Gear You Need For Cleaning Your Stainless Steel Grates
Heres what you need to clean your stainless steel grate:
- Stiff nylon brush or metal scraper
Cleaning stainless steel grill grates is a simple 4-step process:
Allow me to walk you through this simple process of how to keep your stainless-steel grill grates clean. Ready? Lets dive in.
Clean With Aluminum Foil And Baking Soda
- Make a paste of 1 ½ cup ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda and ½ cup water in a small bowl. It should be a thick liquid consistency that sticks to the grill grates.
- Using a brush or sponge, cover the grill grates with the baking soda paste and let sit for a few minutes.
- Tear off a sizable piece of aluminum foil and crumple into a ball.
- Scrub the baking-soda covered grate wires with the aluminum foil ball, working up and down each wire and across the grate.
- Rinse the grate with water and return to the grill.
Grill Grate Cleaning Method: Baking Soda + Liquid Dish Soap
- Total time: 40 minutes
- Rating: 4
The method: Remove cooled grates from the grill. Fill a sink or bucket with warm water and approximately 1/2 cup of baking soda. In a bowl, mix up a paste of Dawn dish soap and baking soda. Apply the paste to the grates, making sure to get in all the nooks and crannies, and let the grates soak for at least 30 minutes. Then scrub, wash, and rinse.
How it went: The paste did an absolutely fantastic job of removing oil and getting the tops of the grates clean. I honestly wasnt expecting such dramatic results! It didnt work so well on the chunky burnt-on parts down in the grooves. When used in combination with aluminum foil, however, this method is really great, and helps to avoid using an aerosol or any harsh chemicals. This is the only way Ill be cleaning my grates from now on!
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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 Rust From Grill Grates
Rusting is a common problem if you dont do barbecues that often. It builds up with time but, fortunately, it can be removed. You can use lemon juice and detergent. Lemon juice is good for dissolving rust. You should mix the lemon juice with powder detergent and water so you can form a paste, then apply the paste to the rusty grates and leave it there overnight. Scrub it with warm water using a sponge or soft cloth to remove the rust. Then rinse it with warm water.
- Grill Cleaner – Super-strength gel cleans your grill and is safe on food-prep surfaces
- Grease Remover – Quickly cleans and removes grease from your grill and grates
- Biodegradable – Super-strength gel is biodegradable and reduces smoke/flare-ups
- Works On – Caked-on food, baked-on deposits, carbon and grease, do not use on aluminum or faux stainless steel
- Safe For Use – On metals, cooking grates/racks, drip pans, grill interiors/exteriors
Soda can also be used for removing rust from grill grates because it has phosphoric acid which is the main ingredient in products that are used for getting rid of rust. Cover the rusty part in soda and leave it overnight, then use water to rinse it and scrub the area using a clean sponge or soft cloth.
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Vinegar Will Give Great Results
Clean the grates with vinegar – it helps with degreasing and does not contain harmful chemicals like an oven cleaner. Pour it into a spray bottle and spray the grates.
After 10 minutes, take a sponge or steel wool and scrub the grates. If you want even better results without much scrubbing:
Chrome / Nickel Plated Wire Grates
If you own a standard Weber grill, youve seen these shiny cheap grates before. They work well for a while but after a couple of good years of service, theyre ready to toss out. The plating eventually comes off and they tend to rust quickly. Not too much loss, but then again theyre made to be replaced. These grates work excellent since the grate is thin enough to get a good sear on your meat.
Weber/Kettle Grill Hinged Grates
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Clean Your Grill Regularly
Although you may feel lazy after a hearty grilling session, its a good practice to clean your grill after each use to prevent the grates and the grill from rusting.
Before cleaning your grill, be sure to turn the burners off, and use a grill brush to remove any particles that may be stuck on the grates.
The best time to clean a charcoal grill is while its hot using a brush, and a little bit of water. After you clean the grates of the grill and allow the grill to cool, get rid of any remaining ashes or leftover coals in the appliance, and clean the cook box with mild soapy water.
Apart from regular cleaning, manufacturers recommend deep cleaning your grill twice a year or more depending on use.
