I Tried 6 Methods to Clean My Baking Sheets, and the Winner Is Nearly Perfect

Written by

L. Daniela Alvarez
L. Daniela Alvarez
Daniela is a freelance writer who covers lifestyle and culture. In her free time, she's either cuddling with her goldendoodle Chai, buying plants, or having a picnic. Daniela is a Chicana from Los Angeles living in San Diego.
published Dec 26, 2024
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Sheet pan before cleaning.
Credit: L. Daniela Alvarez

During the autumn and winter seasons, my husband and I use our oven weekly. Whether I’m baking my favorite cheddar chive biscuits or he’s roasting a cozy sheet pan dinner, our baking sheets are really put through the wringer. One in particular has been almost completely black for months despite washing it thoroughly after every use. Now that we are approaching the end of year, I figured this would be the perfect time to get it clean for our first hosted holiday dinner.

I tried five popular methods with hopes that the winning technique would be the answer to my blackened baking sheet. After hours of cleaning, my baking sheet looked practically the same as it did when I started. I decided to research some other ingredients and methods only to find that I had exhausted every ingredient I had. 

I decided to just look around my kitchen (and bathroom!) for anything that might work. To my surprise, I had a bottle of a magical solution under the sink that I had only used once before and was pleasantly surprised by its results. 

Credit: L. Daniela Alvarez

I must admit that by the time I sprinkled this AspenClean Super Scrub Powder onto my baking sheet, my hope was dwindling. While the combination of the previous five methods did get rid of a light layer of the burnt-on grease, there were still several black spots. I covered the entire sheet in the scrub powder and sprayed a couple sprays of a hydrogen peroxide-water-dish soap mixture to create a light paste. 

Credit: L. Daniela Alvarez

I let it sit for about half an hour and when I returned to scrub it, I was shocked to see a layer of brown liquid already lifting from the edges. Using a Scotch-Brite Stainless Steel Scrubbing Pad, I started scrubbing thoroughly. After two passes (scrubbing the sheet for a minute, rinsing, and adding more product), I noticed a significant improvement. After five passes, I couldn’t believe how much of the silvery hue was coming through — something I hadn’t seen since my husband first bought the baking sheet!

Credit: L. Daniela Alvarez

Although the result is not 100% perfect (the corners in particular were the most challenging to clean), I was definitely satisfied with both the powder’s cleaning power and the amount of elbow grease and time I had put in. I was happy to know that the scrub powder is made with natural ingredients, including lavender and tea tree essential oils that leave a pleasant but not overpowering scent; plus, it’s safe for all surfaces. 

Now that my baking sheet is almost as good as new, I can get back to baking and cooking without wondering what I’ll use to clean it.