Cleaning Your Cast Iron Bbq Grill Grates Is Important
Unless you are using your cast iron grill for cooking steak, youll probably be using it for something else. And, one of the most important parts of cleaning it is getting rid of any food particles still stuck on the grates.
You can do this by scrubbing the grates with a coarse sponge or dish brush before heating them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Once theyve cooled, use a nylon scrubber to clean off any remaining particles. However, be careful not to use anything hard on the grill, hard materials can eventually ruin your grill, and it wont stay the same.
How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill Grates 3 Easy Methods
A stainless steel grill grate is a must-have for any true BBQ enthusiast. They are easy to clean and dont rust or discolor the way other grates do. However, over time your grate may need some good scrubbing.
In this blog post, you will learn 3 different methods on how to clean stainless steel grill grates with ease!
Lets begin!
How Do I Get Rust Off My Weber Grill
At the first sign of staining, discoloration, or surface rust we recommend cleaning with a stainless steel cleaner, such as Noxon 7 to remove the rust, followed by the Weber Stainless Steel Polish to preserve the shine. Continue to use the stainless steel polish weekly to keep your grill looking its best.
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Grill Cleaner Or Oven Cleaner
If your grill has a lot of rust and/or baked on crud, and you dont think any of the above methods will work for you, then a specialized grill cleaner, or even a standard oven cleaner is the be-all end-all way of stripping all your cast iron down to bare metal.
Before you start, assemble all required materials:
- Oven cleaner
- Garbage bags
- A large enough box or container to store the grills for a couple of days while the oven cleaner works its magic
- Some safety glasses and gloves.
In a well-ventilated area, spray an even coating on your grates, place them inside garbage bags, and seal the bags airtight. Now store them for a couple of days in a warm place where no children or pets could possibly get at them.
Once the crud has all broken down, rinse the cast iron and follow it up with a wash in soapy water.
Removing Rust From Cast Iron Bbq Grill Grates
How To Remove Rust From Cast Iron BBQ Grill Grates? Cast iron grates, unlike stainless steel, are incredibly durable. No matter how hard we scrub, scrape, or apply other chemical treatments, it will not budge. A cast iron grate may rust if not correctly cleaned and stored with moisture. So, the most fantastic method to eliminate rust is to prevent it from developing in the first place.
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How Do You Maintain Weber Cast Iron Grill Grates
The easiest and best way to make sure your PECI grates last as long as possible is to brush them every time you use the grill. Just preheat the grill on high for 15 minutes with the lid closed and then brush the grates clean with a Weber Stainless Steel Grill Brush.
Grill Grate Maintenance To Remove Rust From Cast Iron Grill Grates
Keeping your barbecue looking great requires ordinary and quick cleaning after use. This might appear to be a task. Yet when you are finished grilling, clean the meshes with basic water and dish cleanser arrangement. The more time food grime stays on the meshes, the harder they will be to clean. Along these lines, its great over the long haul to give the meshes a fast flush after use. How To Remove Rust From Cast Iron Grill Grates? How To Remove Rust From Cast Iron Grill Grates
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Can I Grill On The Rust
Simply put I wouldnt recommend it. Its unsanitary and potentially unhealthy.
Itll also inhibit the grilling process, preventing those good grill marks from forming and cooking your food unevenly.
Its my strong suggestion that you use one of these rust removal techniques to spot or wholly clean your rusty grill grate before using it.
A Few Dos And Donts To Remember
Do keep grill grates clean and dry. They will last longer and give you years of enjoyment with a minimum amount of effort. It would be best if you cover your grill when not in use.
If you store it for the season, try to put it indoors, in a garage or shed. Doing so will reduce exposure to the elements and help keep the grill dry.
Dont put the grates in the dishwasher. Aside from the fact that it can make a mess in your dishwasher with all the grease and rusty particles, the abrasive nature of dishwashing detergent can cause pitting and erosion.
Rust wont kill you, but it sure can kill your appetite. Prolonged ingestion can lead to stomach irritation. Avoid food contact with rust, which can flake off and cling to your hamburgers and hot dogs. Yuck!
