Cleaning Cast Iron Grill Grates
Cleaning BBQ grill grates seems like a chore, but cleaning them routinely after each use makes the job easier. If its been some time since you last cleaned your cast iron grates, well show you how to remove grease and grime while seasoning your cast iron grill.
- Soft brush
Scrub the grill grates with a wire brush or hard bristle brush to remove any dried food particles and crud. Fill a bottle sprayer with water and apple cider vinegar and shake well to mix. Remove the grill grates and set them on a flat surface.
Spritz the vinegar sanitizer onto the iron surface and wipe away all residue with paper towels. Flip them over and repeat cleaning on the other side.
Apply a few drops of dish detergent onto a wet sponge and scrub both sides of the grates to remove any leftover grime. Spray the grill grates with clean water and dry with a towel.
Apply a small amount of vegetable oil to a soft brush and use it to coat both sides of the grate to protect it from rusting. Wipe the oily residue away with paper towels and replace the grates to the grill.
Fire up the barbecue and close the lid. Allow it to heat for ten minutes before turning off the heating element. Apply one more coat of oil to the grate.
Outside Cleaning Of A Stainless Steel Grill
While stainless steel is generally stain-resistant, it still requires routine barbecue grill cleaning to remove grease spills and stains from outdoor elements. This stainless steel cleaner is simple to make and works wonders for cleaning the outside of a grill.
- Paper towels
To clean away grease stains from stainless steel, apply a small amount of dish soap to a damp sponge and add a sprinkling of baking soda. Wipe the stained area clean with the sponge.
After removing tough stains, perform an overall cleaning by filling a bottle sprayer with white vinegar and spraying it onto the steel surface. Use paper towels to wipe away all of the dirt and vinegar residue.
Make sure to clean with the grain rather than against it. Use a new paper towel to dry the surface.
Gather Stainless Steel Safe Supplies
Before you get started, youll want to make sure you have all the necessary supplies. If you havent already, invest in a high-quality grill cover. Youll take it off right before you grill and put it back on once your grill is cool and clean.
A high-quality grill cover releases interior moisture while keeping external moisture out. Never skimp on a grill cover: they keep your grill looking brand new season after season.
The following materials are safe for routine cleaning of stainless steel grills and stainless steel grill plates:
- Microfiber Clothes: Paper towels can be rough and scratch stainless steel surfaces.
- Dedicated Stainless Steel Cleaner Or Mild Liquid Dish Detergent: While most manufacturers, like Weber, recommend using a stainless steel cleaner, mild dish soap mixed with warm water is a safe alternative. Never use harsh chemicals like bleach.
- Warm Water
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How To Clean Weber Stainless Steel Grill
There are a few things to consider when working out how to clean Weber stainless steel grill.
Scrubbing Grates Of The Stainless Steel
Stainless still grill grates refer to the upper-head on which we generally put the meat or fish for BBQ. It is commonly made using steel, cast irons, and porcelain. If you want to scrub the grates, you should follow these steps. These are pretty straightforward.
Step one:
You will need to create a mixture using baking soda and normal water to clean the stainless steel grate of the grill. The paste will work as a cleanser for the grate.
Take 60-85ml of mildly warm water into a cup and pour 45gm of baking soda into it. If you lack a measuring tool, ¼ cup of baking soda will do. Now, stir the mixture with a spoon until it mixes properly to make a paste.
Step two:
Either use your hands or a rag to apply the baking soda paste on the grate. Make sure that the paste has reached every part of the grate. Now let it sit on the grate for the next few minutes. This will loosen up the debris on the grate.
Also, you must remove the grate from the grill structure so that you can reach both sides of the grate.
Step three:
Sometimes debris such as food particles and oil spills will concentrate more on some particular parts of the grate. It mostly happens when the stainless steel grill grate hasnt been cleaned for a while.
In such cases, you may need to apply an oven cleaner on those tough to clean sports and let it sit overnight. You may also choose a specialized grill cleaner for the purpose.
Step four:
Step five:
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Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Cleaning stainless steel grill plates requires a bit more finesse. While the grill is hot, carefully spread a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the grates. This will concentrate the heat and cause the food particles to burn off.