First, remove the grates, and clean them with a solution of hot water, one cup of mild dish soap, and 1/4 cup of baking soda.
After cleaning the grates with the solution, let them air dry before reinstalling them on the grill.
If youre an avid griller, you should use a specialized spray to clean the grates of your grill.
Clean Grill Grates The Right Way
Your grill performs at its peak when you maintain it. That means that you need to keep your grill clean and seasoned to prevent rust or grease buildup. Ensure that you clean your grill every time you use it if you want it to stay at the top of its game.
A daily cleaning method keeps your grill clean without risk of damage. Find a cleaning option that works for your needs, and dont grill without it.
Not only should you clean your grill after each use, give it a little attention right before using it, too. Burn residue off the grates and clean off dust that may have accumulated since the last grilling session so that you can enjoy fresh, delicious grilled food every time you cook.
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Cast Iron Grates Rust Prevention
Now that you know how to clean cast iron grates, you should know that cast iron needs to remain oiled, or it is often referred to as seasoning. Without any type of porcelain coating, the raw iron exposed to the elements will rust. This process is simple and will expand the life of your cast iron grates.
Grab an old rag and soak it in vegetable oil and apply the oil to the grate. Make sure you cover every inch with oil to prevent rust. You should season or oil at least every time you deep clean your grates with soap, vinegar, and baking soda.
How To Clean A Grill After Using A Fire Extinguisher On It
Whether you are an expert or a newbie, grease fire may occur unexpectedly. Many of us use a fire extinguisher or baking soda when experiencing the grease fire to put out the fire.
Though it helps solve the fire issue, it leaves white stuff on and around the cooking grate. Removing this sticky and stubborn chalky substance is a bit challenging. Now, lets check out how you can remove the white stuff from your grill after putting out the fire.
- Pull out the cooking grates from your grill and keep them in a large wash pan. Let them soak in the soapy water.
- Remove other components like drip pan, firepot, heat buffer, and others from your grill and scrub the inside with water & vinegar solution.
- Place your grill in direct sunlight and wash your grill with a garden hose to remove the remaining leftover.
- Put everything back into your grill- except the cooking grates.
- Scrub the cooking grates thoroughly and rinse them with water. Once the grates dry, place them into your grill.
- Turn on your grill and run it for 15 minutes to burn off the remaining residue.
- Finally, use a grill brush to brush away the cooking grates when it cools down.
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Can You Use Oven Cleaner On Grill Grates
Spray the grill grates with oven cleaner, coating them thoroughly. You can also spray the interior of the grill with the cleaner, but do not get oven cleaner on the exterior of the grill because it can damage the enamel finish. Leave the cleaner on the grates for 20 to 30 minutes so it can soften the grime buildup.
How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates With Vinegar
Do you want to grill a better tasting steak or burger? Does your cast iron grate have a tough time grilling? Here is the solution.
The high heat needed for grilling causes food to stick to the cast iron grate when cooking. The residue builds up and when left on long enough gets hard, causing food to definitely stick in addition to creating off flavors. To clean cast iron grill grates it is suggested that you use oven cleaner however there are always other options too! Here is an easy way of how to clean cast iron grill grates using vinegar.
Step 1: Remove the Grill Grates from the BBQ Grill
To begin cleaning your cast iron ribbed grill grates, you will need to remove them from your BBQ grill. This is best done with tin snips since the grates are most likely still hot, so be careful when removing them.
Step 2: Make a Vinegar Solution
Get a large clean bucket and put in about 1/2 gallon of vinegar .
Step 3: Soak Then Scrub
Once you have removed the cast iron ribbed grate from your grill, immediately submerge it into the vinegar solution. Allow this to sit overnight. The next day when you come back to clean cast iron grate, scrub any food or grease off with an old toothbrush that has been dipped in the vinegar solution. You may also use steel wool pads
Step 4: Rinse with Water
> > How to clean grill grates with vinegar See more: Homemade vinegar FAQs
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Clean Out Used Charcoal Or Wood
If you have a charcoal or wood chip-burning grill , you can use a garden trowel or even a fireplace ash shovel to remove old coals and ash from the bottom of your grill.
