How to clean oven racks the easy way

Feel like there’s no easy way to clean your oven racks? Think again!

YouTube user, Melissa Maker of Clean My Space, has wowed the internet with her oven rack cleaning hack that uses just a cup of laundry detergent (you can use liquid or powdered detergent - even Napisan or a dishwashing tablet will do!), a bathtub, an old towel and water.

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Traditionally, cleaning oven racks would require the use of either powerful degreasers and caustic sodas or products like Gumption paired with a tonnes of elbow grease, or expensive steam cleaning equipment!

But with this trick, your oven racks will look shiny and new and you won’t have to fork out a cent, as the equipment required is probably already sitting in your laundry cupboard.

Gather your supplies

Old towel
Soft sponge or cleaning toothbrush
Cup of laundry detergent, powdered or liquid, doesn’t matter (alternatively, you can use a dishwashing tablet, a cup of Napisan, or a cup of regular dishwashing liquid)
A bathtub or bucket enough to fit an oven rack

What to do

Step 1

Lay the old towel in the bottom of the bathtub. This will prevent the oven racks scratching the tub. Place the oven racks on top of the towel.

Step 2

Put the plug in the drain and fill the bath with water, gradually adding the laundry detergent as the bath fills. You can use either hot or cold water here, but Melissa recommends opting for hot water as this will help loosen up any grease while the laundry detergent gets to work. Fill the tub just enough that the racks are fully submerged in the water.

Step 3

Leave the oven racks to soak overnight or for 6-10 hours.

Step 4

Once the racks have finished soaking, use a soft sponge to gently lift any remaining caked on grease. It should lift away easily without scrubbing.

Step 5

Use a toothbrush to scrub any hard-to-reach places. Rinse the oven racks thoroughly in cold water and dry before placing back into the oven.

SAFETY TIP: This cleaning method may leave the bottom of your tub covered in a film of slippery grease. Be sure to wash your bathtub thoroughly when you’re done!