Why We Dont Like Brushes For Cleaning Grates
Everybody thinks that wire brushes work best, but in reality, they can be dangerous if not used properly. You need to use a scraper to knock down the dried-up stuff that a wire brush cant do easily. Like brushing your teeth huh? Not really, since little wire hairs can snap off and stick to the greasy spots you cant get to. You wont see it there until it gets in your food. Sending your BBQ guests to the hospital is never part of the plan.
Only use a wire brush after youve scraped off all the grease and given the grill a good inspection. Dip your wire brush into water before doing any scrubbing after the grill is free from oil and junk. If the grill is still hot, the water will vaporize and causes steam to remove anything left-over. This will also prevent little wires from sticking to the grill surface too as theyll drop down into the grill bed.
Deep Cleaning And Maintenance
After youve cooked the last burger of the season, thoroughly clean your grill before storing it for the winter. Remove the grates, burner hoods, and grease pan, and scrub them with hot, soapy water and a plastic scour pad. Do the same inside the firebox and lid. Thoroughly rinse and dry all parts before reassembling. Also, remove the battery from the igniter before storing your grill long-term so it doesnt corrode.
Even if you follow the strictest cleaning and maintenance schedule, you will have to replace some parts on your grill as it ages. The burner hoods and cooking grates in particular take a lot of abuse and arent meant to last forever. My dad replaced these parts on his 17-year-old Weber Genesis four to five times over the years.
Clean Grill With Onion
Onion is popular for its antiseptic properties. It can kill bacteria fast and efficient. Now, it is known to be an effective cleaning agent for BBQ grill without using harmful chemicals and leaves a great smell on your grills.
What You Need:
- Get one onion and peel.
- 2Place it on the end of the BBQ fork.
- 3With your wire brush, run it over the grill.
- 4Heat up the BBQ grill.
- 5Continue running the onion into your grill until it is gone.
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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.
Keep Your Charcoal Grill In Top Form By Knowing A Variety Of Ways To Clean It
Warmer days mean that barbecue season is almost upon us. Before you fire up your grill, its a good idea to review how to clean it. Each of the following techniques can be used to clean a charcoal grill.
For grilling safety, always make sure your grill is completely cooled before you start cleaning.
On This Page
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How To Clean Bbq Grill
The easiest and most efficient way to clean the BBQ grills is to do it while the grates are still hot after usage.
Step 1: Leave the BBQ on max heat for 15 minutes after you finish using it. This will carbonize grime and food debris.
Step 2: Wait for the BBQ to cool down and scrub the grates with a metal spatula. Angle the brush in every direction to make sure you reach every angle.
Step 3: Once in a couple of uses, you can deep clean the BBQ grills using hot soapy water. Remove the BBQ grates and place them in a container filled with hot water and soap. You can add oven detergent instead of soap if you prefer it. Leave the grill to soak overnight. On the next day, scrub them with a sponge and rinse and dry them afterwards.
How to clean stainless steel grates?
Stainless steel grates are protected from corrosion but can also easily become discoloured and damaged. However, they are relatively easy to clean.
The best way to clean this type of grate is to do so after every BBQ use while the grill is still hot. Use a mixture of soap and water and a soft cloth or a brass grill brush to remove the built-up debris from the grate.
Stainless steel grates can get scratched easy. So using metal or steel wool brushes for cleaning is a big no. Avoid using harsh cleaning detergents and stainless steel polishers since they can discolour the surface of the grates.
Related:
How to clean cast iron grill?
How to clean porcelain grill grates?
Cleaning Lightly After Every Use
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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
How To Clean A Bbq With An Onion
After scrapping the grill with a brush , Weber’s grill expert Dan recommends grabbing an onion: “Using half a raw onion on the end of a BBQ fork, scrub the grates back and forth” he says.
And before you think he’s an onion short of a BBQ burger stack, fear not. He has good reason behind his suggestion: “Onions are acidic and will pick up the grease thats left behind, as well as any small specks of dirt and carbon. I use this method regularly and it really helps keep my cooking grates in good shape.”
Lynsey Crombie, TVs Queen of Clean, is also a fan of the onion method, saying: “If you have any onion left over, rub it over the racks whilst its still warm. Onions have antiseptic properties so they make good cleaners and will cut through dirt and grease.”
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How To Clean A Gas Grill
While gas grills dont require the level of cleaning required of charcoal grills after each use, they should be thoroughly cleaned at the beginning and end of each grilling season in order to keep them in top grilling condition. These steps can be followed using either natural gas or propane-powered grills.
After each use:
- Cleaning grill grates is easier with a long-handled stiff-wire brush. If you dont have a brush, ball up some aluminum foil and hold with long-handled tongs.
- Use a rag or folded paper towels to apply vegetable oil to the clean grill grates. This will help prevent rust and food build-up.
- Clean the inside of the grilling lid using mild dish soap and a steel brush.
- Remove the heat deflectors located over the burners and wash with dish soap and water. Dry with a rag.
Before and after each grilling season:
How To Clean Grill Grates With Coffee
For a deep cleaning , you can turn to the coffee cleaning hack. Here’s how it works: Brew a pot of coffee and pour it into a large container. Remove the grates from the grill , and submerge them in the coffee. Let sit for one hour. The acid in the coffee will help break down stuck-on sauce and grease. Thoroughly rise and dry the grates before replacing them.
