How To Clean An Old Grill

How To Clean Bbq Drip Tray

Here’s How to Clean Up Your Grill. Restore your old BBQ using these simple hacks.

The BBQ tray is one of the hardest parts to clean, especially if you dont do it often. You should clean the drip pan on 4-5 uses of the BBQ. Swelled grease can cause a fire hazard.

To avoid scrubbing the tray for hours to clean it, you can line it up with aluminium foil. Putt sand inside the tray just enough to cover the bottom of it. The sand will absorb most of the grease, and the foil will protect the tray. When the BBQ tray is full, remove the sand and the foil. Wash it with warm soapy water, leave it to dry and repeat the procedure place aluminium foil and sand on the bottom of the tray.

If you dont have the time or the equipment to clean your BBQ, we have a solution for you. The professional cleaners from Fantastic cleaners will clean the BBQ inside and out. You can check prices and availability and book a service through our online form. So you can enjoy delicious food with your family and friend at the next BBQ party.

Clean The Cooking Grates

  • Use the putty knife and wire brush to remove all debris from the cooking grates, brushing it straight into the garbage can the grates are balanced on. Scrape the biggest pieces of gunk first, then use a wire brush on the top and bottom of the grates to get what’s left.
  • Once all debris is removed, spray the grates thoroughly with grill cleaner, then wipe them clean with a heavy-duty disposable shop towel.

How To Clean A Barbecue Grill Without Harsh Chemicals

Steam clean your grill to get it ready for the summer cooking season

Materials Needed:

  • Plastic or other non-pourous drop cloth
  • Metal paint scraper
  • Wire brush or heavy duty scrubbing sponge

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Hi friends, its Wendi with H2OBugalow. Today Im sharing how to clean an outdoor barbecue grill and give it a good makeover. I took our almost 10 year old grill, gave it a good cleaning and makeover. It looks almost new! Take a peek at the close-ups to see what I started with. As soon as the weather starts warming up, our outdoor grill gets put to good use. This year Im getting ready for outdoor time early and starting our season off with a clean grill. Cleaning an outdoor grill isnt hard, in fact its pretty easy when you use the SteamMachine Elite.

STEP 1:

Disconnect and remove the propane tank.If you have a propane or natural gas grill, disconnect the gas. Remove the interior grate and lava rocks. If you have a charcoal grill remove any leftover briquettes and ashes.

STEP 2:

Prepare the SteamMachineAdd water to the SteamMachine and let it heat up. While the water is heating, put the short handle attachment and wire brush attachment together.

STEP 3:

Spray the Simple Green Cleaner into the basin of the grill.Take off the grill grates and spray the inside of the grill generously with the Simple Green BBQ cleaner. Spray both sides of the grates and lay them on top of the grill.

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Success!

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How To Keep The Grill In Good Condition

It is important that the grill is in good condition if you want the food to taste good. Therefore, it is recommended that you follow our advice:

  • Use salt or not? It is a difficult issue. Salt, when burned, releases water, and this causes the food cooked on a barbecue to sweat. With this, the fat remains stuck on the grill. You can use salt to give good flavor to the food, as long as you then go to clean the grill and the embers immediately. Because otherwise, it will cost you a lot to clean the grill.
  • Instead of resorting to liquid fuel, use other methods to light your barbecue . These also affect the state of your barbecue.
  • Try to cook food with indirect fire . This way the food will not stay so close to the grids of the grill and you will not have so many problems to clean it.
  • Lubricate the grill with a little oil or butter before using it . This will prevent the ingredients from sticking to the grill, and subsequent cleaning will be easier.
  • Take advantage when the grill is still hot to make a quick clean, especially of the remains of rust or food. It is something that you should not delay , although you have to take a little longer to sit down at the table to eat.
  • When you’re not using the barbecue, it would be best if you put the barbecue or your grill under a tarp. Thus, it will be well protected from environmental changes and will not be oxidized by moisture.

How To Keep Rust From Coming Back

How to Clean a Barbeque Grill in 15 Minutes

After any good cleaning coat your grill surface with vegetable oil on both sides. The oil can keep moisture from attacking the metal. If you want to store your grill for long-term over the winter, put your grill grate inside a plastic bag. When youre ready to use the BBQ again, take them out of the bag and give them a good wipe down with paper towels. Youre then ready to fire-up the barbecue again and start cooking.

Since you dont have to put them in a bag all the time, always wipe the grill down before cooking on them. Vegetable oil also attracts little bugs, dust, and debris. Clean surfaces work better if they dont have any kind of build-up. The oil just helps you keep rust from ruining an afternoon BBQ.

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Vacuum The Dirt And Charcoal Inside Your Grill

After removing the grates and metal pieces, you might see a lot of loose dirt, charcoal, and food sitting inside your grill. An easy way to remove all of this is to use your handheld vacuum cleaner. Use an extension cord if necessary. If you can use a vacuum, it will save you a lot of time.

