Catherine asked: How do I clean cotton baker’s oven mitts? My son is a baker and his cotton mitts come home nearly black from handling oily bread tins, etc. along with baked food as well.
Oven mitts that receive lots of use quickly become stained with grease, baked food, etc. The reason these stains are so difficult to remove is that they are often set by the heat of constant use while taking hot items out of the oven. Though the stains may not come out completely, the steps below will help to lessen them by a significant amount.
Removing Burnt-On Food Stains
You Will Need:
- Spoon or dull knife
- Dish soap
- Scrub brush (optional)
- Laundry stain remover such as Shout foam
The Removal Process:
- Begin by scraping away as much of the burnt food as possible from the surface using the spoon or dull knife.
- If there are bits of food that will not come loose, tackle those first. Fill a bowl large enough to fit the affected area with warm water and dish soap. Place the areas with bits of food stuck on them in the water and allow them to soak for several minutes.
- Gently scrub the food particles away. A scrub brush can be used to provide extra agitation if needed.
- Once the bits of food are removed, the next step is to tackle the stain left behind.
- Apply a laundry stain remover such as Shout foam to the entire stained area and let it set.
- Launder as usual.
- Avoid drying the mitts until all of the stains have been removed as the heat from the dryer will set any remaining stains.
- If there are particular food stains that you are trying to remove, check out our removal methods for specific food stains.
Removing Black Grease Stains
Grease stains can be one of the most difficult to remove. Here are several different steps you can try to lessen the stains as much as possible.
You Will Need:
- Grease dissolving dish soap
- WD-40
- Coca-cola
- Baking soda
- Scrub brush
- Washing machine
- Water
- Large bowl (optional)
The Removal Process:
- Begin by mixing some grease dissolving dish soap (such as Dawn Power Dissolver) with warm water in a large bowl or sink.
- Soak the mitts in the mixture for several minutes.
- After the dish soap has had a chance to loosen the grease, scrub by rubbing the mitts together or using a scrub brush to remove the stains.
- If the stains still remain, spray the area with WD-40. The grease molecules in the WD-40 will attach to the old grease molecules and make the stain like a fresh grease stain, allowing for easier removal.
- Repeat steps 1-3 to remove the stains.
- If the stain still persists, mix the dish soap with baking soda to create a paste.
- Apply the paste to the stain and scrub the area with a soft brush.
- Rinse with clean water.
- If the stain still remains, try washing them in the washing machine with hot water and a can of coca-cola. The ingredients in this beverage will loosen the grease and allow it to be removed.
- Avoid drying as the heat will only set the stain more.
- Repeat any of the above steps until all of the stains are removed to your satisfaction.
- When the stains are gone, wash thoroughly as normal to remove all remains of the cleaning products used.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- Spray and Wash Foam is a separate product from Spray and Wash regular spray removal. It can be left on the stain for a short amount of time to work, but cannot be left on for several days like the other stain treaters.
- Ensure that all cleaners and WD-40 are thoroughly removed from the mitts before using around any food products.
Leave a Reply