How to clean oven trays: easy, effective tips from Mumsnetters

Whether you’ve been preparing quick and easy midweek meals or baking cookies with the kids, those once pristine baking trays can very quickly become discoloured, greasy and grimy, making them look unsightly and dirty despite your repeated attempts at washing up. 

Knowing how to clean oven trays can actually be a bit of a minefield. The methods you should use to clean them will depend on what they are made from. Whilst hard-wearing enamel trays can withstand some significant scrubbing, oven trays with a non-stick coating can be easily damaged by abrasive scouring and should be cleared more carefully if you wish to prolong their lifespan.

When it comes to cleaning hacks, Mumsnet users certainly know their stuff, regularly sharing tips on sprucing up everything from frying pans and woks, to chopping boards and saucepans. To bring you the top tips on the best ways to clean your oven trays, we scoured our forums for tried-and-tested methods, researching Mumsnetters' views on the most effective ways to get your dirty oven trays clear of grease, dirt and grime.

Whether your trays are made from enamel, aluminium or carbon steel with a non-stick coating, here's how get them looking new in no time.

How do I clean non-stick oven trays? 

If you’ve taken the plunge and purchased some high-quality non-stick oven trays, it’s essential you look after them in order to protect your investment. Whilst cleaning non-stick trays, extra caution is needed to avoid damaging the coating, as scrubbing or cleaning with harsh chemicals can actually render the non-stick feature completely useless.

1. Clean non-stick trays immediately after use

We’ve all been there. After a busy day and rushed dinner prep, it can be all too tempting to pop your baking trays back in the oven or on the hob to clean later. Doing so, however, can actually make them far harder to clean. Soak your oven trays in hot soapy water whilst you tuck into your dinner and they’ll be far easier to clean and rinse when it's time to clear up. 

2. Avoid the dishwasher 

Even when a baking tray is dishwasher safe, using the dishwasher regularly to clean your trays can reduce the lifespan of the non-stick coating. The high water pressure inside your dishwasher also risks water getting trapped in any lips, ridges or handles on the edges of your baking trays, which can cause them to discolour or even rust. With non-stick trays, you’re better to err on the side of caution and wash them by hand wherever possible. 

What Mumsnet users say

“The non-stick on our last set of pans and trays didn't last very long when I used to put them in the dishwasher so I hand wash.” - Comefromaway

3. Remove grease and food residue before washing

Before washing your baking trays, use a paper towel or kitchen roll to wipe away any fat, grease or food residue whilst it's still warm. Not only can this make your trays easier to clean, but can prevent your sink drain from getting clogged up with oils and fats, especially after cooking foods such as sausages or meat. 

Related: Discover the best knife sharpener according to Mumsnetters

4. Don't use a metal scourer or abrasive cleaning products

Using harsh chemicals on non-stick trays or scrubbing with metal scourers can penetrate through the surface of your non-stick coating and cause it to fail. Instead, you should opt for mild washing up liquid and soft dish sponges that can remove dirt and dried-on food without damaging the coating.

What Mumsnet users say

“To NOT ruin your surfaces, I learnt to use a nylon scrub cloth, not steel wool. Steel wool will damage the surface.” - ItsalmostSummer

5. Use boiling water

To make the cleaning most effective, clean your trays in very hot (ideally boiling) soapy water and leave them to soak for at least 30 minutes to lift any more stubborn residue. Avoid soaking overnight as this can cause your trays to warp. You’ll know that it’s working when you start to see grease floating on the surface of the water. Gross but true. 

6. Ensure you dry it thoroughly

After cleaning, you should thoroughly pat dry your baking tray with a paper towel to mop up any leftover water or grease, and make sure it is totally dry before you pop it back in your cupboards alongside your kitchen scales and cake tins.

How to clean oven trays without a non-stick coating

1. Use a scourer (or a 2p coin)

For more robust baking trays, scrubbing with a scourer can help remove a build-up of dirt and grime on your trays. If you haven’t got one to hand, Mumsnet users also love the viral ‘2p coin hack’; simply rub a copper coin in a circular motion across the surface of the tray before rinsing as normal to watch grime lift like magic. This method also works well for removing limescale from your bathroom taps.

2. Try baking soda

Thanks to its alkaline base, baking soda has excellent cleaning properties, helping dissolve and wash away grease and grime from the surface of your baking tray.  Mumsnet users found that adding baking soda before soaking can help lift even the most stubborn of dried-on food. 

What Mumsnet users say

“Bicarbonate of soda. Make a paste, scrub it over and leave it overnight. Should soften the concrete.” - Sgtmajormummy

3. Stock up on Pink Stuff cleaner

A Mrs Hinch favourite, Pink Stuff cleaner claims to be suitable for use on almost any surface, and baking trays are no exception. Mildly abrasive (so not suitable for non-stick trays), this non-toxic pink paste can take a lot of the strain when scrubbing trays clean. It’s also a great budget-friendly option too, with prices starting at around £1.  