If you dont have a handheld vacuum cleaner, then wipe up the loose dirt and charred food with a couple of rags. The grill can be pretty grimy so dont use new towels that you want to keep in great condition.

Cast Iron Grill Grates

If you ask me, these grates can be perfect for getting non-stick grilling if you are very careful. Heres why this happens and why so many people think cast iron is some magical metal. The surface has a very nice quality of holding cooking oil. Its iron, so the little imperfections in the metal will allow the oil to remain on the surface evenly. But when you add heat, this changes everything. That oil can burn-off and then you get fat and food sticking to the grate.

Youll have to clean these more often when the heat is getting too hot. Even though they hold up great for higher heat, they will need scrubbing and oiling after every use. They can be a headache over the other alternatives. If you want to keep it simple, dont invest in cast iron grates unless you are prepared to do more prepping to keep these grates well oiled and properly cleaned.

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Best Ways To Clean Grill Grates

Cleaning grill grates is a nasty job, but not if you want your food to taste nasty too!

Ive heard people say they dont mind a little leftover grime on their grates, with the claim that it adds flavor. No, this is not a thing. Only lazy people say that. Grease, oil, and marinade get caked up during grilling. After they sit there for a while, they turn rancid and will make your food taste bad. Just clean the grates, its not that hard.

You never think of using a frying pan and want to cook something that has left-over gunk and dried sauce everywhere. Well, your grill is pretty much the same principle and should have proper hygiene you need for a fine BBQ.

Lets talk about heavy metal for a second. Not the kind that you listen to that makes the neighbors wonder if youll ever grow-up. The kind that gets hot enough to put an excellent sear and crust on your steak. Below well cover everything you need to know about grates, DIY cleaning hacks, maintenance tips, and our top picks for the best grates and cleaning tools.

Cleaning Tools & Grate Upgrades, Reviewed & Ranked

Product
Kettle Grate

Benefits Of A Clean Bbq

Get Grilling This Summer! How to Deep Clean Your Grill | eReplacementParts.com

We all know many health benefits of cooking your food on the grill, from the fact that you use and therefore eat less fat through the fact that the meat retains its nutrients and all the way to the fact that grilled vegetables are better for your health, as they have more vitamins and minerals. However, a few people consider the even bigger benefits of grilling on a clean BBQ.

Its good for your health.

The most important benefit, of course, is the healthy one. Regularly cleaning your BBQ removes build up bacteria in your grill, which can be transferred to your food. More importantly, it removes harmful carcinogens.

A clean barbecue is a safe one.

Another crucial reason is the safety one. A clean BBQ reduces the chance of fire. When youre cleaning the BBQ, youre also inspecting its parts, and thus, you can prevent dangerous gas leaks from worn out parts.

It smells better.

The same goes for the smell. Just as you wouldnt want your vegetables to taste like steak, you wouldnt want them to smell like a stake, either. Even worse than a stake smell is that smoky, rancid grease smell. Dont you think that your family and your guests deserve better than that?

It tastes better.

It prevents pest infestation.

A dirty grill attracts bugs and rodents. Considering that Australia is a country well-known for its many pests, we suppose you wouldnt want to attract even more. prevents an infestation, always keep your grill clean.

Improves the look of the BBQ.

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Best Ways To Clean A Grill

There are some tried and true ways to clean a grill that will help you get your grill clean now and clean it in between cooks. It is recommended that avid cookers deep clean their whole grill or smoker every 2-3 months. More casual cookers should do a deep clean at the end of each grilling season. Then, once youve deep cleaned, you can clean more easily in between cooking sessions.

How To Clear Out Your Grill’s Burner Tubes

Any buildup in the burner tubes can restrict gas flow and may prevent the burners from lighting properly , explains Kolman. To clear out any grime, brush the portholes with a stainless steel wire brush in an up-and-down motion. Do not brush lengthwise across the portsthis will just push debris from one hole to another, he advises.

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Chrome / Nickel Plated Wire Grates

If you own a standard Weber grill, youve seen these shiny cheap grates before. They work well for a while but after a couple of good years of service, theyre ready to toss out. The plating eventually comes off and they tend to rust quickly. Not too much loss, but then again theyre made to be replaced. These grates work excellent since the grate is thin enough to get a good sear on your meat.

Weber/Kettle Grill Hinged Grates

How To Clean Grill Grates

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You dont have to clean every part of yourgrill every time, but you should always clean the grate. Food, grease and watercan build up on it quickly, causing corrosion in some cases. Steel grates canbe particularly vulnerable to damage as their coating wears off, but evenceramic-coated high-quality cast iron grill grates can be damaged byimproper handling, causing the coating to chip, and making the whole gratesusceptible to rust. Frequent cleaning will help ensure that it has a longlife, and keep your food tasting great, every time.

Before you clean your grill, its a good ideato check the manufacturers recommendation for which brush to use. Stainlesssteel and uncoated cast iron grates generally wont be damaged by a wire brush,but any grill grate that is porcelain coated may be vulnerable. If youre unsurewhether your grill might be damaged, use a nylon grill brush rather than asteel one. It may take a bit more elbow grease, but youll still be able to getyour grill sparkling clean.

