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 Rusty Grill Grates
By: Author Lindsay Reed
The burgers and hot dogs are ready, but your grill grate is rusty. Not sure how to get that rust off so you can showcase your grill-master prowess and keep your food delicious?;
Thankfully, its pretty simple to learn how to clean rusty grill grates using ingredients you probably have around the house. Ive outlined a few of my favorite ways so you can find the one that works for your grill and your timeframe.
Benefits Of A Clean Bbq
We all know many health benefits of cooking your food on the grill, from the fact that you use and therefore eat less fat through the fact that the meat retains its nutrients and all the way to the fact that grilled vegetables are better for your health, as they have more vitamins and minerals. However, a few people consider the even bigger benefits of grilling on a clean BBQ.
Its good for your health.
The most important benefit, of course, is the healthy one. Regularly cleaning your BBQ removes build up bacteria in your grill, which can be transferred to your food. More importantly, it removes harmful carcinogens.
A clean barbecue is a safe one.
Another crucial reason is the safety one. A clean BBQ reduces the chance of fire. When youre cleaning the BBQ, youre also inspecting its parts, and thus, you can prevent dangerous gas leaks from worn out parts.
It smells better.
The same goes for the smell. Just as you wouldnt want your vegetables to taste like steak, you wouldnt want them to smell like a stake, either. Even worse than a stake smell is that smoky, rancid grease smell. Dont you think that your family and your guests deserve better than that?
It tastes better.
It prevents pest infestation.
A dirty grill attracts bugs and rodents. Considering that Australia is a country well-known for its many pests, we suppose you wouldnt want to attract even more. prevents an infestation, always keep your grill clean.
Improves the look of the BBQ.
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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.
How To Clean Rusty Gas Grill Grates
Imagine you wish to use your gas grill to cook a hamburger, chicken wings, or any barbecue dish and you see rust on the grates of your grill! That must be annoying and irritating. So you must separate some time to clean the rust from your daily routine once in a while so that you dont have to take the burden of spending time cleaning the grates when you instead want to prepare and eat the meal ASAP.;
There are two things you should take care of maintaining the grill from time to time and cleaning the grates once in a while for a longer life of your grill.;
Lets look into the details of the same.
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How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates
It is important to take the time to clean the stainless steel grill grates on your barbecue to reduce the chance of food poisoning from leftover particles stuck to the surface. Charred food can also leave residue on anything new you cook, potentially changing the flavor you’ve worked hard to create.
Fortunately, these grates aren’t hard to clean, especially if you keep up with the task regularly. One safety note: Never use steel wool or metal brushes on your grill. The tiny bits of metal can get stuck in food and end up causing problems if ingested.
Step 1 – Give Your Grill a Hot Deep Clean
If you haven’t cleaned your grill for some time, a deep cleaning may be necessary to remove all the grease and baked-on food that can’t be scrubbed off.
Remove the grates and turn on the barbecue. Next wrap the cooking grates tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil with the shiny side out. Put on oven mitts and place the wrapped grates on the grill. Close the lid and leave them there for 15 to 30 minutes. The dirtier they are, the longer you’ll need to leave them.
When the proper time has elapsed, turn off the barbecue, open the lid, and allow the grates to cool. Unwrap the foil and follow up by washing the surface with soapy water and a soft sponge.
Step 2 – Clean Thoroughly Once a Week
If you use your grates regularly, especially during summer, it’s important to give it a good cleaning once a week. For these sessions, you should wait until your grill has completely cooled.
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.
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Ultimate Cheeseburger And Grill Cleaning Guide
- Pin
Summer grilling season will be here soon and my Ultimate Cheeseburger and Grill Cleaning Guide is all you need to keep the family fed and happy. Before you BBQ chefs fire up your neglected grills for the first time since last fall, get your grills in the best shape with my grill cleaning guide.
I grill most of the winter but the cleaning and care of my grill is not part of my cold weather routine.;The performance of your grill can diminish over time if has not been maintained properly.
Low temperatures, uneven heat, hot spots and food sticking to grates are all possible side effects of poor grill cleaning and maintenance. A clean grill is a happy grill.
Donts Of Bbq Cleaning
DONT remove all the grease
While you might want to clean your BBQ, you also wouldnt want to remove all the grease and leave it like that. Oils protect the BBQ from rust and prevent dirt from sticking.
DONT use harsh chemicals for cleaning a BBQ
Harsh chemicals will affect the taste of the food afterwards and can harm the finish of the BBQ and its components.
DONT use abrasive scrubbers BBQs with stainless steel finish
To preserve the perfect finish of a stainless steel BBQ, avoid abrasive materials when cleaning. A detergent or a wool cloth will scratch the surface, and it will never look as new. Cleaning in circular motions is a no-no. Test on one little spot before you continue cleaning the whole BBQ.
