic Eraser on Oven Racks?
Although you can use the magic eraser on the oven door and the oven walls, it does not do a good job on the burnt grease stains on the oven racks.
The official Mr. Clean Magic Eraser website states that the eraser is the best way to clean oven glass.
However, it does not mention anything about racks (which makes me believe even they won’t go as far as claiming that it works for racks).
So the bottom line – using a magic eraser to clean oven racks may clean it a little bit, but it’s not the ideal cleaning solution.
Allow me to give you easy alternative solutions to get your oven racks cleaned without involving a lot of work.
How To Clean Up Oven Racks?
Here are a few great ways that get the job done perfectly. Your oven racks will look just like new.
The best part is that you do not have to do any elbow greasing.
The Oven Cleaner Method
For this method, you would need a cling film and any good oven cleaner spray from your local store.
- Take out your oven racks and set them aside. Next, layout a cling film and spray it down with an oven cleaner.
- Place your rack over it and spray the oven cleaner again covering all the surfaces of your rack.
- Wrap your cling film all around the oven rack. The oven cleaner solution will work beautifully when enclosed. This is because it will be in direct contact with the rack surface without flowing away or drying up.
- Leave the racks to soak in the solution overnight or a minimum of four hours depending on how dirty they are.
- Change the rack position from time to time so the solution can reach all nooks and corners.
- Open up the cling film and use a soft sponge if necessary. The sponge will remove any leftover grime. Rinse your racks well and wipe them dry before placing them back into your oven. For clarity, watch the video below.
The Hot Bathtub Method
This method requires a bathtub, some hot water, and a detergent powder/liquid
- Spread two or three bathing towels in your bathtub. It will protect your tub surface from undue scratches
- Now place your oven racks on the towels. Throw some detergent powder or dishwashing powder over it.
- Plug your bathtub drain and fill the tub with hot water until the water is three inches above the rack.
- Next, wear gloves and add some more detergent powder or liquid to the hot water.
- Leave the racks to soak up overnight or five to six hours.
- Take a soft scrub and dip it in a soapy water solution. Lightly scrub away all the grime.
- Finally, remove the drain plug from your bathtub. Rinse your oven racks and allow them to dry naturally. Place them back inside your oven.
Cleaning Oven Racks with Ammonia
For this method, you need a trash bag that is big enough to hold your entire oven rack.
- Slide your oven rack inside. Take some paper towels dipped in ammonia and place them over the dirtiest parts.
- Next, add two to three cups of ammonia to the trash bag. Ammonia has a pungent odor and can be irritating. Cover up your face and eyes with Goggles when you pour it down.
- Tie up the bag and tuck the tie under so that no fumes or ammonia leaks out.
- Keep your oven racks inside the bag and solution overnight or for eight hours.
- Wear gloves and open up your trash bag. It is best to open up outdoors as the smell of ammonia can be irritating. Carefully remove the oven racks and try not to spill the liquid.
- Use a soft sponge or steel wool to wipe away all the dirt. The gunk will come off like butter.
The Baking Soda and Vinegar Method
I recommend this method for lightly soiled racks.
This is because it is a completely natural method involving dry baking soda and white vinegar.
- Take your racks to your bathtub and place them down. Take white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it down all over the rack.
- Next, sprinkle dry baking soda all over your rack surface. You will notice the mix starting to foam. Baking soda reacts with the vinegar and becomes a powerful cleaner. You might even hear it sizzling.
- Once the foaming stops, plug your bathtub drain and fill it with hot water until the water is three inches above the rack.
- Let it soak for an hour or two. You can also leave it overnight.
- Take a soft sponge or a microfiber cloth and wipe away the grime. Towel dry and place them back inside the oven.
Cleaning the Oven Racks with Dryer Sheets
The dryer sheets are a great way to clean your oven racks.
Dryer Sheets have anti-static agents that weaken the bond between the rack and the food. The softening agents soften the baked gunk.
However, don’t try this method if your racks are rusted. The rust will transfer to your bathtub.
- Take some dryer sheets and place them over your bathtub. Fill the bathtub up with hot water until the racks are submerged.
- Add dishwashing soap or detergent for extra power. Let it soak overnight.
- Use dryer sheets to scrub away the gunk.
Cleaning the Oven Racks with ‘Easy off’ Kitchen Degreaser
Easy off is a popular kitchen degreaser that can be used to clean your oven racks. It is an easy way to get the job done effectively.
- Place the oven racks on the bathtub or in the sink or take it outside and spray it down with the ‘Easy off’ kitchen degreaser.
- Leave for half an hour or two hours depending on the time you have. You can also opt for spot cleaning if your oven rack is not very dirty
- Next, take some warm soapy solution and dip your scouring pad in it. Scrub your oven rack with it. Rinse and wipe down with a cloth
- Allow the racks to air dry before placing them back in the oven.
Cleaning the Oven Racks with Aluminum Foil
You can try this method if you have a lot of aluminum foil that is large enough to cover your oven racks, hot soapy water, and a bathtub
- Pull out your oven racks. Wrap each one in aluminum foil.
- Next, place them in the bathtub and put a drain plug. Run hot water and put some pieces of dishwasher tablet in them.
- Make sure the water level completely submerges your oven racks.
- You can keep them overnight or for a minimum of two hours.
- Remove the foil and wipe down your racks with a soft sponge. Towel dry and place them back inside the rack.
If you have already bought the Magic eraser, allow me to show you how you can use it to clean your oven door.
How to Use Magic Eraser to Clean Your Oven Door?
Magic erasers work wonderfully well for cleaning oven doors.
Follow the technique below for a quick cleanup of your oven door.
- Take a wet cloth or a wet paper towel to remove loose crumbs from your oven door.
- wet the magic eraser sponge. Water activates the micro scrubbers inside the sponge. Squeeze away the sponge to remove the excess water.
- Now, gently wipe away the gunk with soft elbow swipes. You do not have to put any effort into elbow greasing. The grease will release itself easily.
- Wipe with a wet paper towel followed by a dry wipe. For a visual demonstration, watch the video below.
Conclusion
Mr. Clean Magic erasers are great for cleaning your oven door. However, it will not be able to remove the burnt gunk from your oven racks.
There are many methods that you can choose to clean your oven racks effectively without a lot of elbow greasing.
The most popular cleaning method that does not involve harsh chemicals is soaking it up in a hot soapy solution overnight.
There are many options in this method. You can use dryer sheets underneath, aluminum foil, vinegar and baking soda, dishwashing tablets, or plain detergent.
It is a good idea to use towels for your bathtub to prevent any scratches from the oven racks.
Wear gloves to protect your hands while mixing the detergent or soap in hot water.
For more aggressive cleaning, try cleaning your racks with ammonia, oven cleaner, or Easy off kitchen degreaser.
I hope this article was helpful to you. Don’t forget to watch the video links for visual clarity.
Let me know which method worked to clean your oven racks easily. Happy cleaning!
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