5 Kitchen Tip: Cleaning Oven Racks

When I have a new appliance, I like to keep it looking as new as I can.  Our smoker has only been used a couple of times and I wanted to keep the racks looking clean.

I think the method I used did a great job on these racks!

This is the crusty, stuck on black gunk, enameled smoker drip pan.

I folded two sheets of paper towel and poured about 1 cup of straight ammonia into the pan.

I decided to put my oven racks, along with the newer smoker racks, into a large garbage sack.

Put the ammonia filled pan on top of the dirty racks...

and tied it shut with a rubber band.


Left the bag OUTSIDE overnight.  The ammonia fumes should do their magic...


Then it snowed.  I didn't get to them for 2 days.

The enameled pan came wiped out easily and ended up looking very clean!



I think I will cover this with aluminum foil for next time.

I wiped the smoker racks with a damp cloth and they came out shiny and new!  You can see on the top how black they used to be ~

Here'e my oven rack, before it got the ammonia treatment...



I have to admit, it's been over 5 years since I cleaned them...

Here it is, after.

Not shiny and new, but a little cleaner...

I have a self cleaning oven, which recommends NOT to leave them in during the cleaning cycle.  The self cleaning cycle will strip the chrome off, leaving the racks dull and lifeless.  Not a big deal, but it will be more difficult to slide the racks into your oven.


I need one more trick to see if I can get my oven racks clean.  Cleaner.....

Do you have any brilliant ideas?