- Once the grill is cooled, use a grill brush with nylon bristles to clean off the remaining particles.
- If the grates have been neglected or require a deep cleaning, take them to soak in the kitchen sink.
- Sprinkle baking soda all over the stainless steel grate. Next, use a spray bottle to spray white vinegar over the baking soda. After the mixture foams, gently scrub with a wire brush or steel wool.
- Once clean, rinse the grate well with water and allow it to dry completely before returning them to your grill.
How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Burners
Before you began with it make sure to turn off the gas supply of your grill machine. After that remove the grill grate and the flame tamers, the burners are underneath the tamers. You need to remove both of them and set aside for cleaning separately.
Burners become dirty with food residue and provide uneven heat. Most of the time gas ports are clogged with food debris. Gas ports are created in uniform shape and spacing between them so that it can provide even heat to cook properly. So, cleaning the ports is one of the most important things while cleaning the burners so make sure the ports are not clogged. You can use a drill bit or any small substance which can clean small ports.
You will need a degreaser spray to clean the burners. But do not use any water to clean the burners. Use a dry wire brush and afterward wipe it with a paper towel. Also, check the burner tube and if it is clogged clean it in the same way as the burner ports.
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Two Cleaning Techniques For Stainless Steel Grills
Stainless steel can handle a lot. This material can withstand extremely high and intense heat, and they arent prone to develop any rust or corrode. Stainless steel surface is that its capable of shining and looking like new once cleaned unlike cast iron grill grates.Weve come up with two ways to leave your gorgeous grill grates looking absolutely spotless.
No Scrub Baking Soda And Vinegar Grate Cleaning
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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Which Grill Brushes And Grill Cleaning Tools Work
We highly recommend that you invest in a stainless steel BBQ scraper or a stiff nylon scrub brush. These not only work on stainless steel grill grates, but theyre okay to use for cleaning cast iron cookware.To avoid intense cleaning sessions, you should begin cleaning your grill grates as soon as the cooking process is complete.You wont want to wait too long for them to completely cool down because thats when the food bits will harden. It becomes even more challenging to remove. Cleaning your grill grates regularly is very important. Clean grill grates not only preserve the great taste of your food but it ensures that youre not consuming anything that you shouldnt be eating.
Baking Soda And Scour Sponge Grate Cleaning
If you have porcelain or enamel grill grates, this is the method for you. Metal such as a wire brush or aluminum foil can scratch the finish of coated grill grates, so using a scour sponge or nylon bristle brush is best. Dont worry though, the power of ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda will help dissolve and abrade the charred on food bits to get your grill grates clean.
- Remove the stainless steel grate from the grill and place on a flat surface.
- Moisten the grill grate with water.
- Sprinkle ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda liberally over the stainless steel grates and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Using a damp scourer sponge, scrub the grate going up and down each wire.
- Rinse with water and return the grate to the grill.
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Steer Clear Of Steel Wool
Heres the thing. Steel wool is an excellent grate cleaning tool for cast iron grill grates. Its pretty effective in getting all that nasty grime off. However, it may not be safe to use on stainless steel grates, and heres why.
Stainless steel has a fine finish. Steel wool leaves fine scratches that ruin this pristine finish which, after a while, makes it harder to clean the grates. Food particles and grease become wedged into those minute crevices, making it virtually impossible to get rid of. Ensure that the clean tool you choose keeps your stainless steel grill grates in mint condition.
How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates Easily
BySaba Akbar
Have you got your dream grill with stainless steel grates? And, your worry is, how to clean stainless steel grill grates?
Well, your happy grill grates are just 7 mins read away. Weve gathered the best methods to clean the stainless steel grill grates.
Among these, you can pick the one that your grates need the most. Here we come.
Contents
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How Do You Clean The Outside Of A Gas Grill
Before and after each grilling season:
Soak The Grates If Needed
Mix hot water and dishwashing detergent, then let it soak the grates or outside of the grill for at least 10 minutes. To remove hard grease and grime, overnight soaking of the grates can help.
Mixing baking soda with vinegar and leaving the grill soaked overnight can really break down build-up if needed. You can then hose down the grates after soaking and use a cloth wipe to remove the debris.
