How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates

Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Without Removing From The Grill

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.

Cleaning The Outside Of The Grill

There are many strategies you could use for grill cleaning. When cleaning the outside of your grill, we do not recommend using stainless steel cleaners and polishes. Instead, use warm water and dish detergent to create a soapy solution as one of the best ways to clean a grill safely and effectively.

Avoid abrasive and acidic cleaners as they damage the grills finish. Dampen a microfiber cloth in the dish soap and water solution. Wring it out and wipe down the exterior of the grill. Always go in the same direction as the grain to prevent scratching.

Microfiber is the best material to use as it wont scratch the steel, while other fabrics may. For stubborn areas with caked-on grease or other stains, use a soft sponge. Never use a scouring pad or steel wool.

Once everything is clean, rinse with warm water to remove all of the dirt and soap residue left behind from cleaning. Dry with a microfiber cloth, making sure to follow the direction of the grain once again to prevent scratches. You can use some of the same cleaners you use to clean a stainless steel kitchen sink to clean the exterior of your grill.

Insert Them Into Your Grill

Pro Tip: Now that youre done cleaning, oil the grill grates with canola oil before you cook. This will help prevent food from sticking to the grill in the future and make cleaning much easier.

Canola oil, peanut oil, and avocado oil are all great due to their high smoke points.

Olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are not good to use as they have a smoke point. They will burn at around 400º which is too low for grilling.

Now lets continue with the rest of our grill grate cleaning methods.

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Do You Need To Season Stainless Grates

You dont need to season stainless like you do cast iron. I still feel you should season it before the first time you use it but theres not really any need to keep seasoning it like with cast iron.

The reason you season cast iron is because its porous and the oil works its way inside the metal. This helps keep it from rusting and makes it nonstick. Stainless isnt as porous as cast and good stainless shouldnt rust no matter what.

But stainless isnt nonstick so doing a initial seasoning will help to make it nonstick. Its always a good idea to brush a little oil on the cooking grates before you put the food on to keep it from sticking.

Just like spraying a pan before you use it. But stainless grates tend to be small and thin so its not as effective because the oil runs off of them fast and in to the grill.

If your having a problem with your food sticking then try brushing a little oil on the food itself before putting it on the grill. This will give you the same affect as putting it on the grates.

But sins its on the food theres no time for it to run off before hand. So in this case you still get a barrier between the food and the cooking greats.

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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Aluminum Foil As A Stainless Steel Grill Cleaner

This method works, but should only be used as a last resort, as BBQ tools provide far better results. To remove food residue and grease from your cooking grates before cleaning, ball up some aluminum foil and scrub off the grime.

For aluminum grates, you can also try using a homemade aluminum cleaner recipe. If your grill grates are cast iron, its important to reseason them after cleaning a cast iron grill.

Ensure that you take care of seasoning a cast iron grill after cleaning it. This process involves using oil to rub all over the grates after washing to ensure that they dont rust and to provide a non-stick surface for your next grilled meal. Always reseason your cast iron grill after cleaning.

Easy Ways To Clean Grill Grates

Cleaning your grill grates may sound daunting, but it doesnt take much to get them sparkling. Heres how to clean grill grates four ways.

1. Burnoff

This is the quickest and easiest method for cleaning grill grates. Grill grime, begone!

2. Clean with Hot, Soapy Water

In addition to using the burnoff method, we recommend scrubbing your grill grates down with hot, soapy water every month. This way, you can ensure that there isnt any lingering buildup on your grates. Plus, this method kills two birds with one stone: cleaned grates that are also sanitized by the heat.

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Maintaining The Grills Interior

What You Need To Know About Cleaning Stainless Steel Grills

Regular cleaning of your grill or any stainless steel tools or appliances is essential to prevent corrosion and to maintain the shiny surface. How often you clean your BBQ grill and other stainless steel items depends on how much you use them and your environmental conditions inside and out. The harsher the conditions, the more cleaning your stainless grill requires.

Salty air speeds up rust and corrosion, while chlorine damages the finish. If you live near the ocean or have a pool, clean your grill inside and outside weekly. Once clean, invest in a cover so you can protect it from the elements when its not in use.

