With the warmer weather approaching, many people find themselves spending more and more time in their kitchens. Baking cookies is a favorite pastime for those who love to indulge their sweet tooth.
From classic chocolate chip to gingerbread snaps to sugar cookies, these sweet treats are often holiday favorites. However, what happens when you left them in the oven just a little too long? You simply must know how to clean a burnt cookie sheet.
Fortunately, I can help you to make your cookie sheets shine like new with just a few easy tips. Most people have all of the ingredients they need already in their homes for at least one of these methods. If you feel like your dirty baking sheets need to be refreshed, here are six effective tips to get off that scorched cookie dough.
Table of Contents
How to Clean a Burnt Cookie Sheet with Hydrogen Peroxide
The first thing that you will want to try to clean your burnt cookie sheet is the baking soda method. This requires very few ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. It is one of the least harsh ways to scrub away food residue and burnt food particles with minimal elbow grease.
All you need is:
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide (on Amazon)
- A rough sponge
Start by sprinkling the baking soda onto your cookie sheet. Follow it up by pouring a generous dose of hydrogen peroxide. If you feel that your cookie sheet needs some serious intervention, you may consider adding a little more baking soda to the sheet at this time.
While this may be the easiest way to learn how to clean a burnt baking sheet, it does take quite a while. Plan to allow this treatment to soak on the baking sheet for at least two to three hours. Keep checking on the pan during this time because the solution may react poorly to the metal or chemical coating of your particular baking sheet.
When the timer is up, simply wipe it away with your sponge. Most people find that scrubbing the sheet is no longer necessary at this point. If there are still stains on the metal, try applying a second application to get rid of those stubborn spots.
Cleaning Baking Sheets with Baking Soda Alone
Are you missing a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in your first aid kit? Don’t worry about it because you can also use these tips for how to clean a burnt baking sheet with just baking soda and water. Follow the same procedure as you did above with the hydrogen peroxide but with water instead.
Sprinkle an even layer of baking soda over the metal pan and then add a little bit of water to create a thick paste. Rub it into the pan, putting a little force into your effort. Let this mixture sit for thirty minutes or so before washing it clean.
You may have to repeat this process several times before all of the stains come out because it is not as effective without hydrogen peroxide. However, it is a great alternative if you are missing this key ingredient.
How to Clean a Burnt Cookie Sheet with Vinegar
Cleaning your baking sheet with vinegar is extremely similar to cleaning it with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Follow these simple steps to get a cleaner cookie sheet in just one hour:
- Prepare the mixture. In two separate bowls, measure out one part baking soda and one part distilled white vinegar. You will only need a small amount to clean one sheet so start with a ¼ cup of each ingredient.
- Pour the baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda so that it is evenly distributed all over the cookie sheet. Try to make it as even as possible, but don’t fret if it isn’t completely perfect.
- Pour the vinegar. Pour the ¼ cup of vinegar on top of the baking soda. The two ingredients are going to begin foaming and reacting to one another. This is what you want to happen because it means that they are also eating away at those stuck-on food particles.
- Set the entire mixture in the sink. Fill the sink up with the hottest water possible. Submerge the entire cookie sheet into the sink and let it soak for one hour. This is one of the benefits of this method over the hydrogen peroxide method. It takes considerably less time.
- Remove from the water and scrub. Drain the water out of the sink and scrub away any food particles that remain on the sheet. It should not require much effort at this point.
3. Scrubbing with Aluminum Foil
Cleaning your baking sheets with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide should be enough to loosen burnt food from the metal of your pans. Most of the time, you can simply wipe it away with a rough sponge or a dish rag. However, some people find that they need a little bit more grit to get rid of certain spots.
Instead of purchasing a special sponge, you can try to learn how to clean burnt cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Simply pull out a rather large piece from the roll and crumple it up. The texture and the harshness of the metal should be enough to get rid of those areas for good.
Alternatively, you can try simply washing your baking sheet with soap and water, and scrubbing with the aluminum instead of a sponge. This could be a great first step if you don’t have hydrogen peroxide or vinegar on hand.
4. How to Clean a Burnt Cookie Sheet with Ammonia
Many people argue that learning how to clean a burnt cookie sheet with ammonia is the most effective way. It is certainly true that ammonia is a powerful cleaner that can easily eat away at those tenacious food stains that come from burning a batch of sugar cookies. However, it must also be handled with extreme care and caution.
When you are working with ammonia, you must make sure that your safety comes first. You should be prepared to wear gloves and eyewear to protect sensitive skin from coming into contact with this harsh cleaner.
The fumes are also particularly powerful when it comes to using ammonia. Make sure that you do this in a well-ventilated area such as your backyard or in a room with an exhaust fan. Keep the bag that you plan to use and the bottle of ammonia out of the reach of children or pets. There can be serious health repercussions if this is ingested or inhaled too deeply.