Not quite sure how to clean your grill grates?Heres the basic process to get you started:

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How To Clean A Bbq Before First Use

After you buy a new BBQ, there are some things you need to consider before it gets ready for the first grilling experience.

  • Remove the protective coating of the BBQAll brand new barbecues come in a protective coating. Make sure you remove all of it.
  • Soap up and polishMostly focus on the parts exposed to high heat. You can simply use warm soapy water, or if youre dealing with a stainless steel BBQ you can use a special detergent for stainless steel BBQ you can use a special detergent for stainless steel. Polish with a cloth.
  • Remove the hot plates, rinse and dryRemove the hot plates and use a sponge to clean the cooking surface with warm soapy water. Rinse the BBQ thoroughly. Make sure there is no soap left. Dry the surface with a cloth. It needs to be absolutely dry before you proceed further.
  • Coat the cooking surfaceUse a BBQ spray to coat the cooking surface.
  • Fire up the BBQ, let it cool off, repeatKeep a moderate heat for about an hour. It may seem long but dont forget that youre dealing with a brand new BBQ and you dont want your steak tasting strange. Let the BBQ cool off a little. Repeating the procedure may seem odd but its necessary when youre preparing the BBQ for its first use.
  • Scrub, dry, coat, preheatGently scrub again the cooking surface with a brush soaked in clean warm water. Then wipe and make sure the surface is absolutely dry. Coat with a cooking spray or vegetable oil. Preheat the BBQ for a whole and youre done!
  • Clean The Grills Interior

  • Empty your grill completely and remove any fixtures, including the grates. Schedule this during good weather, so the sun can help dry your grill when youre done.
  • Using hot, soapy water and a good scouring pad, clean the burnt-on gunk on the inside of the grill. Be sure to scour grill grates and the flavorizer bars in propane grills which guard the gas vents.
  • Rinse all surfaces well then rub them dry with old newspapers or towels.
  • For propane grills, use the end of a paperclip to dislodge grime from the nozzles. Inspect the gas lines for signs of rust. Cover the lines with a thin layer of soapy water and look for air bubbles indicating holes in the lines. Also, check the expiration date on your propane tank. Replace anything thats damaged or out of date.
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    How To Clean Rusty Charcoal Grill Grates

    If you store your BBQ outdoors, you may notice that the charcoal grates have become rusty over time. Rust on the charcoal grill not only looks unappealing, but it can also ruin the taste of your delicious grilled food. The good news is cleaning rust of the grill grates is fairly easy and there is no need for harsh chemicals. Here are our favourite natural cleaning methods to remove rust from your grill grates.

    Clean The Grease Tray And Catch Pan

    How To Clean Your Charcoal Grill | Weber Grills
    • Open your grill’s cabinet doors, then carefully pull out the grease tray and catch pan.
    • Dump all the loose debris into your garbage can, then spray and wipe both with grill cleaner. Make sure to remove all grease and stains from both the top and bottom of the tray.
    • If your grill’s catch pan has a disposable aluminum liner, throw it out. Before installing a replacement, make sure the inside of the catch pan is perfectly clean.
    • With all grease-catching components clean, carefully put them back where you found them.

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    Why We Dont Like Brushes For Cleaning Grates

    Everybody thinks that wire brushes work best, but in reality, they can be dangerous if not used properly. You need to use a scraper to knock down the dried-up stuff that a wire brush cant do easily. Like brushing your teeth huh? Not really, since little wire hairs can snap off and stick to the greasy spots you cant get to. You wont see it there until it gets in your food. Sending your BBQ guests to the hospital is never part of the plan.

    Only use a wire brush after youve scraped off all the grease and given the grill a good inspection. Dip your wire brush into water before doing any scrubbing after the grill is free from oil and junk. If the grill is still hot, the water will vaporize and causes steam to remove anything left-over. This will also prevent little wires from sticking to the grill surface too as theyll drop down into the grill bed.

    How To Clean Ziegler & Brown Bbq

    The product range of Ziegler & Brown consists only of gas BBQs. As for the cleaning of the Ziggy grills, the manufacturer advice is:

    • Scraping the excess food, burn off at high temperature and washing with warm water for cast iron grill and plates
    • Wipe with paper towel and soaking in water with dishwashing liquid for non-stick cooking service and aluminium hotplates
    • 5-minute burn off on HIGH and unclogging the holes with a toothpick for the burners
    • Wiping with warm soapy water for other surfaces

    Ziegler & Browns Burn off method

    • Light the burner, set to the HIGH position and leave running with the hood fully open for approximately 5 minutes.

    Cleaning product recommended by the manufacturer: Bar-B-Chef Heavy Duty BBQ Cleaner.

    More maintenance information Detailed guides for all Ziegler & Brown BBQs.

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