How And When To Clean Grill Grates
No matter what your grills cooking grates are made of, they should always be cleaned after every use. Cleaning after every cookout will prevent the build-up of food and grease, keep away bugs and pests, and ensure that your grill is good to go next time youre ready to fire it up.
Most grill grates can be cleaned using the same basic method, but some special care needs to be taken depending on the material of the grate.
How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Stainless steel grill grates are fairly rust-resistant and can tolerate intense heat. Since they generally need just a quick brush, theyre easy to clean, too.
When burning off leftover food, cover the tops of your grill grates with aluminum foil. This concentrates the heat, so when you heat the grates for 10-15 minutes, they get extra hot and burn away food easily.
Then, allow the grates to cool and clean them with a grill brush.
Is Apple Cider Vinegar Better Than White Vinegar For Cleaning
Truth be told, there are no actual differences between these 2 kinds of vinegar in terms of cleaning.
The main difference is the smell.
White vinegar has a strong sour smell while apple cider vinegar gives off a more pleasant sweet odor.
So, if dont like the smell of white vinegar, then use apple cider. Your grill grates wont be less clean.
Recommended Reading: Why Did Mcdonald’s Get Rid Of Grilled Chicken
Choose The Right Tools To Clean Grill Grates
While some grillers opt for a traditional grill brush, many do not know wire grill brushes can be slightly dangerous. Wire bristles are notorious for breaking off and falling into your food. Without even realizing it, many people have accidentally ingested these bristles, too. If you feel like swapping in a safer tool, weve got plenty of other grill cleaning ideas you can start using today.
-
Aluminum Foil: Grab a handful of aluminum foil, ball it up and use grill tongs to hold it while you scrub away. You can even re-use the same aluminum foil from cooking your favorite foil packet recipes.
-
Nylon Scouring Pad: Grab a scouring pad from your kitchen and take it to the grill for fast and easy cleanup.
-
Grill Stone: Gently rub this pumice-like grill stone back and forth across your grill grates. Then, finish it off by wiping the area clean with a soft cloth or water. Its that easy.
-
Onion: It might seem a little strange, but you can use half an onion to clean your grill. Just spear the onion on a barbecue fork, and use the cut side to scrub grates clean. The acidic enzymes will break down grease without being overly abrasive. And if youre cooking with charcoal, the onion can simply be thrown into the coals to discard.
Stay Safe & Use In Moderation
While this is a handy grilling tip to have in your arsenal, it’s not recommended that you use it every time you need to clean your grill. This foil trick is best for when using public grills or when you forgot to clean it beforehand, but not as a regular cleaning method. Weber, a prominent grill-maker, says “Laying the foil on the grates can restrict the intended air flow inside the grill, which could lead to damage of the internal components, not to mention create a dangerous situation.”
Don’t Miss: The Simplest, Most Natural Way to Clean & Disinfect Wooden Cutting Boards
Want to master Microsoft Excel and take your work-from-home job prospects to the next level? Jump-start your career with our Premium A-to-Z Microsoft Excel Training Bundle from the new Gadget Hacks Shop and get lifetime access to more than 40 hours of Basic to Advanced instruction on functions, formula, tools, and more.
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Traeger Grill
Before You Start Cleaning Grill Grates
Determine whether your grill grates are made of porcelain, cast iron or stainless steel. How you clean your grill grates and what products you use depends on what material the grates are made of. Keep these tips in mind before you start scrubbing.
-
Porcelain grates: Porcelain grates are rust-resistant as long as the finish is intact. To clean, use a soft-bristled or nylon brush in lieu of rougher metal or wire brushes.
-
Cast-iron grates: Cast-iron is tough so they can handle those stiff, wire brushes. However, they do rust easily, so we recommend rubbing the grates down with either vegetable or canola oil after cleaning.
-
Stainless Steel grates: These grates are durable and dont require as much special care as porcelain or cast-iron grates. But, that doesnt mean they arent subject to rusting. To prevent rust, be sure to dry the grates completely before cleaning.
Cleaning Below The Grill
All that stuff you just cleaned off the grill grate was only the tip of the iceberg the rest of it is on your burners. Most barbecue grills have a shield or plate over the burners that catches most of the drippings. If you regularly clean this mess up, your grill will work better and last longer.
This is super important because the drippings continue to burn, meal after meal, and produce some nasty chemicals you dont want in your food. Its like smoking your meal with rancid fat.
