If you’ve ever used a silicone mold to bake anything, you know how important it is to clean it properly and regularly. If you don’t do this, your next cupcakes can end up tasting, smelling, and maybe even looking a little off.
In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to clean silicone molds quickly and easily, so you never have to face lingering stains and smells (and, thereby, results that are less than awesome).
Keep reading for more details!
Is It Easy to Clean Silicone Bakeware?
Silicone is a very popular cookware material, and it’s used in a variety of baking utensils — from baking mats to muffin pans.
There are several solid reasons why this is so:
- Silicone is a non-toxic material (it doesn’t release any harmful fumes when heated).
- It’s durable, as well as dishwasher– and freezer-safe.
- It’s flexible and easy to store away. In other words, if you have trouble organizing your cluttered kitchen drawers, silicone cookware is your friend!
- It’s more affordable than other types of nonstick cookware.
- Most importantly, silicon has a nonstick surface that enables easier cleaning.
On the flip side, silicone is prone to absorbing pungent odors during cooking (especially if you’re working with particularly fragrant ingredients such as garlic, onion, spices, etc.). This makes silicone bakeware somewhat difficult to clean if you don’t know how to do it properly.
How Often Should You Clean Your Silicone Baking Molds?
Short and clear — you should clean your silicone bakeware after each use. If you don’t do it right away, the food will start to stick to the surface and become more difficult to clean. Staining and discoloration are also common problems that can arise.
What’s more, a sticky and greasy coating can form on your molds after a while. Not to mention the lingering smell that can develop, which is pretty challenging to get rid of.
What Do You Need to Clean a Silicone Mold Properly?
Silicone bakeware is pretty easy to clean (if you do it regularly), and it typically doesn’t require any harsh cleaning agents or processes.
All you’ll need are the things you probably already have in your home:
- Dish soap
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- A soft sponge
- A sink (or a large container)
- A Microfiber cloth
Tip — Don’t use abrasive cleaners on silicone bakeware, as they can scratch the silicone and negatively affect its nonstick properties.
How to Clean Silicone Molds for the First Time
Though they look fairly clean, your brand-new silicone molds may still have leftover particles from the manufacturing process on their surface. You may feel them under your fingers as powdery residue.
These particles can mess with your baking as well as the molds’ nonstick properties, so it’s imperative to pre-clean the molds before baking your first batch.
There are two ways to do it:
Method 1: Soak the Molds in Vinegar
Soaking silicone molds in vinegar will disinfect them and kill the characteristic odor of newly bought things:
- Fill your sink (or a suitable container) with white distilled vinegar.
- Soak the baking molds in vinegar for 30 minutes.
- Rinse and repeat if necessary.
- Wash with grease-cutting dishwashing soap and warm water.
- Dry the molds well with a microfiber cloth.
Method 2: Soak the Molds in Baking Soda
- Fill your sink with hot water.
- Generously sprinkle the water with baking soda.
- Put your baking molds in the water and soak them for an hour.
- Wash off any baking soda residue with warm water.
- Use lukewarm water and dishwashing soap to further clean the molds.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Dry the molds with a microfiber cloth.
Cleaning Silicone Molds — Regular Daily Cleaning
Lightly stained silicone molds can be easily cleaned with some warm water and quality dish soap:
- Rinse the mold with warm water to remove any loose food particles. If this doesn’t work, soak the mold in hot water for a couple of minutes.
- Squirt some dish soap onto the mold and scrub it with a soft sponge. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
- If the sticky residue is still present, soak the silicone in a mixture of hot water and dish soap.
- Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- Dry the baking mold with a soft microfiber cloth.
How to Wash Silicone Molds — Stubborn Stains
Whether you use the compact Tovala oven or the regular one, accidents can happen, and your silicone mold will bear the consequences. Burn marks and persistent greasy stains can be challenging to remove with soapy water and a sponge only.
For this, you‘ll have to employ the big guns:
Oven–Heat Your Silicone Bakeware
Believe it or not, heat can help you clean your silicone cupcake molds. It’s particularly useful when it comes to persistent greasy film or stains on your mold:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Put the silicone bakeware inside for 10 minutes.
- Mix a cleaning solution using hot water, dishwashing soap, and baking soda.
- Remove the mold from the oven using heat-resistant gloves and submerge it in the cleaning solution for a few minutes.
- Carefully scrub the surface until every bit of grime is gone.
- Rinse and dry your molds thoroughly.
Use Baking Soda Paste
Besides being an excellent remedy for lingering smells and a great tool for polishing stainless steel to perfection, baking soda is widely famous for its degreasing abilities.
This is how you can use it to make your baking mold less greasy and sticky:
- Make a thick paste using water and baking soda.
- Apply the paste to the mold and gently rub it with it.
- Let the paste sit for an hour (or until it’s completely dry).
- Rinse the mold with warm water.
- Dry the mold with a soft towel.
Tip — You can also add some vinegar to the paste for extra cleaning power. Just make sure you rinse the molds thoroughly afterward.
Extra Tips for Pristine Clean Silicone Bakeware
- Don’t use sharp objects to remove stubborn food residue from your silicone molds — you don’t want to risk puncturing or slicing the silicone.
- Use non-abrasive cleaning sponges to prevent scratching the silicon and reducing its nonstick properties as a result.
- Don’t overheat your silicone molds to prevent them from getting brittle. Though silicone is pretty heat-resistant, there are limits to how much heat it can take (typically up to 428 °F).
- Use heavy-duty grease-cutting dish soap to make the molds grease-free.
- Avoid abrasive cleaning products, as they can eat away at the silicone and negatively affect its nonstick properties.
- Occasionally deep clean your silicone molds in the dishwasher.
Conclusion
Silicone cookware is an excellent addition to any kitchen, but it needs proper care to maintain its superb characteristics. So, make sure to test the tips and tricks described above the next time you bake something delish and make your molds squeaky clean afterward.
FAQ
Can silicone go in the dishwasher?
Silicone bakeware is heat-resistant, so it’s 100% dishwasher-safe. So, if you find yourself pressed for time, don’t be afraid to use the dishwasher to clean your silicone baking molds and other silicone bakeware.
Can you use rubbing alcohol to clean silicone molds?
Rubbing alcohol is useful for getting rid of lingering scents and bacteria.
However, this common household cleaner can also damage silicone and make it lose its nonstick properties. So, avoid using this cleaning agent unless you absolutely have no other alternative and only use to deep clean particularly sticky molds once in a while.
Can I clean silicone with vinegar?
Yes! You can soak silicone cookware in white vinegar to get rid of burn marks, hard water stains, and even bacteria. You can also use it to get rid of cooking smells.
This is how:
- Soak your baking molds in vinegar for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse them with lukewarm water.
- Then, get rid of the residual vinegar with dish soap and a non-abrasive sponge.
- Rinse again.
- Dry the molds well with a microfiber cloth.
How do you remove sticky residue from silicone bakeware?
Your best bet is to heat the bakeware in the oven and then soak it in a mixture of hot water and baking soda. The heat will loosen the grease, and the cleaning mix will help eliminate it.
And if you need more tips on how to clean silicone molds until they’re pristine clean, scroll up and check out our advice.