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Kona Bristle Free Barbecue Grill Brush

For those unconvinced by any wires, but still looking for an effective tool to clean their stainless steel, look no further than the Kona Bristle Free Barbecue Grill Brush. A sturdy steel wire design facilitates deep cleaning of stainless steel and other grill grates, without risking unwanted deposits of metal wires in your food. It has 3 tightly wound brushes made of dense coils of tightly wound steel that deliver a powerful cleaning of even the most obstinate gunk and grime.

How To Clean Stainless Steel Grates Quick Tips

Stainless steel grill grates can handle 800+ degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than any residential grill will get. Unlike cast iron, stainless steel is somewhat rust-resistant.

The easiest way to clean the grates is to simply brush them. Well go over this method below.

With stainless steel grates, you can use a nylon brush or wire brush, but nylon is the safer bet. You always run the risk of scratching the grates using a wire brush if you press too hard.

Also, the bristles can break off in your grill and cook into your food, which is a health hazard. So just be mindful of how much pressure you use when cleaning your stainless steel grill grates.

Now lets get into eight different methods you can use to make them look nice and shiny.

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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

What Can I Use To Clean My Stainless Steel Grill

You can clean your stainless steel grill by using some natural cleansers. To make an effective cleanser to clean your stainless steel grills, add 45 grams of baking soda to 59 ml of water in a small bowl. Mix these two to form a paste. You can also use hot water to mix it easily and also to blend it well.

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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

How Often Should You Clean Your Grill Grates

The leftover bits of food on your grill grates can not only create a smelly mess, but can be a breeding ground for bacteria that could contaminate foods next time you grill. Additionally, burned food has been linked to cancer causing carcinogens, so it is important that your grill is nice and clean before your next cookout.

For easier cleaning of your grill, at the start of a new grilling season, you should give your grill a good clean. If you are using the grill frequently, you will need to clean it at least once a week and give the grates a thorough clean every month or two. This will ensure that your grill cooks well all season and it will also have a longer lifespan.

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Weber Grill Cleaner Spray

Weber, the manufacturers of some of the worlds most respected grills, offers their Grill Cleaner Spray as the ultimate grill-cleaning product. In conjunction with one of the aforementioned pieces of hardware, the resultant combination will provide a formidable cleaning combination suited to tackle even the toughest grill grime.

This non-toxic, citrus-derived spray cleaner will eliminate the need for extra fuel use for cleaning stainless steel grill grates with heat, as it can be used on a cool grill grate.

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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The Basics When To Clean Your Grill

Every time you grill, the final step of the day should be to run a wire brush over the grating to knock loose the charred remains of whatever you made that day. Its easiest to get the grossest bits off the grill when its hot, and it takes only a few seconds to clean. If you leave the grill dirty, bugs, flies, and every other hungry critter is going to come hunting. Animal hair, dust and dirt, and even dead bugs get stuck in the goop on your grill. Periodic deep cleaning of your grill will ensure good quality, clean food each time you cook. When cleaning the grill grate, following some important tips will ensure excellent results without damaging anything.

Two Simple Steps To Keeping Grids Clean:

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How To Clean Porcelain Coated Grill Grates

If your grill has porcelain grates, they are likely to be basic metal grills with a coating of heavy porcelain. The metal core may be steel or iron, but while this impacts how quickly the grates heat up, the cleaning process remains the same for either.

To clean your porcelain grill grates, you will need a soft bristle brush or toothbrush, a bucket of warm water, dish soap, cleaning cloths and a soft surface, such as a grill mat. If youre cleaning outdoors, cover a table or piece of plywood with a heavy drop cloth to protect the underside of the grates while youre scrubbing.

Add a dash of dishwashing soap to a bucket of warm water. Remove your grates from your grill and hose them off with clean water before laying them on the soft surface. Dip a cleaning cloth into the soapy water and scrub the surface of the grates. If there is baked on material that isnt coming off just with the cloth, switch to your soft bristle brush.

Bear in mind that you should never use a scraper on porcelain grates. A scraper may damage the surface and cause a chip or crack that could allow moisture to seep in and damage the metal core.

Rinse with clean water and either air dry or dry with a soft towel.