DONT disassemble gas components
We strongly suggest you dont try to disassemble the gas components of a BBQ because its a safety hazard. If not assembled right, you might have a trip to the hospital instead of having a BBQ party. So its best to leave the gas components as they are.
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Choose Your Best Way To Clean Grill Grates
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.
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.
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Grill Grate Cleaning Method: Aluminum Foil
- Total time: 15 minutes
- Rating: 1
The method: Crumple up a ball of aluminum foil, then use the ball to scrape warm-but-not-hot grates clean.
How it went: I found this method to be an excellent way to get down into the grooves and knock big chunks and flakes off your grates before using one of the other methods. I loved it because I was able to mold the foil to the shape of the grates to get down in between each one. It didnt do a great job at removing grease which wasnt surprising, and why I like this method in tandem with another method. Just keep in mind that using excessive force can strip away the enamel, so proceed with caution!
How To Clean Porcelain Grates Quick Tips
Porcelain grill grates are popular because they insulate heat well and theyre resistant to rust.
But, you still need to periodically clean them to keep them in great condition.
Watch out for chips and scratches in the porcelain finish. If water comes into contact with the metal under the finish, this may cause rust.
So take extra caution when cooking with metal spatulas or other metal tools.
Make sure to use a nylon brush which has soft bristles rather than a metal brush to keep the porcelain scratch-free.
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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.
How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Heavy
Youll eventually encounter a grill grate that wont come clean with a low-impact method. To tackle tougher stains and caked-on grease and grime when you need to know how to clean BBQ grates, reach for a heavy-duty cleaning option.
Having a high-powered grill cleaning method in your back pocket will prepare you for any eventuality and give you peace of mind. Its what you need to become a master griller and top outdoor chef.
This section examines different methods of cleaning grill grates when the usual options dont get the job done. Youll get an excellent solution for cleaning stainless steel grates with vinegar that you can also use on other grate types.
And, we show you some options on how to clean grill grates that use household items such as salt and baking soda to knock out even the most formidable grill stains.
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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.
Caring For Your Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Keeping your grates clean and free from food will prevent them from pitting.
While some people recommend to wipe oil on the grill, it can lead to faster build up. Instead, oil your food. It accomplishes the goal of preventing the food from sticking and uses less oil.
Cleaning your grill after each use will make the job of keeping your grates clean easier. Andfood just tastes better on a clean grill.
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Update: Cleaning Grates With Easy Off
Ive used Easy-Off in many tests before and it works really well, so it always wins. I mean its right there in the name: EASY! I almost didnt try it in this test, because I know that the harsh chemicals are a turn-off for some people. But then my editor wrote about how its her new favorite method and I gave it a try. Heres how I did it and how it worked for me.
- Total time: 90 minutes
- Rating: 4
The method: Remove cooled grates from grill and place them on a trash bag outdoors, or in a utility sink in a well-ventilated area. Brush the grates to remove as much gunk as possible. Spray the grates with Easy Off, allow to foam, and let sit for 40 minutes. Brush down the grates, rinsing frequently. Be sure to rinse thoroughly before putting them back on the grill.
How it went: The Easy-Off works as its meant to, loosening grit and grime, making it much easier to wipe away. It took me two sessions to successfully remove the grime from the grill grate. The first time cleaned the top of the grate, but didnt loosen the stuff that was really stuck down in between. After another 40 minutes, I was able to easily wipe down most of what was left over. There was a tiny bit of gunk left, which I was able to easily get out with some aluminum foil. This method was the easiest , but again, I know its not for everyone.
How do you clean your grill grates when they need a deep, deep clean?
What To Do With Charcoal
All SE grilling recipes »
The end-of-the-day, just-ate-a-ton-of-meat laziness is kicking in, and with it, the total desire to ignore a problem at hand: the remains of spent fuel.
I implore you, overcome your meat coma and clean out that ash. See, a pile of ash left in the grill can collect moisture, and ash plus moisture can equal a cement-like substance that can become your biggest challenge to cleaning your grillif you can manage to clean it out at all.
To make quick work of this, I keep a big bucket by the grill where I can dump ash at days end. Not only am I more likely to complete this annoying chore if it’s that much easier, but I can also safely move still warm coals out of the grill to finish extinguishing. I store that bucket somewhere where it won’t get wet, then trash the collection of ash when it’s full and I’m positive there’s no coals still burning.
Ash disposal becomes even easier if you opt for lump charcoal, since it creates relatively little ash when compared to briquettes.
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How To Clean Bbq Grates
The best way to clean stainless steel BBQ grates is to clean them after each use. Give your stainless steel cooking grids a scrub with your stainless steel grill brush, or our bristle free grill brush. Doing this while the grill is still hot will mean you dont have to do it when you go to cook next time, and goes a long way to ensuring your stainless steel cooking grates remain looking like new.
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.
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