How To Clean Silicone Baking Mat

Silicone baking mats have many advantages over traditional aluminum baking sheets and parchment paper, as we will explain in this article.

However, if you want your baking mat to remain in pristine condition for years to come, you need to learn how to clean it properly.

By the end of this article, you’ll know why you should get a silicone baking mat if you don’t have one already, and you’ll be prepared to clean it effectively.

What Is A Silicone Baking Mat?

A silicone baking mat is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a mat made of silicone that you can use to cook all kinds of baked goods, from cookies to scones.

Silicone baking mats come in various sizes and shapes, so it’s easy to find one that’s perfect for you and your baking needs!

The Benefits Of Silicone Baking Mats

Silicone baking mats have many advantages over your average aluminum baking pan or pieces of baking parchment.

For one thing, unlike parchment paper, a silicone baking mat can be reused over and over again. This makes it a much more sustainable choice.

Compared to an aluminum baking pan, a silicone mat is much easier to clean.

As we will see later in this article, there are many different cleaning methods for silicone baking mats, and most of them are dishwasher-safe, which isn’t always the case with other baking trays.

Compared to your average baking pan, silicone baking mats create far fewer issues with browning or burning.

If you don’t already own a silicone baking mat, you should definitely get one today!

They’re relatively inexpensive and they will solve a lot of the issues bakers face on a regular basis, whether that’s ending up with way too much baking parchment in your trash can or peeling burnt cookies off your baking pan.

With that being said, if you’re going to invest in a silicone baking mat, you’ll need to commit to keeping it in good condition, otherwise, you won’t get good value for your money.

Next up, we’re going to explain the best ways to clean a silicone baking mat.

Cleaning Methods For Silicone Baking Mats

1. Water And Dish Soap

Like a lot of cookware and baking utensils, silicone baking mats can be washed with a combination of hot water and dish soap.

Make sure to choose grease-fighting dish soap for a thorough clean, otherwise, some grease could be left behind.

To start with, soak the mat in hot water that has a few squeezes of dish soap in it. This will make any dried food remnants much easier to clean and will allow the dish soap to do its work.

Then, using a sponge, scrub the mat thoroughly. This is an important step in the process because it makes sure that the mat is completely clean.

If you don’t scrub, some traces of grease may remain behind.

2. Lemon Juice

Silicone mats can be cleaned using lemon juice, so if you don’t have any powerful dish soap available, you can use this simple product instead!

Just squeeze some lemon juice into a sink full of hot water and allow the mat to soak for about 10 minutes.

Again, just like you would when using dish soap, you’ll then want to take a sponge and give the mat a good scrub to remove any lingering food particles.

Make sure you’re using a non-abrasive sponge, otherwise, you could damage the silicone and ruin your baking mat.

3. Baking Soda Paste

If you’re trying to remove tough stains from your silicone baking mats, one of the best cleaning products is a paste made from baking soda!

Hold the mat under running water first to wet it. Then, sprinkle some baking soda over the surface of the mat. Put on some kitchen gloves and use your fingers to rub the baking soda into the water on the mat.

Once you have rubbed the water and baking soda together enough to form a paste, leave it to sit for 20 minutes.

Once the 20 minutes is up, use hot water to rinse the paste off the mat. You should notice that the stains have disappeared at this point, but if not, repeat the process until you are satisfied.

4. Dishwasher

Of course, you can put your silicone baking mat in the dishwasher. This is one of the main advantages of using a silicone baking mat over other baking trays because the latter is not always dishwasher-safe.

Roll your silicone mat into a cylinder and place it on the top rack of your dishwasher. Run a cycle at a regular temperature.

If you still notice any residue when you take the mat out of the dishwasher, you can follow up with any of the other methods in this article.

How Often To Clean A Silicone Baking Mat

Of course, you should clean your silicone baking mat after every use. After you’ve finished baking, there will be a certain amount of grease and food remnants left behind.

If you don’t clean these thoroughly after every use, bacteria will accumulate, which is not only unappetizing but can be dangerous for your health.

Even if you’re baking two batches one after the other, it’s a good idea to wash the baking mat between batches.

This will prevent any cross-contamination and means that you won’t end up with such a big buildup of food remnants at the end of the process.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning your silicone baking mat is an important part of keeping it hygienic and functional.

You can clean silicone baking mats using grease-fighting dish soap, lemon juice, or baking powder. Alternatively, just put the mat in the dishwasher!

We have found these methods super helpful for keeping silicone baking mats free from that greasy film that tends to build up over time.

Try out one of these cleaning suggestions next time you bake with a silicone mat!