How to Clean Oven Racks With Ammonia

Food can drip onto your oven rack when baking and leave a mess. This leaves unsightly grime that can occasionally become a fire hazard, so you should clean your oven racks regularly. This can be achieved easily and inexpensively using ammonia. Ammonia is also more mild and safer to have around the house. It does not create the harsh fumes that traditional oven cleaners do, making it a more natural alternative.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Place a pan filled with about a cup of ammonia in the oven. Allow to sit overnight. The caustic fumes of the ammonia will loosen the grime on the rack. (This will also work for the other surfaces in your oven, so you can clean those at the same time.) Wipe racks clean with a damp cloth, rinsing cloth out frequently.

2. Put the racks into a large garbage bag and pour some ammonia in the bag. Tie the bag and set it outside or in a garage. The next morning untie the bags (outside) and wipe with a damp cloth. Consider this option if you do not have a well-ventilated kitchen and you do not want to put the ammonia in your oven, where it releases fumes.

3. Soak your racks in a bathtub containing a couple inches of water and a cup of ammonia. Make sure they sit in the solution at least one hour, but overnight is better. When they are finished soaking, wipe them down with a damp cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the area you are working in is well-ventilated, because the fumes from the ammonia can be caustic.