What Mumsnet users say

“The Pink Stuff works for me. Can use it on loads of things as well. I got it for a quid in B&M the other day after hunting high and low when the last pot ran out.” - Brand recommended by MargotLovedTom1

“As an owner of arthritic joints, [I’d suggest] Pink Stuff and a Sonic Scrubber with the 'hard' head on - it does the work for you.” - Brand recommended by mineofuselessinformation

4. Use Astonish Paste for cookware

Claiming to shift grease and burnt-on stains from ‘just about everything’, Astonish Paste is a popular choice amongst Mumsnet users, particularly for restoring that squeaky clean shine you had when your pans were new. It contains no harsh chemicals either, so you can leave the gloves behind. 

What Mumsnet users say

“If you want the shiny look, Astonish Paste. Probably you can make your own using bicarb or similar.” - Brand recommended by TheSpottedZebra 

“I use a damp scouring sponge, a bit of Astonish and it works really quickly - not too much elbow grease required.” - Brand recommended by ilovepowerhoop

5. Soak them with biological washing powder

Whilst you may use non-bio washing powder in your washing machine at home, bio washing powder can be incredibly effective at returning your baking trays to their former glory. Adding biological washing powder to hot water and leaving your trays to soak can allow the powder’s enzymes to neutralise and lift away fatty oils and grease, before you rinse it and clean in soapy water as usual. 

What Mumsnet users say

“I soak mine in biological washing powder dissolved in boiling water.” - treaclesoda

“I put the tray on the hob, fill halfway up with water, add some bio washing powder, bring to the boil and then scrub once cooled.” - VegetablEsoup 

6. Scrub with a dishwasher tablet

A less harsh cleaning option than using traditional chemical-based oven tray cleaners, scrubbing your tray directly with a damp dishwasher tablet before soaking can help speed up the cleaning process, lifting dirt from the surface and making soaking more efficient. 

What Mumsnet users say

“Have you tried the damp dishwasher tablet to scrub? It's a Mumsnet trick for glass oven doors and I've used it on my hob, should work on a baking tray.” - WhoisLucasHood

Read next: The best can openers, as tried and tested by Mumsnetters

Can I put oven trays in the dishwasher? 

Not all oven trays are suitable for washing in the dishwasher, so you should check the specifications of your trays carefully before you add them to the rest of your washing up.

A dishwasher can be the quickest and most effective way to restore shine and clean more stubborn marks on your baking trays and roasting tins thanks to the high water pressure and hot temperature settings. 

That said, you may want to avoid using the dishwasher after every use. For non-stick trays (even those that state they are dishwasher safe), extended use of a dishwasher can reduce the effectiveness of the non-stick coating and risk the tray warping during the cycle. Baking trays with rolled edges can also be prone to rusting if water gets trapped inside small crevices between the edges.

So, where possible, we'd advise hand washing over bunging your tray in the dishwasher alongside your cutlery, pots and plates.

What Mumsnet users say

“Baking trays get washed up by hand, as does the non-stick wok and frying pan.” - CatOnTheChair

How to keep your baking trays looking pristine for longer

Invest in a reusable liner

Placing a reusable silicone liner onto your baking tray before adding food is a great way to prevent a build-up of grease and grime on the surface. A more sustainable (and cheaper) option than foil, they can be hand washed or wiped clean with surface spray before popping them back in the cupboard for their next use.

What Mumsnet users say

“Magic oven liner. Supermarkets and Lakeland sell it. Cut to fit your oven trays. You can wipe clean when done or [give it a] quick wash in the sink, then put it back in the tray.” - Purplecircle

“Lakeland silicone baking sheets have changed my life. They last forever and look good all the time, and just need a light greasing each use.” - Weatherwax

Use parchment/baking paper

For cooking particularly greasy foods or starchy vegetables and potatoes, lining your baking tray with baking paper can help soak up some of the fat, preventing it from making contact with the surface of the tray. 

Consider Pyrex

Some Mumsnet users have recently made the switch to Pyrex baking trays. Despite being heavier and taking a little while to preheat, many Mumsnetters say they would never look back thanks to the convenience and ease of cleaning. Pyrex trays are also surprisingly durable, are less prone to scratching from your spatulas, and don’t retain odours as easily as metal trays and pans.

What Mumsnet users say

“Have moved over to Pyrex glass ones, bloody marvellous.” - ScampiLady

“I have Pyrex everything (including baking trays). Glass is great because, unlike some other materials, it doesn't absorb stains or odours, or flake off into your food. Pyrex glass is pretty tough as long as you avoid thermal shock (e.g putting a hot baking tray straight into cold water), and it comes up like new in the dishwasher.” -MissVantaBlack

Opt for enamel

Non-stick baking trays are fantastic when they work, but despite many having long guarantees, they still need to be looked after with care to prolong their effectiveness. For a more hard-wearing and long-term option, enamel trays can withstand more in terms of scrubbing and cleaning, meaning you can really put some welly in to freshen them up after each use. 

What Mumsnet users say

“Non-stick trays are rubbish. Buy enamel trays, they last for years.” - Roselilly36

“Buy an enamel baking tray, it will last forever. It's a bit 'old fashioned' and it existed long before all this non-stick rubbish! Obviously you'll need to use oil/grease but it's so worth it.” - Blablasheep

Read next: The best cast iron skillets and pans