What Can I Use To Clean My Grill
Clean the grill using a stiff wire brush dipped in water. Do not lean over the grill while cleaning, as this should create plenty of steam. For tough grease spots, add dish soap to the water or a grill cleaner. Once the surface has cooled, wipe the grate with a damp cloth to remove residue or brush bristles.
Best Way To Clean Grill Grates
Well-maintained and clean grates are the key to a sumptuous and well-cooked meal. Not only will you achieve perfect and DEFINED CHAR MARKS, but youll also be doing your grill a favor.
There are 3 regular cleaning methods you can try at home. Well also go over the safest and fastest deep cleaning method for stubborn greasy grates!
So, grab your grates, and lets get cleaning!
How To Clean A Cast Iron Grill
Cast iron is super tricky. Like, how are you supposed to clean something without using soap? Quite the riddle.
- Itâs best to burn off any food built up on your cast iron grill by cranking the grillâs heat way up with the lid on.
- Once the grates cool, you can use a bristled grill brush to scrub the grates.
- Use minimal water on cast iron, otherwise it can develop rust.
- Coating your cast iron with a light layer of vegetable oil after and in between uses helps to protect the grates against rust.
Now youâre all set to fire up the grill, without having to worry about the grimy ghosts from last summerâs burnt bratwursts coming back to haunt this weekâs grilled romaine and black bean burgers. So set the clocks ahead an hour, pour yourself a Moscow Mule and bust out the bug spray. Spring has sprung, baby.
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Mix One Cup Salt With Two Cups Vinegar
The first thing youll need to do is mix the salt with the vinegar. The salt will increase the natural acidity of the vinegar to the point where it can dissolve the already oxidized metal.
However, it wont damage the metal around and underneath it. The salt also acts as an abrasive when it comes time to start scrubbing.
How To Clean A Barbecue Grill

- Total Time: 1 hr
Luckily, the time spent maintaining a grill is minimal, and the payback for the effort is enormous. It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with a top-of-line model or a cheap knockoff: A major seasonal cleaning combined with an every day scrub-down will improve your grill’s cooking performance. A clean grill will cook food better, and it will be free of residue that could possibly contaminate it.
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Clean Out The Grease Drain Pan
While changing out the aluminum foil on your grease pan is a good first step, it isnt the only thing you need to do. To get the most out of your grill, you have to clean underneath of the foil. When grease is allowed to build up and fester, it can actually eat away at the metal in the drain pan.
Start by scraping out any of the extra debris and grease that can build up in both the grease pan as well as the grease drain tub. Its best to do this after cooking since grease is easier to clean when it is still warm.
Keeping the drain tub free and clear is not only much cleaner but can actually prevent grease fires from happening. Make sure to clean both the drain pan and the drain tube from time to time to prevent fires.
Clean Your Grill Naturally For Best Results & Taste
As you can see, it can be very easy to clean your grill or smoker naturally using household items that pack a punch. Youll end up with better results, without harsh chemicals, and protect the delicious flavor of your cooking. A homemade grill cleaner will also end up saving you money in the long run.
Combine the natural ingredients/items we covered above with the tips we cover in our grill cleaning article and keep your cooker spotless and ready to go!
Do you have a favorite natural grill cleaning method? Know of another homemade grill cleaner recipe? Leave a comment below. We want to hear from you!
Make sure to also check out our YouTube channelfor the insider info, tips, and BBQ news straight from the pros. Click Subscribe to see all the latest from BBQ Champs Academy!
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Best Grill Brush: Grillart
Heres a wonderful brush that will do the trick real quick. The secret to this brush is from the looped wires that present no danger to your guests or your grill. It does have a secret of its own and you need to stick to that rule. It works with water to help steam off the grill gunk. Have any bucket handy to clean your grill while its nice and hot.
Add some lemon juice to break down acids faster while you give a scrub down between grilled dishes. It can even reach into narrow slots that other tools may find hard getting into. Its a safer alternative to wire brushes but still uses looped wire to clean-off cooked food particles.
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.
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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.
Alternate Between Quick Cleanups And Deep Cleans
Not every grill cleaning experience has to take a long time. When you finish grilling, spend 10 minutes scraping and wiping your grill. You can usually get rid of at least half the splatter and mess immediately.
How often should you deep clean? It depends on how often you fire up the grill. Most pitmasters who regularly grill adopt monthly cleaning routines. Just make sure your deep clean is done on a cool grill, not one thats warm.
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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.
Lightly scrub your grates.
What Is The Easiest Way To Clean Grill Grates

