Cleaning Pizza Screens

We used to use our pizza screens in our old oven, but now have a stone/brick oven. We do not have many peels yet and have been using our pizza screens as such. We do not put pizzas directly on the screens, but rather put baking paper onto the screen then sprinkle semolina on that paper before putting the dough on. Because our screens are not used for the baking process, I was wondering if there were any easy tips for returning the screens to the way they looked when purchased (or at least close to it). So far I have soaked them in hot water with vinegar and “dish soap”, then sprayed them with a powerful stream of water. I also had to scrub them a bit with griddle pads, but the pads were ruined quickly. I have only successfully cleaned one screen so far because I was testing and didn’t have enough time to continue due to evening rushes.

There’s a product I’ve seen at pizza expo that’s specifically meant for removing carbon and I’ve seen pictures showing it returning screens to nearly new looking. I think it’s quite expensive and it would be cheaper when considering the time involved to just buy new screens for a few bucks each.

There is a product called Carbon-Off made specifically for this application in the food industry.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

I don’t understand why you want to do this? Why do you care what they look like? In fact, I don’t understand your process at all. If you do not use screens in the oven why do you even have screens?

bodegahwy said:

I don’t understand why you want to do this? Why do you care what they look like? In fact, I don’t understand your process at all. If you do not use screens in the oven why do you even have screens?

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bread sticks, calzone, garlic knots. I don’t worry about cleaning them though, cause I use 12 x 12 parchment sheets.

Whats up with these threads lately that ask solutions to the most vague issues? Lol

sparrowspizza said:

I don’t worry about cleaning them though, cause I use 12 x 12 parchment sheets.

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I don’t worry about cleaning mine because they come out of a 500 degree oven! Does anyone clean screens? (other than knocking off burned cheese etc if it gets on there?)

We use parchment for wings but pretty much anything else just rides the screen through the oven.

Anon;
Am I correct in assuming you’re using the screens as a peel? Or are you pre-prepping your pizzas and just holding them on the screens with parchment paper until needed during your busy periods? I’m not exactly sure how you’re presently using the screens. I’ve seen a number of stores use screens with a piece of parchment paper to hold pre-opened or pre-prepped skins on a wire tree rack to help keep up with orders during busy periods and then slide the dressed skin from the screen onto the oven peel (parchment paper under the dressed skin) for placement in the oven. Just trying to sort things out so we can provide meaningful advice…
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor