Say Goodbye To Burnt Baking Sheets: 10 Easy Hacks To Bring Them Back To Life

A burnt baking sheet is a sad sight to behold; its charred edges and pockmarked surface are a shadow of its once gleaming and smooth self, and you likely find yourself dreading both cleaning and using the sheet. While it can be frustrating to face your messy baking sheet, there are a number of simple ways to revive your baking sheets with items you already have — this will keep your sheets out of the trash can and help you hang onto money you would otherwise spend replacing them.

If you haven't always been the best about utilizing parchment paper, aluminum foil, or other barriers between your food and baking sheet, you might just be appalled at the condition of yours. Fortunately, whether you're aware of it or not, there are all sorts of affordable cleaning hacks that will completely revitalize your old baking sheets. Some require more effort, like scrubbing with steel wool, while others utilize unexpected ingredients, but all of them can get you one step closer to a baking sheet that you are proud to call your own.

If your baking sheets are looking particularly rough, and the burn marks have not been responsive to gentler cleaning methods, some oven cleaner can go a long way. You'll need to begin by ensuring that you're working in a well-ventilated space (like the garage or a kitchen with open windows). Once covered in spray, leave the pan for 20 minutes before scrubbing it with an abrasive pad and some warm water. You should see the burned bits coming off.

This method is super low in terms of effort but will require a bit of patience. Begin by sprinkling baking soda over the pan and then dousing it all in hydrogen peroxide, or you can make a paste with the two ingredients and spread it onto the pan. You'll have to leave the pan for at least 8 hours before the next step, which is to scrape off the now-dried paste before washing the entire pan with soapy water.

If you're looking for an easy and unconventional way to clean your baking sheets, a bottle of ketchup could be just the thing. Since it contains acidic ingredients, this pantry staple can work to break down messes that have built up over time. The key is to give it some time to work — ideally at least 30 minutes, but maybe closer to an hour. Once you've waited for the ketchup to work away at the burnt-on bits, it's time to wash it with a soapy scrubber and warm water.

Dryer sheets are good for more than just keeping your clothes soft and fluffy; they can also help to lift burned-on debris from your baking sheets. Begin with a couple of dryer sheets placed on your baking sheet, then squirt some dish soap into the sheet, and fill with warm water. The final step is to leave the pan for a few hours. When you remove the dryer sheets and hand-wash the pan, you should find that the mess lifts with less effort.

There are a multitude of clever ways to use baking soda for a cleaner kitchen, including getting your baking sheets sparkling again. If you're of the more natural persuasion when it comes to cleaning, try pairing baking soda and lemon juice. Similar to the popular baking soda and vinegar approach, utilizing acidic lemons to work away at heavily soiled baking sheets is an effective cleaning tactic. You can sprinkle baking soda on the sheet, then use a halved lemon as your scrubbing tool. 

If you're struggling to get your burnt baking sheets to show significant sign of recovery, it might be time to bring in a more abrasive cleaning tool, like steel wool. This tool is made from fine strands of steel, which is where it gets its name, but it's anything but fuzzy and gentle. Instead, steel wool packs a powerful punch for anyone who needs to make a dent in a stubborn mess. 

Bar Keeper's Friend is one of the best out-in-the-open secrets of the cleaning world. Thanks to its abrasive nature and gentle ingredients, you can use it to clean a burnt baking sheet without any worries. First, you'll want to add some of the cleaning powder to the sheet, then begin to work it into the baking sheet. You should quickly see that it is removing the defects when you rinse it off, but if your baking sheet is a little extra tricky, you can let it sit for a minute or two before rinsing it off. 

For a basic but reliable cleaning method for your burnt baking sheet, a good option is baking soda and vinegar. Mix the two to make a thick paste, then evenly spread it over the surface of the baking sheet. For an added punch of effectiveness, you'll want to put the whole sheet into a plastic bag to keep the paste from drying out too quickly. Once the paste has dried, you can hit it with an abrasive scrubber and some elbow grease. When all is said and done, your sheet should be looking much better.

Dawn Powerwash has been touted as a more powerful cleaning agent than your regular old dish soap, so why not give it a spin against your burnt baking sheets? In order to try this method, you'll need to spray your baking sheet thoroughly with the product, then leave it for several minutes. The charm of this hack is that you can just wipe the cleaner off when you're done instead of having to hit it with a scrubbing session. Rinse the residue off and you're all done.

Sometimes the old-fashioned way is best. If you're tired of aggressively scrubbing your baking sheets and hoping for the grime to come loose, you might want to just throw in the towel to some extent. Baking sheets aren't always meant to be perfectly sparkling clean, so sometimes a built-up later of oils on the sheet can actually make them perform better. Instead of trying heavy-hitting cleaners, you can simply soak your sheet in warm and soapy water, then scrub with the abrasive side of a sponge to lift any loose debris.