Clean The Heat Deflectors
Many gas grills have thin steel plates, angled in the shape of a “V,” that separate the burners from the cooking chamber. These heat deflectors serve to distribute heat evenly around the cooking chamber and prevent the gas flames from burning the foods directly overhead. Grease and food residue often drips down onto these deflectors.
Clean the deflectors after every three of four uses of the grill by removing them from the cooking chamber and scrubbing them with warm soapy water and a nylon brush or scrubbing pad. Dry them completely before putting them back in the grill.
How To Clean The Heat Distribution System
Many grills contain heat distribution systems like flavorizer bars to help prevent flare-up, explains Kolman. Just like the rest of the grill, these bars can get gunky over time, so its a good idea to regularly brush them with a grill brush or scrape them with a putty knife. Then, wipe them with a rag and warm soapy water.
Rinse the Warming Racks and Grill BasketsRemove smoke stains and debris from your warming racks and grill baskets with soap and a fine steel wool pad. Rub the racks gently and then rinse them thoroughly before re-inserting into the grill, says Kolman.
What Household Items Can You Use To Clean A Grill
You can clean your grill with many different household cleaning products. They are just as reliable as a kitchen degreaser or grill cleaner that you can buy in a store or online.
Here are some grease-cutting combinations that will clean your grill with ease.
- Baking soda and water
- Dish soap and baking soda
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Before You Start Consult Your Gas Grills User Manual
Taking something apart is easy, but putting it all back together, in the right place or order, is the tricky bit.
This is where your grill manual comes in handy, so you can be confident that everything goes back how it should.
While most grills work the same way, its still essential to consult your grill manual to ensure a thorough clean just in case any non-standard parts arent covered in this guide.
If you cant get your hands on your manual, many companies have electronic copies downloadable online, so check the manufacturers website or try typing your grill model into a search engine.
If this fails, then take photos as you take your grill apart, so you can see what parts go where and how to put it back together!
Wipe The Grates And Racks
Wipe the grates and racks with a damp rag to remove loosened bits, and make sure there are no loose brush bristles left on the grate .
If you have a cast-iron grate, clean it completely, then brush on some vegetable oil with a paper towel to keep your grate in proper shape. Bare cast iron needs to be inspected regularly, because it is more likely to rust.
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Wipe The Burners Clean
Now to the burner tubes.
These should have been adequately covered by the Flavorizer Bars or metal plates described above, so a gentle wipe with a sponge and warm soapy water should be enough.
While wiping them down, check to make sure none of the holes are clogged as this affects the flow of gas, causes uneven heating and inconsistent results from your grill.
So if you see any clogged holes, gently remove the dirt using a toothpick or an opened out paper clip to clear any blocked holes.
If more than just a small number of holes are blocked, if seriously dirty, caked, and clogged they will need a little extra TLC. Check out our guide to cleaning gas grill burner tubes for more info.
How Do I Keep Animals Out Of My Grill
Putting a cover on your grill can help discourage animals from approaching it as well. Wildlife or pet deterrents, such as the sprays or powders found at garden centers or pet stores, can also help keep animals from being attracted to your grill. Just be sure not to apply them directly to the grill itself.
Are dried mouse droppings dangerous?
The accumulation of feces from mice and rats can spread bacteria, contaminate food sources and trigger allergic reactions in humans. Once the fecal matter becomes dry, it can be hazardous to those who breathe it in.
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Simply Wash And Rinse With Soapy Water
Its a good idea to start with fresh warm soapy water again. Otherwise, youll get grease smears all over the outside of your grill, and thats never a good look.
Using a sponge, gently scrub the exterior all over, particularly around the grooves and knobs where grime tends to stick.
If you have any stubborn bits of burnt food or grime, soak it with warm water and cleaning product a few times, 30 seconds or so apart to loosen it.
Do not use a scourer as this will scratch the paintwork or surface.
Once youve rubbed it down thoroughly, rinse it with clean water using your garden hose set to a low power setting, and thats it!
