How To Clean My Grill Grates

Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Without Removing From The Grill

4 Tricks To Clean Your Grill Grates

Cast iron grill grates are durable and heat evenly but can be prone to rusting. If you open your grill to see rusty cast iron grates, dont despair. Reach for the baking soda, even if your cast iron grates dont easily come out of your grill.

  • Make a paste of 1 ½ cups ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda, ¼ cup dish soap, and ¼ cup white vinegar in a small bowl. It should be a frothy liquid consistency that sticks to the grill grates.
  • Using a brush, paint the grill grates with the paste, avoiding the heating elements if this is a gas grill. Close the grill. Note: do not turn the grill on.
  • Let the paste sit for 8-12 hours or overnight.
  • Use a nylon-bristled brush or scourer sponge to remove the loosened debris and grime.
  • Use a damp sponge and warm water to wipe away any remaining residue.

Once all the rust is removed, thoroughly dry the grates and rub them with a generous amount of vegetable oil to coat them and protect from moisture. You can also turn the grill on high after coating with oil to help lock in the seasoning and be ready for your next BBQ.

Seasoning Porcelain Coated Cast Iron Grates

Theres some debate as to whether you have to season porcelain enameled cast iron grates. Some grill makers, such as Weber, state that its unnecessary because the porcelain coating already prevents rusting and serves as a nonstick surface. However, other grill makers like Napoleon and Broil King instruct owners to season their porcelain coated grates. Therefore, its best to follow the manufacturers instructions on your grill. If you have any doubts, we suggest seasoning the gratesno harm can come of it and it may save your grates.

Why Is It So Important To Clean Grill Grates

When you cook your meals on a grill, the heat burns the fats and most of it drips to the surface of the grill.

The excess oil collects in the grill and forms a thick layer of grease.

The accumulated grease, other than harboring dirt and germs, could cause a fire when it comes into contact with burning flames.

The heated grill grates also burn the foods placed on them and some particles are left attached to it.

The pieces of food on the grill gates attract bacteria when the grill is left for some time without being used and this results in contamination.

Im pretty sure you dont want to serve your guests contaminated meals that will make them sick and the only way to prevent this from happening is by upholding cleanliness.

Now that you are aware of the need to keep your grill clean and free of germs, you are probably wondering how often you should do it.

Well, cleaning your grill thoroughly after every cookout is not always possible but you can at least clean the grates to remove the food particles attached to it before you store the grill.

Here, I will teach you how to clean your grates with vinegar a natural cleaning agent.

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Removing Rust With A Wire Brush

The quickest method for removing rust from charcoal grill grates is by using a wire brush. Remove the grate from the grill and place it on a flat surface, such as the driveway or patio. Brush the rust off the grates with the wire brush, making sure you get in between each grate. Wipe away the dislodged rust and grime with an old cloth and place the grate back onto the BBQ.

No Scrub Baking Soda And Vinegar Grate Cleaning

When Is The Best Time To Clean Your Grates?

If you have an extremely dirty grill with stubborn, caked-on grease or grime that doesnt loosen right away soaking the grimy grates overnight in baking soda and white vinegar can save the labor of scrubbing.

Try this method to deep clean your grates at the beginning of grilling season or use it after a cookout, especially if you cant scrub the grates right away.

  • Once your grates are completely cool, remove from the grill.
  • In a large garbage bag , combine 2 cups of white vinegar and one cup of ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda. The mixture will begin foaming right away.
  • Place all the grates into the trash bag and seal it with a tight rubber band or knotted string. Place the bag with the grates and the solution in a cool, out-of-the-way place and wait 8-12 hours or overnight.
  • Remove the grates from the bag and rinse in a large sink or with a hose. Most, if not all of the grime should fall away from the grates. Rub any stubborn residue away with a ball of aluminum foil or sponge it will be much easier and looser than before soaking.
  • Seal the garbage bag and discard it and any remaining solution.
  • Return your grates to your grill.

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How To Keep Your Grill Clean

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To love grilling is to love your grill.

Like any good relationship, you need to put some work into the one you have with your grillluckily the time spent keeping a happy grill is minimal and the payback for the effort is enormous. It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with a top-of-line model or a cheap knock-off, with proper maintenance, any grill is bound to keep you cooking for a good-long time.

