Best Way to Clean Oven Racks and Trays Without Scrubbing

I’ll be honest, cleaning has never been my idea of a good time. I do it because I like things tidy, not because I enjoy the process. And out of everything that needs attention, the oven easily tops the list of most dreaded chores.

That baked on mess feels impossible to tackle, and just thinking about it is exhausting. But here’s the good news. A cleaning expert swears by one surprisingly simple trick that makes the whole process easier, and it’s too good not to share.

Hold on a minute, though.

A mom of two who proudly calls herself a cleaning expert just dropped a game-changing tip on TikTok. And the best part? It promises clean oven racks without breaking a sweat.

No scrubbing. No sore arms. Just a smart, low-effort trick that feels almost too good to be true. Yeah… this is where you lean in a little closer.

Here’s the truth about cleaning the oven.

Burnt food has a way of turning oven racks into a lost cause. Once those stains set in, it feels like no amount of scrubbing will ever bring them back to life. And honestly, who wants to spend hours fighting baked-on grime?

The good news is you don’t have to. There’s an easier way to get your oven racks clean without exhausting yourself. Less effort, less mess, and way better results than endless scrubbing.

Okay, so here’s how it goes.

She starts by pulling the oven racks out and laying them flat in the bathtub. Already unexpected, right? Instead of grabbing a scrub brush, she drops in a few dishwasher tablets like it’s no big deal.

Then comes the magic part. She pours hot water over the racks, letting everything soak together. No scrubbing, no effort, just time doing the hard work for her. At this point, you’re either skeptical… or fully invested.

But that’s not all.

Then she just… walked away. The oven racks sat soaking in that soapy water for a few hours while she did literally anything else. No checking. No scrubbing. Just patience.

When she came back and lifted them out, the grime slid right off like it had never been there. Burnt-on mess, gone. Honestly, it’s one of those moments that makes you stare at the screen and think, why haven’t we been doing this all along?

I like this idea much better, ha, ha.

The wild part is how little time it actually took. After about three hours, the baked-on food stains were completely gone, like the racks had been reset back to new.

And it makes sense when you think about it. Dishwasher tablets are made to break down stubborn, baked-on messes, so putting them to work on oven racks is kind of genius. Sometimes the smartest cleaning hacks really are the simplest ones.

Aha!

Who knew, right? Judging by the reactions, a lot of people were just as shocked. Fellow TikTokers who clearly battle oven rack cleaning were seriously impressed by how effortless this hack looked.

The video quickly picked up traction, pulling in over 46,000 views and counting. Honestly, it’s one of those moments where you’re just glad you stumbled across it, because future you is definitely going to be grateful.

There were some who offered other suggestions.

Of course, the comments had opinions. Some people suggested skipping the bathtub entirely and just throwing the oven racks straight into the dishwasher instead. Does it work just as well? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine.

I haven’t tested that route, mostly because I don’t even own a dishwasher. So for now, this low-effort bathtub method feels like the safest bet. Simple, effective, and way less intimidating than it sounds.

So what do you think of this cleaning hack?

If you’ve ever struggled with baked-on grime on your oven racks, you’re definitely not alone. Everyone seems to have their own method, and most of them involve way more effort than they’re worth.

That’s why this idea really stands out. It’s simple, low-effort, and actually looks effective. I’m planning to give it a try myself and see how it works on my oven racks. Sometimes the easiest solutions really are the best ones.

When you start paying attention to clever life hacks, even ordinary habits like cleaning, organizing, or cooking can feel faster and more satisfying.