While searching the internet for a quicker way to clean my oven racks, I found an article suggesting the use of dryer sheets. I’m sure I am not alone when I say that cleaning the oven is one of my least favourite tasks. I’m always interested in quicker cleaning techniques, so I decided to put it to the test, here’s the results.
Using dryer sheets to clean the oven racks.
I’ve read many cleaning hacks before that claim to make cleaning the oven much easier, though I’ve never been interested in trying any of them. Mostly they involved mixing a concoction of different household products which just seemed like more work to me. Cleaning the oven is usually a toxic and messy task, and I find myself putting off doing it.
But this one sounded so darn easy, that I had to give it a go. To start with though I had to find out what the heck dryer sheets were! Yes, I will admit this invention had slipped by me and I had to turn to trusty Google to discover what they were. As I found out they reduce static in your clothes and add fabric softener whilst your items are drying in the dryer. Clever!
But that’s not all, apparently, there are many uses for these nifty little sheets from, removing cat hair, cleaning your car, freshening your bin, and yes, cleaning the oven racks.
So, I thought let’s test this hack out and see if using dryer sheets to clean the oven racks works, or is even worth doing. Below is a quick outline of the method I used. If you are keen you can try it for yourself.
You will need:
- A bathtub or something of similar size to hold water that is large enough to fit your oven racks.
- An old bath towel. To prevent scratching the tub.
- A box of dryer sheets. The polyester sheet type, found in the laundry section of the supermarket.
- A scourer for cleaning.
- Hot water.
Cleaning the oven racks – The method I used
First….
Place a towel at the bottom of the bathtub to reduce the risk of scratches from the racks.
Second….
I then placed 3 dryer sheets on top of the towel.
Third….
The oven racks sat on top of the dryer sheets and I filled the bath with hot water to cover the racks.
Forth….
Furthermore, I placed another 3 dryer sheets on top of the racks and left it to soak.
How to clean the oven racks
After 6 hours I checked to see how they were progressing. I used the dryer sheets to wipe small areas of the racks and test how much residue was coming off.
I added some more hot water and decided to leave the racks overnight. Exercise caution when leaving the racks soaking for an extended amount of time in case of rust forming on the metal.
Give the racks a scrub with the dryer sheets or a scourer. I also used a toothbrush to get into all the joins. Then rinse in clean water and you’re all done.
One of my concerns with this method was creating more mess by leaving a greasy film in the tub and then having to scrub the bath clean. My thought was, am I just creating more cleaning for myself? Thankfully, a quick wipe of the tub with an all-purpose cleaner was all that was needed.
What about cleaning the rest of the oven?
While I was trying out this new method for the racks I decided to give another cleaning hack a try. The one I chose suggested mixing 1/2 cup of baking soda with white vinegar to create a paste. Not too hard.
I spread the paste on the door and oven interior. I left this for a total of 7 hours before cleaning it off, as by this stage I needed my oven.
This method did a fairly good job. But my oven wasn’t overly dirty, so I expected a slightly better clean. Probably leaving it overnight might yield better results. If your oven is extremely dirty, I’m not confident this method would produce the desired result.
On the plus side, I didn’t have to deal with all the fumes of commercial cleaners.
Handy Hint: Keeping your oven clean
I have been using this method to reduce the need for cleaning my oven racks as often for many years. I cover all the oven racks with aluminum foil. This protects the racks from grease and spills greatly reducing the amount of grease build-up and ultimately how much cleaning is required.
The foil lasts for up to 6 months, depending on how many spills you have and how torn the foil becomes.
I also cover any cooking trays that have holes in them with baking paper to prevent the oils from food dripping onto the oven racks.
I find using both these methods greatly reduces how often and how long it takes me to clean the oven. A few simple ideas to reduce the amount of cleaning required are worth it in my book.
What’s the verdict?
Well, personally I won’t be using this method again. For me, it took too long and the end result was ok but not worth the amount of time required.
It also meant I had to clean the bathtub afterwards as well as wash the towels I used to line the tub to prevent possible scratches from the racks. That just added more work on top of cleaning the oven which I didn’t want.
On the positive side, there were no nasty fumes involved. So if you don’t mind the extra time and cleaning up afterward in order to avoid the fumes, then give this method a try and see for yourself.
If you’re ready to tackle organising the kitchen next, read these articles for helpful tips and ideas to organise your kitchen pantry and the best way to organise kitchen drawers and cabinets.