Clear The Burner Tubes

If you have a gas grill, one part that often gets clogged are its burner tubes. One symptom of dirty burners is reduced flame size. They may also burn with an orange color instead of the usual blue. Both indicate abnormally low temperatures and an underpowered grill.

Typically a gas grill has multiple burner tubes, though some may have only one. Use a nylon or steel wire brush to gently clean the small holes on the tubes. Be sure to brush from the center of the tube outward, moving sideways . Otherwise you may push debris into the tube or holes themselves instead of clearing them.

Use a metal scraper instead of a steel brush with bristles.

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Cleaning The Grill Grate

After getting a fire going, the first order of business is cleaning the grill grate. The grill grate will see the most action and because of thisand the fact that food will come into direct contact with itmost of your cleaning attention should be focused here.

Cooking with high heat gives you a great advantage in easily achieving a clean grill grate. Each time the grill’s fired up, let the grate heat up over the new, intense heat for about five minutes. This will burn away some food stuffs that may be remaining, then a grill brush and a little elbow grease will easily take care of the rest.

If you haven’t already, invest in a good grill brush with a long handle and firm bristles or scouring pad.

Onions Can Work As Well

How To Clean Gas Grill Grates

This is going to seem a bit odd at first, but you can use half of an onion to clean your grill grates. If you have an onion that you dont need or half of an onion that you dont need, then you can easily get this done.

Use a barbecue fork or something similar to puncture the onion so that you can scrub it across the grill grates. The onion that youre using has acidic enzymes that will be able to break down whatever debris is stuck to the grill grates.

Youll be able to get rid of grease so that your next meal will taste perfect. Youre going to need to keep the grill hot to use this method properly, though.

Keep the grill hot and use the barbecue fork to scrub back and forth with the onion. Try to keep your hands away from the grill grates so that you dont get burned.

You could wear protective gloves while doing this if you feel that its necessary. Theres nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution when youre cleaning like this.

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The Lazy Approach: Burning

The idea behind this method is simple, get the grate super hot until all the caked on grease burns up. You can throw the grates in a self-cleaning oven or simply place some aluminum foil down on top of the grate, close the lid and light up the grill. After about 10-15 minutes all of the grease should be a white powder, simply brush it off and youre done.

How To Clean Bbq Grill Grates With Vinegar

Every time you use the grill it gets messy.

Bits of food and grease get stuck to the grates and some even fall down below into the grill.

If youre using a charcoal grill, then its even dirtier because of the ash.

Ash is not that big of a deal. You just scoop it up or if youre clever suck it up with a vacuum cleaner.

The real problem is the burnt food residue on the grates.

If you dont clean them after every cooking session, it will get layers of dirt and grime, and fat.

Thats not only unsanitary but also detrimental to your health.

The most simple solution would be to just scrub the grates with a wire brush. Hold on. This stuff is burnt on pretty badly, kind of like glue.

Instead of spending hours scrubbing your ass off, why dont you try a different approach?

In this guide, Ill show you one of the most simple and effective ways to clean grill grates by using vinegar.

Its natural, cheap, every household and store has it, and its super effective.

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Allow Yourgrates To Season

Avoid over cleaning your grates in the beginning to allow them to season and develop a non-stick coating. We like to compare GrillGrates to a good cast iron pan: seasoning is the KEY to good food! Your grates will go from gray to light brown to black over time this is a good thing!

Warning: Do not put in the dishwasher.Do not use oven cleaner or harsh caustic cleaners.

Choose Your Best Way To Clean Grill Grates

Grill Grates, The Best Way To Clean

You dont need to use a specialized grill cleaner or harsh chemicals to clean your grill, even if its covered in charred grease and grime. When you clean the inside of your grill with baking soda, you can use a nylon-bristled brush, scourer sponge, a ball of aluminum foil, or even a paper towel or rag, depending on what you have available.

To clean grimy stainless steel grill grates, heat your grill to high to burn off and loosen any excess food, then let the grates cool before scrubbing. You can also skip this step and go straight to the scrubbing.

Here are four ways to clean your stainless steel, cast iron, or enamel grill grates with minimal effort, thanks to the power of ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda.

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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, they’re 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.

How To Clean Cast Iron Stove Grates

Stove grates can easily become dirty if you have a busy cooking schedule.

Just think about that bacon grease, burnt food debris and spaghetti sauce, all stuck on your precious stove grates.