Clean with Hot, Soapy Water
Lightly scrub your grates. Soak in soapy water for an hour and rinse. Return the grates to your grill, close the lid and warm it up. After its warmed, use your grill brush to scrub any additional residue off the grates.
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Can You Use Easy Off On Grill
EASY-OFF® Fume Free Oven Cleaner can be used on BBQ grills although we recommend the use of EASY-OFF® Grill Cleaner. BBQ Grill cleaning: DO NOT USE ON GRILL EXTERIOR, INTERIOR OR COMPONENTS. Remove rack from grill and place on several layers of newspaper on a non-wood surface such as pavement or utility sink.
Homemade Grill Cleaners For A Spotless Grill
Theres nothing better than a meal cooked on the grill, except maybe when your grill is so clean it shines like new. To enjoy those grilled meats and sides, you have to get your grill a bit dirty. Every slather of sauce and flip of a burger adds up on your grill. Luckily, you can erase these messes with homemade grill cleaner.
You could go out and spend money on grill-specific cleaners, but why do that when you have what you need at home? Plenty of household items make a great DIY grill cleaner and dont involve an extra trip to the store. With these items already at your disposal, you can have an easy grill cleaning job done in no time. While a benefit of a clean grill is how amazing it looks, there are even more reasons to keep your grill clean.
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How To Clean An Outdoor Gas Grill
Last Updated: November 5, 2020ReferencesTested
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Outdoor grilling is a great way to get together with family and friends and enjoy tasty food. However, the outdoor fun is only possible with a grill that is cleaned and maintained throughout the year. There are a few simple cleaning steps that you can do after every time you grill, along with deeper, semi-annual cleaning steps to keep your grill working its best for years to come. An outdoor grill that is kept clean and maintained will stay in good working order and will ensure that the food you cook on it always tastes great.
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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What Is The Best Way To Clean Grill Grates Fast And Efficient Methods
Cleaning your grates is an important step to making them last longer. But the question is – is the cleaning process the SAMEfor all types of grates?
The BEST way to clean them actually depends on the TYPE of grates you have.
Dont worry as our experts have prepared a COMPLETE guide on how to correctly and efficiently clean grills of any kind!
Cleaning Lightly After Every Use
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Cleaning The Exterior Of Your Grill
Is There A Difference Between White Vinegar And Cleaning Vinegar

Is There a Difference Between Cleaning Vinegar and White Vinegar? White vinegar has 5 percent acidity while cleaning vinegar, on the other hand, has 6 percent. Although its only a one percent difference in acidity, it actually results in cleaning vinegar being 20 percent stronger than white vinegar.
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Soak The Grill Grates And Metal Pieces In Hot Water And Dish Soap Soak Them In Your Sink Or A Large Plastic Bin
At this point, youre probably hoping that you dont have to scrub the grill grates vigorously. Luckily, you dont. Just fill your sink with hot water and dish soap and let the grates soak. Some grill grates will be too big to fit in your sink. In that case, set your grill grates in a shallow plastic container with hot soapy water.
If you dont have a plastic bin handy, you can try the strategy we used to clean stove top grates. Learn more right here.
How Do You Clean A Neglected Grill
If you have neglected cleaning your grill for years, you probably dont want to spend hours scrubbing away at your grill making no progress. Instead, try mixing baking soda and water to make a strong paste. It will break down grease and baked-on food with ease. If youre going to clean your whole grill, you might need a lot of paste. Heres what you need to do.
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Grill Grate Cleaning Method: Store
- Total time: 20 minutes
- Rating: 3
The method: I used Mean Green Super Strength Cleaner & Degreaser, which says to spray on the surface, wipe clean, and rinse thoroughly. The label also says not to let the stuff dry before rinsing, so this is definitely not one of those spray-and-sit situations.
How it went: This was one of the most hands-on methods and, by far, the messiest. It did yield great results, but it took a lot to get to that point. While I was very happy with the grate after the cleaning, I did have lots of grease splatter marks on my shoes and pants! Id be willing to put in the effort if there wasnt an option that topped this one, which brings me to this next method