Grill grates need to be cleaned promptly. It will be easier each time and eliminate the dreaded chore of scouring corroded cooking grates.
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Cleaning The Inside Of The Bbq Grill Is Also Essential
You want your grill to look as good as new as possible, but its also important that you clean the inside of the grill. Wiping down the inside of the grill after every use will make sure that food isnt sticking to it. If youre going to cook food with a lot of greases, be sure to use a non-stick spray beforehand. The grease wont stick, and youll have a much easier time cleaning up after grilling. How To Remove Rust From Cast Iron BBQ Grill Grates?
Preventing Rusty Grill Grates
Keeping your grill clean and dry will prevent nearly all rusting problems. Wipe up any spills before they dry. A roll of paper towels kept near your barbecuing area will help you quickly deal with drips.
Clean your grill as soon after using it as possible. It will not only be easier to clean, but the next time youre ready for a cookout, your grill will be prepared, too.
Season your grill grates! Use solid shorting on porcelain grills. A thin layer applied with a cloth will prevent rust and corrosion. Cast iron grills need to be seasoned just like their skillet cousins. Heat up the grill and wipe down with vegetable oil. Be careful it will be hot.
Wear old gloves or use a potholder when handling warm grill grates. A light coating of vegetable oil will keep your food from sticking and prevent rusting for stainless steel.
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Why You Should Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates
The grill grate is one of the dirtiest parts of the grill. Imagine when the meat or fish is raw. It touches the grates. To add, this is also where charcoal deposits and soot accumulate when you are grilling. Without proper cleaning, they will all get in your food. It is not just unhygienic, but this can also result in changes on the original flavor.
Food contamination is a problem when you are using dirty cast iron grills, giving you another good reason to keep them clean. Bacteria and germs will linger on the surface and will transfer on food if you are not careful.
Eliminating carcinogens is another good reason why you should clean grill grates. They accumulate on the surface, posing serious health risks. During grilling, these carcinogens will transfer to food, and in turn, will reach your body. Scrubbing the grate is one of the simplest ways to make grilling healthier.
More so, cleaning the cast iron grill grates will extend its longevity. Routine cleaning will ensure its tip-top shape and peak performance, even after years of use. Meanwhile, the failure to keep in clean can result in premature wear.
Safety is another issue that regular grill cleaning can address. The more deposits or dirt there are on the surface, the higher is the chance of flare-ups. This can lead in an increased presence of grease, which can flare.
How Do You Remove Rust From Weber Cast Iron Grill Grates
Cleaning Cast Iron Grates
If the cooked on food is too stubborn to come off easily when you scrub the grates, create a cleaning paste by mixing kosher salt or baking soda with water. Apply the paste with a nylon sponge and scrub the area until it is free from stubborn build up.
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Using Commercial Rust Removers
If all the aforementioned solutions to remove rust from grill grates dont work, your last resort is to try a commercial rust remover, and the good news is that there are plenty to choose from.
When choosing a rust remover, make sure non-toxic, because you will be applying it on your grill grates after all! My choice would be the Evapo-Rust Original Rust Remover.
Cleaning A Rusty Grate With Lemon Juice
The best way to clean BBQ grill grates is to use natural ingredients such as lemon juice. The juice of a lemon is a mild acidic and dissolves rust from metal surfaces with ease. The addition of dish soap improves the cleaning process by softening the metal surface for easy cleaning.
- Paper towel
Squeeze the juice from one lemon into a bowl, add a couple of drops of dish soap, and mix the ingredients. Use a basting brush to apply the solution to the rusted surface and place plastic wrap over the grate. Allow the grill to sit for about 24 hours.
Remove the plastic wrap and use a grate brush to scrub away the loose rust and grime. Rinse the surface thoroughly with a water hose and dry with paper towels before replacing the grate.
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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.
Why Do Grill Grates Keep On Rusting
There are several reasons why your grill grates rust, most notably due to the high heat the grates are exposed to. The iron that is unprotected will rust when exposed to air, and the speed at which your grill grates rust depends on heat and moisture.
Moisture in the air as well as moisture in the food as it is cooked causes grill grates to rust more quickly.