Do I Need To Clean My Gas Grill After Each Use
You do not need to clean your gas grill after each use. If you use your gas grill every day, clean it every one to two weeks. If you use it a couple of times a week, clean it every month. If you spend a whole day barbecuing for a large group, you may want to clean your gas grill after youre done grilling.
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Get Rid Of All The Gunk At The Bottom
After wiping the burners, youll want to move on to the plates underneath. My grill has two of these, and as you can see, they were pretty filthy. These pull right out, and are easy to clean off with your grill brush. I found that the sponge didnt do a whole lot on these plates, as this is where most of your grime ends up and you get a nice layer of char. Much like a cast iron skillet. Mostly just worry about the big chunks with these plates.
After the plates are out, youre left with basically just the removable bottom tray. Scrape any chunks from the edges onto your tray.
This is what my tray looks like . Slides right out.
Before and after of cleaning the tray. Some of the gunk will be loose, but some will probably need to be scraped off. I also used the sponge here to get at least some of that grease and grime off. Its not perfect, but are grills really supposed to be spotless?
Clean The Flavorizer Bars
Most grills have some sort of cover over the gas burners, and these are often named Flavorizer Bars, or sometimes heat diffusers, or simply metal plates.
Before their invention, lava rocks were used instead, which were a nightmare to clean and prone to flare-ups.
Nowadays, the Flavorizer Bars spread the heat more evenly and direct drippings away from the burner tubes. This not only creates more even cooking, but it helps to prevent flare-ups and stops the burners from clogging, so its essential to keep these guys clean.
The Flavorizer Bars are the most chastised part of the grill, because not only do they take full whack of the heat, but they also collect all of the marinade and drippings so do tend to get and look a bit grim over time.
Again, theres no secret technique here, just make sure these guys are removed from the grill and then scrub both sides with a scourer and warm soapy water.
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Know The Importance Of The Seasoning Of The Grill
Before first use, burn your gas grill for 20 to 30 minutes to remove dust, oil, adhesives, coatings, and other gunk that may have accumulated at the factory or store. Set the burners to high before lighting the grill, then close the lid. Open the lid after 20 to 30 minutes, and continue burning for 5 minutes more. Using a brass brush, clean the grill grate. Turn the gas grill off and let it cool.
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Out of the many different types of grills, the varieties that heat using charcoal require the most cleaning. Keep charcoal grills in peak condition by cleaning them after each use and thoroughly cleaning before and after each grilling season.
After each use:
Charcoal ash gathers at the bottom of the grill every time it’s used, so you must clean the grill after each use. Built-up ash can block vents in the bottom of the grill, making it difficult to control cooking temperature and increase fire risks.
- Once the charcoal has cooled, remove the bricks and brush out the ash.
- Cleaning grill grates is best done with a long-handled stiff-wire brush. If you dont have a brush, ball up some aluminum foil and hold with long-handled tongs.
- Use a rag or folded paper towels to apply vegetable oil to the clean grates. This will help prevent rust and food build-up.
- Clean the inside of the grilling bowl and lid using mild dish soap and a steel brush.
Before and after each grilling season:
In addition to cleaning out old charcoal, keep your charcoal grill in peak condition with regular maintenance. Follow these cleaning tips at the beginning and end of each grilling season, performing more often as needed.
- Clean the outside of the lid and bowl using soap and water. You can also use grill cleaner. Towel dry to prevent rust.
- Keep the grill protected with a grill cover.
After each use:
Before and after each grilling season:
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Mandatory Gas Grill Maintenance Tips
Oil it up. Use a pair of long handled tongs and paper towel to apply vegetable oil to your grill grates before each use. The oil will prevent food from sticking to the grates too much. Be sure to apply the oil once the grates are hot.
After each use, while the grates are still hot, use your long handled stiff wire brush to scrape off any residual food. Itâs like brushing your teeth, if your teeth were made of metal and your toothbrush was extremely abrasive.
Torch food drippings between uses. If youâre using your grill regularly, once a week you should turn it on high and leave it on for about 15 minutes to burn off any residual food build up, grease and grime.
Invest in a grill cover. The reasoning behind this should be obvious, but the less your grill is exposed to weather, the better. Also grill covers might prevent hypothetical wasps or birds from nesting in your grill between uses.
