Between bake sales, holiday parties, and midday cravings, our bakeware gets put through a lot. So if your bundt pans and cookie sheets are looking a little tired, it’s time to set them straight. Each material will require a different clean routine to get it back to sparkling, so follow the below instructions for your silicone, glass, ceramic, nonstick, and uncoated aluminum bakeware to get them back in fighting (or baking) shape. One thing to remember for all materials: Always let bakeware cool to room temperature before cleaning. And make sure pieces are fully dry before storing them in a cool, dry place (read: not in the drawer under your stove).
Silicone
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This material is beloved because cakes pop right out and cookies slide off like butter. If tenacious pieces stick, soak the bakeware in warm water with a few drops of dish soap for two to three minutes, then wash with a nonabrasive sponge and warm, soapy water. To combat lingering smells, wash the pan as usual, then bake it on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. As for any stickiness or white film, soak the stuff in distilled white vinegar for about 30 minutes, or mix baking soda and water until you have a paste and spread it all over. Let the paste do its thing for an hour, then wash.
Glass
Getty/ Franck Legros
The dishwasher is generally gonna be your ticket to Clean Town for glass, but hand-washing is fine too. For extra oomph, you can gently wipe that baking soda paste from above around the dish with a nonabrasive sponge, then rinse. Starting to notice cloudiness? Bathe the whole thing in one part vinegar and one part water for 10 to 15 minutes, and as a preventive measure moving forward, consider adding a rinse aid to your dishwasher.
Ceramic
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Turns out, letting pans soak isn’t just an excuse to delay dish duty. It is, in fact, the best way to get caked-on bits off ceramic. Let the pan sit in warm, soapy water for 30 to 60 minutes (or even longer if necessary). The bath should loosen any pieces before you go in with a nonabrasive sponge ora small brush. If needed, hit the corners and creases with that baking soda paste, then rinse. And if you’re still fighting the gunk, a plastic scraper can help chip away at it.
Nonstick
Getty/ Candice Bell
Definitely skip the dishwasher here. The hot, hot heat can erode the non-stick coating on your cookie sheets and pans and cause them to warp over time. You should be able to hand-wash these guys the same way you’d wash anything else, but—you guessed it—the baking soda paste can tackle extra-tough jobs. Remember to use a soft sponge, and be careful not to scratch the coating.
Uncoated Aluminum
Getty/ Shana Novak
No dishwasher here either. Aluminum can be damaged by high heat and certain detergents, and the dishwasher can end up permanently etching it. (The pan will still be functional, but it won’t look so pretty.) Instead, opt for hand-washing. Use a mixture of three parts water and one part cream of tar-tar. This creates a loose, acidic slurry you can apply to your pan with a dishcloth or scouring sponge. No cream of tartar? No problem. Sub in vinegar or lemon juice. You can grate the lemon first and freeze the zest for your next baking session!