How To Clean Your Cooling Racks So They Look Brand New Again

It's time to deep-clean your kitchen. There are a few essential tools that may get a lot of use but don't necessarily receive a lot of love. If you can't remember the last time you gave your cooling racks a thorough deep clean, then consider this your sign to take a few minutes out of your day to show them some TLC. If you're an avid chef or baker, your cooling racks may be in more need than most. From stuck-on crumbs of cake and brownies to leftover grease from an oven roasting session, these kitchen tools can get pretty grimy. 

Most cooling racks are made of materials like stainless steel or plated chrome and can easily be cleaned with a combination of hot water and soap. If you see some stuck-on pieces, you can tackle these with a sponge or a wire brush. However, if you have a particularly dirty cooling rack, you may need to up the ante with a long soak. Find a baking sheet that can fit your cooling rack inside, and fill it with soap and warm water. Place the rack inside and submerge it under the water. You can soak this for 30 minutes before taking it out. The debris should come right off. 

If you're dealing with burnt-on food, mix baking soda and water together to create a paste, which you can add to the affected areas. Allow this mixture to sit anywhere from one to two hours before wiping off. You can also add 3 tablespoons of Castile soap and a few drops of essential oils to the mixture to banish burnt residue.

While cooling racks are easy tools to clean, there are a few things you want to avoid when giving them a wash. As tempting as it may be, do not place these in the dishwasher. Some cooling rack materials may not react well to the intense heat of the dishwasher, and this can cause rusting. We know it can be difficult to clean large dishes, especially if you have a small sink, but it's always best to hand-wash these items. 

While you can soak the racks, you want to make sure you don't leave them in the soap and water mixture for too long in order to avoid harming the metal coating. Speaking of, don't use the abrasive side of your trusty kitchen sponge or steel wool on these items. Grab the soft side of your sponge and wipe down the rack, ideally in the direction of the grates, which should help remove any residual crumbs or stains. Finally, make sure you rinse every drop of soap off your cooling racks and allow them to fully dry before storing them back in your cabinets. This will help prevent rust.

To keep your cooling racks from gathering so much food build-up, you may want to try adding a thin coat of oil before adding food. The longer you allow crumbs and stains to live on the racks, the longer it will take you to get them off. This means you should be vigilant about cleaning them right after you use them, instead of leaving them in the sink.