Safety first. Occasionally check your fuel line for leaks by liberally applying soapy water to all of the propane connectors, valves and line with a sponge or wet rag. Fire up the grill and check for any little bubbles forming in the soap suds. If you see bubbles forming, you may have a gas leak and should replace the problem area, whether it be the hose, valves or connectors.
Note: If youâre storing your grill outside, itâs okay to leave the propane connected but OFF. If your grill is inside, like in a garage or enclosed patio, best to disconnect the gas entirely when not in use.
Scrub The Bottom Of The Grill
After removing and cleaning all removable parts, it should be easier to reach the bottom of the grill.
And just to repeat myself, you have already done the inside lid and sides, yes? Good.
Now remove any large quantities of grease and build up from the bottom of the grill with a scraper before scrubbing it out with a scourer and warm soapy water.
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How To Clean Your Grill
If people thought of their grills in the same way they think of their stove tops, there would be a lot fewer problems with grills breaking down. Consider this: after cooking something on the stove, you usually have to clean up the spills. Of course, its possible that Im just a messy cook, but I cant seem to cook without at least wiping down the surface. Ill do a more thorough cleaning every now and then, depending on how frequently its used. This includes rearranging everything and wiping around and under the burners. A grill, on the other hand, should be treated similarly. Clean it at least lightly after each use.
Clean Grates And Racks After Each Use
Cleaning chores are much easier if they are done often, after each use of the grill. This is critical with gas grills since the high temperatures can bake on grease and foods, making it challenging to clean the grates and racks once they cool and the grease hardens.
Make sure to clean these parts after every cooking session.
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Directions For Cleaning A Gas Grill:
Make sure your grill is cool before cleaning.
Cleaning The Interior Of Your Grill
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How To Clean Grill Burners
Now, remove the burner tubes and clean themthoroughly. They may be attached with a screw or cotter pin, depending on yourgrill. Removing burners can be quite complex with some grills. Old Weber Genesis grills had a complex system,where the electrodes were mounted to the first burner, and a crossover tubecarried the flame to the other two. Over time, corrosion would tend to freezethe screws attaching the crossover tube, preventing you from detaching it,which required an elaborate workaround to change the burner .The point of this digression is that burners are complicated, and vary a lotfrom model to model, and brand to brand. If you cant look at the burner andfigure out how it works before disassembling it or if parts are frozen inplace feel free to . Wed be happy to talk you through it.
Remove the igniter and wrap the wire endscarefully in foil to keep them free of debris. Be sure to note exactly how theigniter fits into the burner failing to reinstall your igniter assemblycorrectly is one of the surest ways to have your grill refuse to light.
To insure you get the correct burner from your grill, measure the burner from end to end and compare the dimensions to what we list on our site.
How To Clean Your Gas Grill + Keep It Fresh All Season
Follow our 15 step deep cleaning guide, plus our 5 step routine maintenance tips!
Ah, summer. âTis the season of the grill. Dust it off, bust it out, load up on propane and prepare to luxuriate in outdoor cooking over the open fire, just like dads everywhere intended.
But you donât have to be a loafer wearing, middle aged, balding dude to grill. Nor do you need to be tailgating. Or even carnivorous! Grills are for everyone. From suburban backyards to fifth floor walk up balconies to car camping sites across the nation. Let your inner pit master shine, relishing in that sweet satisfaction of diamond marks seared flawlessly into your food.
But hold up. With great grilling comes great responsibility. Itâs essential to keep your gas grill clean, out of respect for yourself, your food and the guests at your BBQ. A little routine maintenance goes a long way with your grill. There are some basic deep cleaning guidelines you ought to follow to kick off and close out each grilling season and also some simple, regular cleaning to be done at the end of each use. Thatâs right: every time you use the grill, you should clean it afterwards. Not cleaning your grill is like never cleaning your pots and pans.
Okay, letâs set the scene: Itâs an unseasonably warm day in late April and youâve already prematurely busted out your flip flops, so why not grill some burgers? First, follow our semi annual deep cleaning grill guidelines to get started.
Supplies:
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