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How To Remove Ash From Your Grill
To remove extra ash from your firepot, first let your grill cool completely. Then, remove the grill grate, grease drain pan, and heat baffle. Doing so will give you access to the firepot. Using a standard shop vacuum is the easiest way to remove the extra ash. You can then use a damp rag to catch any other ash you missed.
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.
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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.
Clean All Parts Once A Year
Clean everything elseincluding the burners themselves, the side walls, the bottom of the cooking compartment, and the drip panat least once a year, using warm, soapy water. This seasonal or annual cleaning requires some simple disassembly so you can clean each part separately let and dry it thoroughly before reassembling the grill. Make sure to disconnect the gas hookups before removing the burners.
The burners require special attention. Makes sure the jets are free of debris. A thin wire or small nail can help to open up any holes that are plugged.
Conclude by wiping down the outside of the grill, using warm water. Wipe dry to prevent rust.
Also Check: Pork Loin Temp Grill
Start With The Grates
Remove the cooking grates and place them on the tarp. Use a nylon stiff-bristled brush or nylon scrubber to brush away stuck-on food. If something is burned-on, use a plastic scraper to loosen the food.
Dip the brush or scrubber into the water and detergent solution and clean the grates. Finish by rinsing with plain hot water and use an old cloth to dry the grates completely. Set them aside.
The Spruce / Jenelle Botts
How Often To Clean A Cast Iron Grill
Ideally, a cast iron grill should be cleaned after every use. Leaving grease and stuck-on food on the surface will make the surface more difficult to clean and can contribute to bacterial growth and food poisoning.
Even if the grill cannot be cleaned completely after every use, allow the grill to cool slightly and take the time to wipe down the grill grates with a paper towel to remove food residue.
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Outside Cleaning Of A Stainless Steel Grill
While stainless steel is generally stain-resistant, it still requires routine barbecue grill cleaning to remove grease spills and stains from outdoor elements. This stainless steel cleaner is simple to make and works wonders for cleaning the outside of a grill.
- Paper towels
To clean away grease stains from stainless steel, apply a small amount of dish soap to a damp sponge and add a sprinkling of baking soda. Wipe the stained area clean with the sponge.
After removing tough stains, perform an overall cleaning by filling a bottle sprayer with white vinegar and spraying it onto the steel surface. Use paper towels to wipe away all of the dirt and vinegar residue.
Make sure to clean with the grain rather than against it. Use a new paper towel to dry the surface.
How To Clean A Bbq With A Lemon Before Cooking
Lemons aren’t just for serving in refreshments, they are an ideal natural solution for cleaning bbq grills, to avoid using chemical oven cleaning products. “I always have leftover lemons lying around, especially if Ive had a big BBQ,” says Laura Hartnett, founder of Seep natural cleaning products . “Instead of letting them rot in my fruit bowl I repurpose them for cleaning stuck grease and grime on the grill. The citric acid in lemons is perfect for cutting through residual fat from meat on a BBQ.”
“Push some coarse rock salt onto your lemon to tackle any extra tough spots. Lemon juice also has antibacterial properties so perfect for stopping any nasties growing on your grill.”
“Lemons are also ideal for giving your BBQ a quick clean before you start cooking slice in half and rub over the grill just before you want to begin using it.” Because lemons are natural this is the safest way to clean your grill before cooking, because you can be sure there is no chemical residue left that could transfer onto food.
Also Check: Pork Chop Grill Temperature
Cast Iron Grill Grates
If you ask me, these grates can be perfect for getting non-stick grilling if you are very careful. Heres why this happens and why so many people think cast iron is some magical metal. The surface has a very nice quality of holding cooking oil. Its iron, so the little imperfections in the metal will allow the oil to remain on the surface evenly. But when you add heat, this changes everything. That oil can burn-off and then you get fat and food sticking to the grate.
Youll have to clean these more often when the heat is getting too hot. Even though they hold up great for higher heat, they will need scrubbing and oiling after every use. They can be a headache over the other alternatives. If you want to keep it simple, dont invest in cast iron grates unless you are prepared to do more prepping to keep these grates well oiled and properly cleaned.
How To Deep Clean A Gas Grill
MISHKANET.COM” alt=”How to properly clean a grill > MISHKANET.COM”> Regular grill maintenance will help keep your grill working smoothly, but even if you’re diligent about brushing down the grates, your gas grill will need some TLC after a few months of use. Note that since you will be disassembling some parts of the grill for cleaning, you will need to know how to put it back together again, so take photos for reference if needed.
1. Remove the propane tank. Ensure that the gas is in the off position and remove the gas tank from the grill.
2. Brush the grill grates. Remove the grates from the grill and use a grill brush to clean both sides thoroughly. For a deeper clean, wipe with warm, soapy water.
3. Clean the lid. Use a grill brush or plastic scraper to clean off any black flakes or debris from the underside of the lid. For a good scrub, dip the brush in warm, soapy water before each use.
4. Clean the burner covers and tubes. Gas grills tend to have heat tents that sit on top of the burner tubes to help cut down on flare-ups. Remove and clean them using the grill brush or a plastic scraper. Use a grill brush to carefully wipe the burner tubes, brushing in the direction of the portholes to avoid clogging them.
5. Scrape the interior. Use a plastic scraper and the grill brush to clean any build-up on the sides and bottom of the inside of the grill, using soapy water as needed. Once the inside of the grill is clean, push all of the debris into the grease tray.
8. Reassemble. Carefully put the grill back together and reattach the gas tank.
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