Adding to this, food particles, cooked grease leftover or dripping on your grill grates can also lead to rusting.
Cleaning your grill grates with a chlorine-based solution such as bleach breaks down the passive film on the surface of the grates, causing them to rust.
Rust may also appear if the grill grates were not seasoned properly, so you will have to re-season them by following the manufacturers instructions.
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Prevent Rust From Returning
The last key step involves rust prevention, and how you can prevent your grill from rusting in the future. Here are our three key tips to avoid a rusty grill:
Prevents A Nasty Odor
If you do not clean the food particles and grease off of your stainless steel grill grates on a regular basis, then that will lead to the accumulation of a bad smell.
This is because it can attract bugs, rodents, or other pests, which in turn may cause an unpleasant odor coming from your grill grates over time if left uncleaned for too long.
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Vinegar And Salt Rust Remover
White vinegar is a very versatile natural cleaning product and can be used to clean just about anything, including rust. Combine 2 parts vinegar to 1-part salt into a spray bottle. Thoroughly cover the grates in the vinegar solution and store in an old plastic bag overnight. Once the grill grates have soaked overnight, wipe the grates with an old cloth to remove all the rust residue.
How Do You Restore A Rusty Grill
To use vinegar and salt to clean, combine two cups of vinegar with one cup of salt in a large bowl. Then, set your rust grates inside a big heavy-duty garbage bag, the kind that you use for your yard debris, and let the grill grates soak overnight. Once youve soaked them, wipe away the rust using an old towel or rag.
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Cleaning Rusty Grill Grates With Vinegar And Salt
Vinegar and salt are good for corroded cast iron grill grates. This cleaning procedure should be carried out outdoors or in the garage to reduce the mess.
Most of the rust should loosen enough to remove easily, but a severe case may require a second application to get the job done. Salt can also be applied with a moistened sponge to remove baked-on corrosion.
Rinse quickly and let dry thoroughly before seasoning and storing. Vinegar is an acid that dissolves oxidation, so it works well on badly rusted grills. It can erode cast iron and cause potting, so limit the amount of soaking time to overnight.
Clean The Oven With An Oven Cleaner To Remove Rust From Cast Iron Grill Grates
We can always use an oven cleaning if the rust buildup on our cast-iron grates is at its worst and none of the preceding methods have worked. Its a chemical that will give our grates the deepest clean possible. However, we must exercise caution when handling it because it is a chemical.
Heres how to get the most out of your oven cleaner:
- Spray a suitable amount of oven cleaner on the grates in a well-ventilated area. Check to see if everything is well-coated.
- Place the grates in a garbage bag and lock it tightly.
- Place them in a container or a secure location.
- Make sure they arent exposed to excessive heat.
- Keep it away from the reach of children and animals.
- Take it out and rinse it with warm soapy water after a few days .
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Lemon Juice Mixed With Detergent
Lemon juice has the flexibility to dissolve rust. To do that rust-removal approach, mix the juice with a powder-type dishwashing detergent and water. It ought to kind a thick paste. Apply the concoction to the rust on the grates and permit it to take a seat in a single day. Use heat water and a gentle sponge or material to clean the grates clear. Then, rinse them with heat water.
How Do You Refinish Grill Grates
How to Refinish Grill Grates
Caring for Porcelain Coated Cast Iron Grilling Grates
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Remove Rust From Grill Grates With Baking Soda
Using baking soda to remove rust from grill grates is not only easy to do but cost-efficient as well. Its one of the best household products to remove rust from many surfaces, including the grill. It is a mild abrasive that not only scrubs away the rust but absorbs grease and grime.
- Large bucket
Fill a large bin or bucket with hot water and add the dish detergent and baking soda. Remove the grate from the grill and scrub away any loose debris with a grill brush before placing the grate into the soapy solution.
Allow it to soak for one hour and use the brush to scrub away the loosened rust. Remove the grate and spray away residue with a garden hose before replacing it on the grill.
Use this recipe for cleaning galvanized metal, too, but skip the wire brush as it will penetrate the coating. Wipe with an old rag or a nylon sponge instead.