Before you begin this method, think about where you can safely discard the ammonia when you are finished with it. It can be disposed of in the sink, but you must remember to flush the pipes with plenty of water afterward.
Using Ammonia to Clean Your Baking Sheets
Add all of your baking sheets into one large garbage bag. Most people prefer to do this in their yard because it can clutter up their kitchen. If you do not have any garbage bags that fit your trays, you may add the baking sheets to another durable plastic bag instead.
Pour approximately ½ to one cup of ammonia into the bag before sealing it shut. Allowing the bag to rest in the sunshine and the outdoor heat will help to move the process along more quickly. As a result, you may see better results if you perform this method outdoors instead of indoors. Either way, allow the ammonia fumes to work their magic for a full day.
After the day is over, open the bag and try to avoid breathing in too many of the fumes from the ammonia. Make sure you are wearing gloves as you pull the pans out of the bag. Discard the ammonia in a safe way as soon as possible.
Finally, you can scrub away the burnt food that prompted you to clean it in the first place. Much like the other methods mentioned here, you should not have to scrub hard to remove these unsightly blemishes. Wash them thoroughly with soap and water several times to make sure that you are removing all of the ammonia from the metal before their next use.
5. Cleaning your Baking Sheets with Cream of Tartar
There is one more simple way that you can effectively clean your baking sheets after burning a batch of cookies or other baked goods. Open up your spice cabinet and see if you have a jar of cream of tartar inside. This, mixed with washing soda, can be another simple way to clean sheet metal.
Sprinkle even amounts of washing soda and cream of tartar on the cookie sheet. Apply a few tablespoons of warm water. Mix the ingredients together until they form a thick paste, rubbing it gently onto the surface of the pan. It should be equally distributed by the time you are finished. If the consistency is making it too hard to spread, add a little bit more water.
Allow these two simple ingredients to rest for about fifteen to thirty minutes before washing. Wash them off with warm soap and water. You may have to repeat this process several times before you see the last of the burned sections fade away.
This is another good method that can be combined with scrubbing the pan with aluminum foil. It may just encourage those last lingering particles of food to come off the pan a bit more easily.
6. Replacing Your Cookie Sheets
If you find that none of these methods is sufficient to remove those baked-on stains, it might be time to consider replacing your cookie sheets. Look for high-quality metals that are treated with a nonstick surface.
This type of finish is a great option, particularly for new chefs or those who might be a bit distracted. You don’t have to worry about such constant stirring or turning the food over as often with non-stick cookware compared to other varieties. Food simply comes right off of the metal whenever you guide it with a serving spoon, flip it with a spatula, or clean it with a sponge.
Not to mention, many of the nonstick baking sheets available are made from inexpensive metals. This makes them both more convenient and more economical if you happen to be on a budget. Depending on your specific needs, you can often purchase these baking sheets in sets of two or three.
Wilton is a well-known manufacturer of cooking supplies for baked goods, specializing in cake decorating and baking sheets. A two-pack of their Perfect Results sheets made of steel come with a limited five-year warranty so you can trust that they will be kitchen essentials for years to come.
If your budget is a little bit lower, consider this set of three from Good Cook. They also come with a nonstick coating, but they are constructed from sheet metal instead of steel. They will be a little thinner and lighter than the variety offered by Wilton.
How to Clean Burnt Cookie Sheets
When it comes to keeping your kitchen clean, the quality and cleanliness of your baking sheets does matter. Unfortunately, all of us have burned a batch of cookies or a frozen meal on our cookie sheets at one time or another. These scorched meals can lead to unsightly stains that never leave the cookie sheets looking or feeling clean again.
This common experience means that many people have already tried and successfully learned how to clean burnt cookie sheets. The same tips and tricks apply to almost any type of metal baking pan you might have! With some of these handy methods, you can restore your baking sheets back to their former glory. Even when this isn’t quite possible, investing in a new set doesn’t have to break the bank. Give some of these DIY approaches to cleaning your baking sheets a try today!
FAQ
How do you get burn marks off a cookie sheet?
You can get burn marks off a cookie sheet using a number of different DIY methods. Many people like to use hydrogen peroxide, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, or cream of tartar as a first step toward cleaning their baking sheets.
How do you get burnt stuff off a pan?
Burnt food can be removed from a pan by allowing it to soak in baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and vinegar, or cream of tartar and washing soda. You may also seal it in a bag with ammonia for more severe stains.
How do you clean a scorched baking sheet?
Cleaning a scorched baking sheet can be easy. Try allowing it to soak in water and vinegar for thirty minutes to an hour and then scrubbing it with aluminum foil. Add a little baking soda for extra strength.
Last update on 2024-04-03 at 05:03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