Dispose of the ashes properly, in a trash bag or other closed container. Check the ash box for any damage or holes, while you use a small brush or hand broom to remove any remaining ashes.
Make sure all grill vent holes are clear of debris while you remove ash.
Note: Check our tips for grill maintenance checks you can perform on all parts of your grill, from fuel hoses to the joints on the chassis.
Cleaning Grill Grates With Vinegar And Baking Soda
If you have stubborn residue on your grill grates that just wont come off with the steps above, its time to bring out the big guns: vinegar and baking soda. For the best results, youll need 24 hours for this method.
Youll need a large trash bag, 2 cups of vinegar, and 1 cup of baking soda.
Mix the vinegar and baking soda in a bowl. Place your grill grates in the large garbage bag, and pour the vinegar and baking soda solution inside the bag. Seal the bag and position it so that the grates are being soaked by the solution. Let it sit for 24 hours.
Once the allotted time has passed, pull the grates out and rinse or wipe them off with water. The residue should come off easily. If it doesnt, try scrubbing with a sponge or nylon brush, as it shouldnt take much force to remove anything still on the grates.
Once your grates are nice and clean, you can put them back on the grill and season them as described in step 7 above.
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Best Ways For Cleaning Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Based on the severity of the problem, there are various methods and techniques to clean stainless steel grill grates. Whether your grill grates need mild cleaning or harsh treatment, weve got you covered.
In the following, weve discussed the safest techniques to clean your stainless steel grill grates.
Use Your Grill To Burn Grease And Residue From The Grates
This method is easy and, if done often, should keep your grates in good shape. After grilling, the process is simple: increase the grills temperature to the highest safest temperature possible and close the lid.
You will see a lot of smoke, and old grease can and will light up. Keeping the lid shut and letting all this grime burn off is recommended. If you open the grill lid, you will feed air to the fire and can have a big flare-up! Be careful.
After about 15 to 20 minutes, shut off your grill, keep the lip shut and let any grease fire self extinguish. Grab a brush or cleaning tool and scrape off the grease residue.
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How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Easily
BySaba Akbar
Are your good old iron grates also getting affected by rust or food residues? Looking for the most workable way about how to clean cast iron grill grates again?
You have landed just the right place. In this thread, we will discuss the best procedures to keep your iron cast grill grates new.
Hop on, the joyride to find how to clean cast iron grill grates in the best manner.
Contents
The Best Grill Brushes And Cleaning Tools
Here are some of the best grill brushes and cleaning tools for your grill.
Use this Stainless Steel BBQ Grill Scraper to scrape away unwanted food. It works great with cast iron grill grates!
This Grill Rack Scrape & Grab Tool gives you an easy way to grab and lift your grill rack with a single hand. It’s safe for all grill racks, including ceramic and porcelain.
This Bristle-Free Grill Cleaning Brush features a coiled stainless steel wire that won’t break, bend, loosen, or shed.
This Stainless Steel Grill Cleaning Brush with Scraper is sure to get into the nooks and crannies. It comes with a grooved scraper on one end to make cleaning even easier.
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How To Care For Your Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Lastly, its very important that you prioritize proper care for your stainless steel grill grates. It doesnt matter how clean it is if youre damaging it during the cleaning process. In order to avoid heavy clean-ups, its best to prevent your food from sticking to the grill in the first place. Unlike cast-iron grates, you should not use vegetable oil on your stainless steel grill grates after every use. Instead, focus on oiling your food to prevent them from sticking to the stainless steel surface.
We hope that our foolproof guide to cleaning stainless steel grill grates has helped you. Keep your grill grates clean, and keep enjoying those outdoor barbecue sessions! Do you know any other ways to clean stainless steel grill grates? Let us know in the comments below.Charlie
Hi, Im Charlie, I am head taste tester at Simply Meat Smoking! I love it grilling, smoking, and getting out in the yard with the kids! The family also love to test all my recipes
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Cant wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling adventures with you! You can read more on our About Us page.
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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
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