Goodbye Stained Baking Sheets: Make Them Like New With A 2-Ingredient Paste

You've been there — scrubbing your favorite baking sheet until your elbows hurt, trying to get the baked-on grease stains loose. Unfortunately, brute force usually won't do the trick when it comes to set-in cookie sheet stains, but that doesn't mean that all hope is lost. Using a few products you likely already have in your home — namely, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda (our favorite kitchen multi-hyphenate) — can help you restore your baking sheets to their original beauty. 

But first — why exactly is it so hard to clean baking sheets in the first place? After all, you likely don't use them every day, and you thoroughly clean them every time you whip up lemon shortbread cookies or other favorite recipes. It turns out that detergents can degrade nonstick surfaces, making cookie sheets harder to clean each time you wash them (aluminum pans tend to hold up better over time). High baking temperatures, sugary foods, and caramelized oils can all contribute to a super-tough-to-clean baking surface.

To get started, you'll need to wash and dry your cookie sheet thoroughly. Then, mix a few ounces of baking soda with a few tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, creating a thick paste (it should be similar to toothpaste). Spread the paste across the entire surface of your baking sheet, and let it sit for about half an hour. Use a scouring pad to scrub the pan and remove stains, then rinse with warm water.

If you don't have hydrogen peroxide on hand, no worries — you can also try a version of this trick with vinegar to remove tough stains. Just like with the peroxide method, you'll start by washing and drying the baking sheet you're going to clean. Then, sprinkle a decent amount of baking soda (half a cup or so) over the surface of your cookie sheet. Spray white vinegar onto the surface — it'll bubble, but don't be alarmed. Allow it to sit for about half an hour, then go to down with a scour pad to remove any baked-on stains.

Once you've restored your cookie sheets to their clean, original look, it's important to take steps to keep them clean and fresh for years to come. Each time you use your baking sheets, it's important to let them fully cool down before you clean them, as cleaning while hot can result in damage. If food or grease refuses to come loose, let the cookie sheet soak with some soapy water for about half an hour, then try again. You can also consider lining your cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper (once you understand all the ways you can use parchment paper in your kitchen, you'll always keep it on hand) to make the cleaning process easier.