It would be best if you did not discard your oven because its racks are rusted. You can easily remove the rust instead of spending more money on purchasing a new one.
When you expose your oven to liquids and higher heat, it is easy for its racks to rust and corrodes.
It is advisable to clean your oven immediately if there is a spill to prevent this issue from happening. However, you can remove built-up rust using various natural household ingredients.
Every time you cook using your oven, leave it open for about five minutes or so to get rid of the steam that food produces during the cooking process because it eventually condenses to water, accelerating the rusting process.
In most cases, when the oven racks rust, you may start thinking of buying a new oven because you do not know if you can get the rust off them and continue using your oven.
It is easy to remove all the rust from your oven. You only need a sponge, dish soap, warm water, salt, vinegar, and a trash bag.
First, you must rub off the rust from the oven racks using a sponge dipped in warm water mixed with dish soap. Then you clean the remaining rust using a salt and vinegar mixture, following the 6 steps in the article.
Always clean your oven racks immediately if any spill occurs to prevent rust from forming on your oven racks, but in case it happens, don’t worry because the provided guideline will help you get off all the rust.
6 Steps of Removing Rust off Oven Racks
- Allow the racks to cool before getting them off the oven. You can cover the surface with a towel and place rusted racks on its top.
- Put water in a bowl, add a few drops of dish soap, and stir to mix. Use a nonabrasive scouring pad to rub over the racks after dipping the pad in soapy water. Rub the racks in a circular motion to remove the rust. You can use a brass-bristled brush to remove stubborn rust.
- Make a vinegar solution to remove the remaining rust from the racks. Mix 2 tablespoons of salt and 4 cups of distilled vinegar in a big trash bag and tie the top to close it to avoid spillage. Swirl the bag to mix the salt and vinegar.
- Put the oven racks inside the trash bag, and close it. Use your hands to manipulate the bag to let the vinegar solution gets over the racks.
- Let the racks remain the salt and vinegar mixture for a day. You can place the trash bag in the sunlight because its heat accelerates rust removal.
- Remove the racks from the salt and vinegar mixture in the trash bag using a sponge or rag. You can use salt as a gentle abrasive. Use warm water to rinse the rust-free racks and leave them to dry properly before returning them to the oven.
How Cleaning Oven Racks Prevents Them From Rust
Oven racks are not rust-proof. Therefore you must take care of them. You use oven racks often and should clean them regularly to remain clean and dry to prevent corrosion.
If you leave it for a long time without using it, ensure it is professionally clean with its door open or covered with a moisture-absorbent material to avoid water drops from accumulating on your oven racks and ending up rusting.
How To Prevent Your Oven Racks From Rust
Always open your oven door for at least five minutes after using it. When you use it for cooking, the food releases steam, and when you turn it off, it starts cooling down, and the steam condenses, forming water.
If you leave your oven used after cooking for a long period, it becomes prone to rusting. Cleaning your oven racks and the entire appliance helps prevent it from holding moisture in dirty areas.
You can place moisture-absorbent material in the oven dish to prevent it from attracting moisture.
Some oven racks get damaged due to heat from pyrolytic self-cleaning. Therefore, you need to read through the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Do not use acidic cleaning products. Also, you can look for a professional oven cleaning company to help you avoid all mistakes that can damage your oven racks.
Conclusion
Just like any other appliance, oven racks get rust over time. The more oven gets heated, the faster the rusting process.
Rust occurs when there is a chemical reaction between steel and iron surfaces, especially when damp or heated.
You can easily remove rust from your oven racks using different methods. Anyone can do the task and make the inside of the oven look new again.
However, leaving your oven door open after cooking is essential to prevent the steam produced from condensing to water which causes oven racks.
Every time you use your oven, ensure you leave it clean and dry to reduce its chances of rusting. How you clean and take care of your oven racks determines how fast they can rust.
If you are not planning to use it for some time, place moisture-absorbent material near it to prevent it from attracting water which can lead to rusting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Clean Discolored Oven Racks?
Oven racks can get discolored whenever you leave them in a place for a self-cleaning function. Use distilled white vinegar in discolored areas, and it will regain its original color.
Is It Dangerous To Use Rusty Oven Racks?
Using any rusty appliance does not directly harm you, but if you consistently consume it, rust can lead to health problems.
Can Rust Lead to Food Poisoning?
Rust is very dangerous, and you should never ingest it. If you see rust on your oven racks on any home appliance, clean it before using it.
Why Do People Take Rusting as a Problem?
When your oven racks get rusted, you will spend a lot of time repairing or replacing them, increasing costs.
Rust weakens your oven racks by reducing their mass, and severe rusting hinders them from holding the weight they could support in the past.