Fortunately, most of the shields on the market are steel and are very easy to clean. You can usually scrub them down with a steel brush, and thats all it needs. A big safety point: its essential to replace burner shields that have rust holes. Rust is burning off into your food, and the grease dripping from your delicious chicken might just start a fire.
Recommended Reading: Cook Pork Chops On Gas Grill
How To Clean Up A Very Dirty Grill Grate
This weekend I wanted to grill out, but guess who forgot to clean up her grill grate from last fall. Yep. I was met with a baked on caked on mess I had completely forgotten about.
Here’s how to clean a very dirty grill grate.
First, I tried to scrub off what I could before placing the nasty grate into a sink full of hot sudsy water. I used Dawn dish soap because it’s great at eating away greasy gunk.
Next, I soaked it for about two hours. I came back and used a plastic scrubby to try to clean it off. It took some off but it was still pretty gross looking.
Third, I filled the sink again with hot sudsy Dawn water and left the grate to soak over night.
This is what it looked like after soaking.
Looks a lot better.
Last, as you can see in the picture above, I used a stainless steel scrubbing pad and major elbow grease on the grate and the result is the following picture.
Whew! That was a bit of a work out but now it’s clean and ready to.
Note to self: Next time don’t forget to clean it off after use. Two, use nonstick cooking spray to keep it from getting gunky. Gross! What a pain and I have only myself to blame.
All you need to do is stop by the Illinois Machine Shed at 7475 Easte State Street and sign up by 2:00pm on June 17th. Plus, you can earn and extra entry by becoming a Q98.5 VIP and signing up there too!
The winner will be drawn on the air at 3:00pm on Friday June 17th with Mark Charvat.
Good luck!
How To Clean Bbq Drip Tray
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.
Recommended Reading: Macaroni Grill Bankruptcy
Caring For Your Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Keeping your grates clean and free from food will prevent them from pitting.
While some people recommend to wipe oil on the grill, it can lead to faster build up. Instead, oil your food. It accomplishes the goal of preventing the food from sticking and uses less oil.
Cleaning your grill after each use will make the job of keeping your grates clean easier. Andfood just tastes better on a clean grill.
Directions For Cleaning Grill Grates:
Before cleaning, please consult the Owner’s Manual for any important precautions, instructions or warranty requirements.
& ast Biodegradable formula: This formula decomposes into elements found in nature within six months after disposal into a typical sanitary sewer or septic system.
WHERE TO BUY
Don’t Miss: How To Grill Boneless Chicken Breast
How To Clean Porcelain Steel Grill Grates
Glossy porcelain-enameled grill grates are easy to clean, but require a bit of extra caution. The porcelain surface can easily be compromised by a vigorous cleaning, increasing the potential for chips and rust that will significantly shorten the lifespan of your grill grate. Follow these steps to clean porcelain grill grates:
Theres no need to reseason a glossy porcelain-coated grill grate, but as with stainless steel grates, a light coating of vegetable oil on the grate or the food itself will prevent sticking
GRILL SPOT TIP:
Have The Guests Arrived But The Grill Is Not Clean
In the event that your grill still doesnt look great and you dont have time to clean it, just copy Emeril Lagasses approach:
Wrap fish fillets, sliced veggies, and other quick-cooking items inside foil packets with bundles of fresh herbs and throw them directly on the grill the steam will release the herbs perfume and flavor anything contained inside the pouch.
Im sure no one will notice.
Do you know any other techniques for cleaning stainless steel grill grates? Let us know in the comments below.
Recommended For You
Don’t Miss: What Model Weber Grill Do I Have
Is It Ok To Grill On Rusted Grates
A grill with loose rust is not safe, as rust may stick to the food a grate with minor surface rust can be cleaned and treated to continue using it. While ingesting rust may not likely cause harm from one meal, continuous ingestion may be problematic for the intestinal tract.
How To Clean Grill Grates With Vinegar
This article was co-authored by Filip Boksa. Filip Boksa is the CEO and Founder of King of Maids, a U.S. based home cleaning service that helps clients with cleaning and organization.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 95% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 32,945 times.
If you frequently cook meats or other food on a grill, its hard to prevent grease and oil from sticking to your grill grates. By using simple supplies you can find at home specifically, aluminum foil, vinegar, and baking soda you can clean grill grates without toxic chemicals or endless scrubbing, and ensure that your grill is a clean and safe cooking surface.