Constant exposure to fire and grease makes the grates crusty and stained. This can defiantly ruin the aesthetic value of your shiny burner. Fortunately, there are a few simple techniques that can help you in easily restoring the shape and texture of your cast iron grates.

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Prevent Rust On Grill Grates

  • You can prevent rust appearing on the grill grates by covering the barbecue with a fitted cover. This will stop moisture from getting to the BBQ grill, preventing rust.
  • Cleaning the grill grates after every use will reduce the risk of rust. Food grime left on the grates will cause them to rust much quicker.
  • After each use, coat the grates in a thin layer of vegetable oil using a paper towel. Vegetable oil repels water so will help to prevent the grill grates from rusting.
  • Clean Grates And Racks After Each Use

    How to Oil Grill Grates – Clean and Safe

    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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    The Obvious Approach: Brushing

    This method works best if it is done immediately after grilling while the grate is still hot. Before the grates cool off, scrape each grate with a brush, both top and bottom sides. You can also dip the brush in water which will create a steam that loosens the grease. Not only will this make cleaning time shorter, but it will discourage insects from hanging around your grill. Depending on your grate you may need to wipe them down with a cloth after scrapping.

    Remove Grill Rust With Baking Soda

    Baking soda is a fantastic natural cleaner that can be used to remove grease and grime from the BBQ grill. Start by removing as much rust from the grate as you can with a soft brush.

    Then place the grate back onto the BBQ. Sprinkle the baking soda generously onto the grate and turn the BBQ on.

    The heat from the BBQ will make the baking soda bubble, this process will eliminate the rust from the grill. Once the baking soda has finished bubbling, turn the grill off and leave the BBQ to cool down. Then use a soft brush to clean away the remaining baking soda and rust.

    Baking soda is a powerful little cleaning product and can even be used to clean your oven, you can find the homemade oven cleaner recipe here.

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    Prior To Using Grillgrates: Clean Your Grill

    Clean your grease trap and inspect your burners and flame tents. Remove debris that has accumulated on the ledges that hold your old grates. This will prevent flare-ups from igniting grease and debris in the bottom of your grill.

    Tip: Should a grease fire occur, turn off the burners and leave the lid closed until the fire is out. Do not use water to extinguish a grease fire.

    The Best Most Effective Way To Clean Disgusting Grill Grates

    Life Hack: How to Clean Gas Grill Grates

    Cleaning my grill is one of those maintenance tasks I know I should do on a regular basis, but I dread doing. In fact, I dread it so deeply, I find myself stacking my chore list with anything and everything else. You should see how clean my windows are!

    A big part of my problem, aside from the gross factor, is that I havent found a reliable way to get rid of all that built-up grease and char without a multitude of expensive specialty products or dont-breathe-while-using chemicals. I cant tell you how many grill bricks and bottles of oven cleaner and degreaser Ive blasted through. If I had one sure-fire way to clean it with stuff I typically have on hand Id probably be more likely to do it more often.

    So, when I saw the recent results of Kitchns grill grate cleaning showdown, I was intrigued. The hands-down winner was a mixture of Dawn dish soap and baking soda two things Im never without. Could it be that the solution to my problem was in my kitchen all along?

    With summer grilling season here, and my grates already looking really dirty , I realized it was time to stop procrastinating. Plus, I had no excuse. I already had everything I needed.

    I followed the method in the article, mixing up a big batch of the cleaning mixture 1/2 cup baking soda and enough Dawn to make a thick paste. As recommended, I scraped the grates clean as best as I could with a ball of aluminum foil, then set them out on newspapers so I could coat every centimeter in the paste.

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    How To Oil Your Grill Grates

    You’ve got a beautiful piece of salmon on the grill. But when you try to take it off, it sticks to the grates and it breaks apart. You can prevent this food tragedy by cleaning and oiling your grill before or after each use. By doing so, you’ll be able to flip food more easily and create those stunning grill marks that make food look so appetizing. Learn how to properly clean and oil a grill grate with these tips.

    How To Remove Rust From Cast Iron Grates

    Sometimes accidents or unintentional neglect can happen, and your grates will sadly become rusty.

    This can occur if you accidentally leave the cover off your grill, or if you simply dont use it for a prolonged period and moisture gets inside the grill.

    If this happens, dont panic there are several ways you can remove rust and restore your cast iron grates to their former glory.

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