What is the black film that appears on cookie sheets?

Question

You can't see the black film until you wipe it with a paper towel, and when the film gets on something like a spatula it stays on there. I also believe this black film is on areas of our sink. What is this film and how do you get rid of it? We use a regular electric oven. Thanks.

Answer 1

Carbon in the form of ash. Food has been burned onto the pan in small amounts. Collect enough of it together and it absorbs light and appears black. Your plastic spatula has small imperfections on its surface that allow the sticky carbon to fit with small amounts of moisture which allows it to stick together.

To get rid of it wash the surface with an abrasive pad an a mixture of ammonia and water. You'll be suprised at how easily it picks up the carbon, but you may have to break up the harder layers in your oven with a case knife, as some of it may have baked into the enamel lining your oven.

Good luck

Answer 2

Also, clean your oven. The carbon in the oven may be floating soot around your kitchen.
If you don't have a self cleaning oven, use an oven cleaner that you can leave overnight. It works much better.

Also, try parchment paper when using a cookie sheet.
Cookies slide off, burn less, cleanup is a rinse of the cookie sheet.

I will never bake cookies without it ever again.