Recommended Reading: How Long To Cook Pork Chops On Propane Grill
Grill Brushes And Grill Cleaning Tools That Work
Having a quality grill scraper or brush handy is essential to avoiding food build up on your grill. Theres nothing worse than having your chicken breast taste like last weeks salmon.
Simply scrape and brush your grill grates after each use as part of an upkeep and maintenance routine, preferably while the grill is still hot and the remnants of food are at their easiest to remove. It becomes a lot harder once fully cooled.
Some manufacturers have scrapers designed to fit their grill grates, so there is no chance of finding a stray wire in your food. Alternatives to wire grill brushes include:
- Metal scrapers
- A block of wood that has matching grooves for your grill
- stiff nylon brushes molded into the head.
- A wad of heavy duty aluminum foil
- Heavy duty abrasive grill pads Your grill shop or restaurant supply store has them.
Rule of thumb Whatever you use to clean your steel wok or cast iron skillet is also safe enough for a stainless-steel grill.
Two other methods related to soaking and rinsing are steam cleaning and pressure washing.
If you happen to own these tools, go for it, they work well. But, you dont need them, so dont spend the money just to clean your grills.
What Type Of Vinegar Works Best For Cleaning The Grates
Vinegar is a multi-purpose product that can be used to clean and shine many surfaces in the home. One such surface its great for polishing, cleaning and shining is your barbecue grill.
Its ability to break down dirt, grease and grime make it an effective way to get rid of food and other contaminants on the surface of your grill so you dont ingest these harmful chemicals while eating. However, there are different types of vinegar available at supermarkets and specialty stores so you should know how best to use each type before purchasing one.
Distilled white vinegar is perhaps the most commonly found type but apple cider vinegar works well too. The main difference between the two products is that distilled white vinegar has a more concentrated strength while apple cider vinegar is milder.
The reason why you should use a milder form of vinegar, like apple cider vinegar, is because it wont ruin your foods natural flavors by coming into contact with the raw meat. Distilled white vinegar however breaks down the chemical substances on the surface of your grill that transfer into your food when cooking. This may or may not affect the taste of your grilled dish, but either way it doesnt hurt to be safe!
After that, just rinse off the vinegar with cold water and your grill is good to use!
Once finished with this make sure you dry your grill completely so it doesnt rust in any area!
How to clean grill grates with vinegar?- Conclusion
Don’t Miss: Keeping Mice Out Of Grill
Can Wd 40 Clean A Grill
4.7/5WD40 willgrillgrillWD40cleanwash
Spray a liberal amount of WD-40 on the grill and wipe it off using a dry cloth. If any baked-on food residue remains on the grill, spray additional WD-40 to the surface and scrape it off using a wire brush or a grill cleaning tool.
does WD 40 remove limescale? Uses for WD–40 Spray WD–40 on tough limescale stains and mineral deposits in your toilet, and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a toilet brush or a pumice stone, and the stains will dissolve easily!
Subsequently, one may also ask, is WD 40 safe around food?
The No. 1 food safe multi-purpose spray for general use in food, beverage and pharmaceutical plants. *Food grade WD spray. Clean, non-toxic water displacing spray.
How do I clean a dirty grill?
How To Clean A Dirty BBQ Grill
How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates So They Look Like New
Despite what some people say, that horrible baked-on grease and old food on your grates is NOT extra flavor. Its dirty, acrid-tasting junk. Get it cleaned off! Heres how to get your stainless steel grates looking like new and how to keep them that way.
Youve invited friends for a nice barbecue cookout and they just arrive as youre about to lay your food on the grill. You watch your friends faces as their smiles turn to frowns. They stare in disgust at your pride and joy grill because it looks like a plane wreck scattered with chunks of unidentified burnt remains.
To everyones horror, you are about to lay their food right on those dirty black crusty grill rods. Shame on you! In your defense, youve tried everything you could, but the crusty black traces of bygone barbecues seem welded to the grill.
Dont despair. Youre on this page for a reason, to find a solution and simple ways to keep your stainless grill grates clean.
Through some research and testing, Ive found the best-proven ways for how to clean stainless steel grill grates, to return them back to looking like new. Its really not hard once you know how, and with just a little investment of time each time after you grill, its not even very demanding.
But before we get going, you first need to know what NOT to do.
Note:This is not the guide for you if you have cass iron grill grates. Please head over to our guide for how to clean cast iron grill grates instead.
Contents
Don’t Miss: Remove Grill Grease From Concrete
