Contents
How to wash fabric and other oven mitt types
Many home cooks may forget to wash their oven mitts, but these kitchen workhorses need to be cleaned just like your kitchen towels. Oven mitts often absorb the spills and residue of your favorite recipes, but are often tossed back into the drawer.
Oven mitts come in a variety of materials, like cotton, leather, or silicone. Because oven mitts vary so much in what they are made of, it is important to read the care instructions on the oven mitt’s tags. These are usually located inside of the mitt.
If the oven mitt does not have care instructions or if the tag is too worn to read, there are simple ways to clean these kitchen tools to make your kitchen a cleaner, healthier, and happier place for everyone to gather.
Can you machine wash oven gloves?
Yes! There are certain kinds of oven gloves that can be machine washed. Many oven mitts are made of cotton, terry cloth, or other forgiving materials that are similar to items that may already be in your next load of laundry.
While many oven gloves can easily be machine washed and are even machine washable at a high temperature, it may be a good idea to air dry your oven gloves. Some may tolerate a dryer, but to prevent shrinking or damage to the material, it is a safe bet to air dry oven mitts.
How do you clean silicone oven mitts?
Silicone oven mitts are a great option for the highest level of oven safety and even for pot holders. Silicone oven mitts are made of a flexible, insulated material that does not represent anything that usually goes into your washing machine.
Even so, silicone oven mitts can easily be washed in a variety of ways to keep these valuable kitchen tools clean and pleasant for anyone to use.
1. By hand
- Simply mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of dishwashing soap with warm water. Soak a washcloth or rag in this solution and spot clean your oven mitt.
- If your oven glove requires a more thorough clean, submerge the entire oven mitt in the same solution and work the solution through the mitt to lift all the stains.
- Be sure to rinse the oven mitt completely, because soap residue can make an oven mitt slippery and could cause you to drop the next heavy, hot pan.
- Air dry your oven mitt in a cool, dry place that experiences good airflow. It should take an hour or so to dry on its own. Do not place silicone oven gloves in a washing machine or dryer.
2. In the washer
You can machine wash a silicone oven glove, but not in the way you would with a cotton or terry cloth oven mitt. Silicone oven mitts can be quickly and easily cleaned using the top rack of your dishwasher.
How do you get stains out of oven gloves?
Home cooks can easily get stains out of oven gloves by using a simple solution of common household products. Mix warm water and baking soda to make a paste and rub it into the mitts to spot clean stains. Laundry detergent also works.
If you have cotton or terry cloth oven gloves, you may be able to use stain removers in the regular washing cycle of your washing machine. Spot test on your oven mitts first, to make sure there is no discoloration or damage to the fabric before using a spot remover.
What are the benefits of using silicone oven gloves?
Silicone oven gloves are a wonderful kitchen invention that promotes the highest standard of oven safety. Silicone oven gloves keep all home cooks safe when using an oven, as these gloves are durable and provide full hand and lower arm coverage you can rely on.
What’s the highest temperature silicone mitts can handle?
Silicone oven mitts can regularly protect home cooks for temperatures between 400 – 500 degrees, or the temperature setting of “broil” on your oven. This means you can reliably reach into the oven and grab your dishes in the time it takes to transfer to the stovetop.
Ways to store silicone oven mitts
Silicone oven mitts should be kept within arms reach of the oven or stove, so you are never without their heat resistant help.
Many cooks choose to keep their oven mitts in a drawer next to the range, while others attach hooks on the wall or magnetized to the side of the refrigerator for easy access.
Oven mitt alternatives you can use
Some cooks prefer oven mitt alternatives when working in the kitchen. If you’re looking for something that will provide more flexibility while cooking, a potholder keeps your fingers free while still providing heat resistance.
A simple kitchen towel will insulate your hand somewhat from hot pots and hot pan handles, and has the easiest laundry care instructions of any of these options. These do not provide even protection, however, so they present more of a risk.