Grilling tip: you can apply vegetable oil on the grates before adding anything to barbecue. The vegetable oil will prevent food from sticking on the grill.
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Cleaning With Vinegar And Foil
Vinegar will disintegrate the burned food and clean your grill racks gently. Foil may be a highly efficient way to remove dirt from the surface without damaging it.
- Allow the grill on your barbeque to cool before cleaning with vinegar.
- Within the spray container, combine 2 cups vinegar and 2 cups water.
- Spray the grill with a solution of water and vinegar, coating both the top and bottom.
- Allow about 10 minutes for the solution to sink into the racks.
- Aluminum foil should be folded in a thicker manner to prevent it from tearing.
- Prior to cleaning the grill, spray the foil with a vinegar solution.
- Utilize the foil to scrub the grill racks.
Cleaning A Stainless Steel Griddle
- Step 1. While griddle is hot, scrape surface clean of food debris and grease buildup.
- Step 2. Pour warm water on it to start boiling off the grease buildup, being careful of any steam generated.
- Step 3. Place a griddle screen and scrubbing pad on top of each other and place onto the griddle.
- Step 4. Using the pad holder, press down on the griddle pad and screen.
- Step 5. Scour the entire surface of the griddle.
- Step 6. Rinse and wipe clean.
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How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates The Right Way
Now that you know what not to do with your stainless steel grill grate, lets dive into how to clean a stainless steel grate the right way. When it comes to keeping your grates and grill rack clean, there are two things you need to keep in mind.
- The easiest way to clean your grids is while theyre still hot, right after youre through with barbecuing. Besides, it gives you something to do while you let the meat rest. Dont put it off till later.
- If that sounds too ambitious especially when youre trying to fight off hunger pangs and would rather clean your grates at a later time , ensure that you preheat your grill first. 500°F for 15 minutes should do it. Then, use a scrubber or scraper to brush away any remnants from your previous barbecuing session.
With that in mind, you can use any of the two techniques below to clean your stainless steel grates.
Degrease The Upper Cookbox
- Disconnect the gas supply from your grill, then put on a pair of gloves to protect your hands from grill grease and cleaning products.
- Mix a solution of 20 percent dish soap and 80 percent water in a spray bottle, then open the lid of your grill and spray down the inside of the upper cookbox. Leave the solution to dissolve the grease for a few minutes, then brush it thoroughly with a stainless steel brush.
- Next, carefully remove the cooking grates and balance them on top of an open garbage can lined with a garbage bag, to prep them for cleaning.
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Ways To Clean A Grill
There are different ways to clean a grill, and it all comes down to whether you have a charcoal, gas, or electric grill. Other factors to consider when cleaning is the material. Is yours made with stainless steel? Does it have cast iron grates? Different types of materials require specific cleaning ingredients and techniques.
Barbecue Grills
Charcoal grills are the most basic and straightforward types of BBQ. While these grills are high maintenance, they provide food with a char-grilled, smoky flavor. You cook the food over charcoal briquettes or wood chips that turn to ash while grilling. Therefore, there is more clean-up required with a charcoal grill than the gas or electric styles.
A grill that is ideal for on-the-go grilling is the electric grill. These portable grills are more compact than the charcoal and gas grills, but they do require a power source. They are one of the easiest to clean since there is no charcoal ash.
Gas grills are the most efficient and easiest to use over other grill types. They use either liquid propane or natural gas for cooking food, so there is no ash to clean up when the cooking is complete.
The two most common materials in grills are stainless steel and cast iron. Its important to know what material your BBQ consists of before cleaning it to ensure that you dont cause damage to the surface.
How To Clean The Inside Of A Stainless Steel Grill
- Zero Gravity Marketing LLC. Collaborator
The summer is well and truly here, and that can only mean one thing: grilling. What could be better than going outdoors and making yourself some delicious burgers and steaks on the grill? It’s perfect, but afterward, you’re going to need to clean that grill out.
If you’re dreading the job, don’t worry. Here’s a foolproof guide to cleaning the inside of your stainless steel grill. It takes all the hard work out of it for you and ensures that you’ll have a sparkling clean grill to cook on once you’re finished.
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