This scenario will be familiar to many: take out an oven tray and discover that the once sparkling tray is now discoloured, dull, and not what you fancy using for cooking. Luckily, there are some easy ways to return your tray to its clean, sparkling form.

What sort of tray are you cleaning?

Make sure you know whether you are dealing with a tray with a non-stick coating, as this will affect how best to clean it. Not all food needs to be cooked on an oven tray, as some will come packaged in ovenable trays from companies such as https://www.southerncrosspackaging. This enables you to save your own trays for when they are needed.

Non-stick tray

A non-stick tray needs to be cleaned as soon as possible after use. It is a good idea to leave it to soak in water while you eat for easy cleaning after the meal. Soaking the tray for at least 30 minutes in very hot or preferably boiling water will make the cleaning easy. After washing it, make sure the tray is thoroughly dry.

If the tray is very greasy, it is a good idea to wipe the tray with a paper towel before washing to prevent grease or oil from clogging your drains. To protect the non-stick coating, do not use metal scourers or the dishwasher to clean the trays.

Trays without a non-stick coating

Trays without a non-stick coating can be more robust and you can use a more abrasive cleaning method. A scourer is a good idea; alternatively, you can try the 2p hack. This involved rubbing a copper coin across the surface of the tray using a circular motion, then rinsing as normal to see the grime lift away. You can also use a slightly abrasive cleaner.

The alkaline base of baking soda makes it an excellent cleaner. If you have dried-on food, add baking soda before soaking. Another product you can use is biological washing powder. The powder’s enzymes will neutralise fatty oils and grease, allowing them to lift away before soaking.