Best Scraper: Chargon Ultimate
Its the perfect alternative to using a wire brush. Its also handy to hang up with your other BBQ cooking tools. This design comes with a leather strap for hanging on your grill when you need to use it. It has an angled blade design that wraps around of the grate for better coverage on your grates.
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!
How To Clean Bbq Grill Grates With Vinegar
Every time you use the grill it gets messy.
Bits of food and grease get stuck to the grates and some even fall down below into the grill.
If youre using a charcoal grill, then its even dirtier because of the ash.
Ash is not that big of a deal. You just scoop it up or if youre clever suck it up with a vacuum cleaner.
The real problem is the burnt food residue on the grates.
If you dont clean them after every cooking session, it will get layers of dirt and grime, and fat.
Thats not only unsanitary but also detrimental to your health.
The most simple solution would be to just scrub the grates with a wire brush. Hold on. This stuff is burnt on pretty badly, kind of like glue.
Instead of spending hours scrubbing your ass off, why dont you try a different approach?
In this guide, Ill show you one of the most simple and effective ways to clean grill grates by using vinegar.
Its natural, cheap, every household and store has it, and its super effective.
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How To Clean Cast Iron Grates Quick Tips
Cast iron grill grates are incredibly durable. They can tolerate any temperature that youd be able to generate. Even though cast iron pans are durable, water is not their friend. It can cause rust.
So, avoid soaking your cast iron grill grates in water to clean them. Instead, use a brush or burn off the food. Well go over these methods a little later.
To help prevent rust, wipe your cast iron grates with vegetable oil after youre done cleaning.
Like with porcelain grates, avoid wire brushes or steel wool. These tools are too abrasive and may damage the finish.
Remove The Smell And Season Them
Food preparation on the grill can create a specific smell. If, after washing your grill grates with soapy water, you still smell the putrid odor, put vegetable oil or lemon on a paper towel and pass it on every wire.
Oil is useful for seasoning, and it will create a non-stick surface.
When your cast iron grill gates get dry, cover them with something large enough to protect them from dust. Put them in a cool place, away from water, to prevent rusting.
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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.
Deeper Grill Grate Cleaning
Take a close look at your grill grate,checking for both dirt and damage. If you dont clean your grill regularly, itmay have black carbon deposits caked on, which can trap bacteria, cause unevenheating and increase the risk of grease fires. Take notice if the enamel iscracked anywhere or if the nonstick coating has comeoff. Even small cracks in the enamel can let water and grease in, making itvulnerable to rusting. If your grill grate has cracked enamel or significantrust, you may want to replace it.
Now, spray your apple cider vinegar mixture ordegreaser on the grate, and wipe clean. Repeat as needed, until the paper towelcomes back without any residue.
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Cleaning Cast Iron Grates
Cast iron grill grates are durable, withstand high temperatures, and make an even cooking surface. But they cant withstand water as iron is prone to rust.
- When cleaning cast iron grates, burn off all the residues leftover on the grates.
- Now let the grates cool.
- Scrub them with a nylon cleaning brush.
- After cleaning the grates, dry and saturate them with vegetable oil to avoid forming rust on them.
How Do You Clean A New Gas Grill
How do you clean a new gas grill? To clean a gas grill, start by firing up the grill, closing the hood, and letting it come to full temperature. Wait at least 30 minutes for the extreme temperature to singe any stuck-on food or grease. Next, dip the wire brush into a bucket of warm, soapy water and scrub off all the carbon from the grates.
Do you need to clean a new grill before using it? Clean away dust, oil, adhesives, coatings, and other gunk that may have accumulated on your BBQ grill at the factory or the store by burning it for 20 to 30 minutes before the first use. Open the lid before lighting the grill according to the manufacturers directions, then set the burners to high and close the lid.
Do you need to burn off a new gas grill? A: Congratulations on the new grill! Yes we suggest preheating the grill for 20 minutes before the first use. This should burn off any packing material or oil. Then throw your food on the grill and you are good to go.
What happens if you dont clean your grill? Your Food Will Taste Funky
If you dont clean your grill, youll be exposing fresh meats to old gunk. Also, the leftover grease, fats, and meat pieces that are near the bottom of the grill will eventually go up in smoke, giving your food a fresh coating.
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How To Clean A Gas Grill
Grills take a lot of wear and tear over time.Extreme temperatures, buildups of grease, carbon and food debris, rust andenvironmental factors can all wreak havoc on your grill over time.
Frequently cleaning your grill will improvethe safety of your grill, taste of your food, cut down on extra smoke, and ensure your burners areburning clean and heat is being distributed evenly. It will also give you achance to inspect your grill from top to bottom, and make sure its in goodshape.
An important part to inspect is the grill manifold. The manifold is the pipe that holds the valves. On some grills you may need to remove the control panel to see the manifold. Spray some soapy water around the valves and along the manifold. If you see bubbles you may have a leak. If the steal pipe feels soft or has any holes, you do NOT want to proceed further. This must be replaced. Contact the manufacturer for availability.
Heres how to clean a gas grill in a few easysteps.
Why Is It So Important To Clean Grill Grates
When you cook your meals on a grill, the heat burns the fats and most of it drips to the surface of the grill.
The excess oil collects in the grill and forms a thick layer of grease.
The accumulated grease, other than harboring dirt and germs, could cause a fire when it comes into contact with burning flames.
The heated grill grates also burn the foods placed on them and some particles are left attached to it.
The pieces of food on the grill gates attract bacteria when the grill is left for some time without being used and this results in contamination.
Im pretty sure you dont want to serve your guests contaminated meals that will make them sick and the only way to prevent this from happening is by upholding cleanliness.
Now that you are aware of the need to keep your grill clean and free of germs, you are probably wondering how often you should do it.
Well, cleaning your grill thoroughly after every cookout is not always possible but you can at least clean the grates to remove the food particles attached to it before you store the grill.
Here, I will teach you how to clean your grates with vinegar a natural cleaning agent.
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Deep Cleaning A Bbq With Vinegar & Baking Soda:
Baking soda has the quality to soften the hard strains for easier cleaning. The added advantage is that your grill will be free of germs, etc. If you observe that your BBQ grill choked due to grease and grime, you can perform deep cleaning with white vinegar and baking soda in the following simple steps:
- Remove the grills and put them in a large plastic bag.
- Make a mixture of one cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda in a bowl.
- Spray the mixture on the grills inside the plastic bag and leave it for soaking overnight.
- The first thing you will do in the next morning is to rinse the grills so that the loosened grease and other particles come off.
Why Is Cleaning The Grill Grates So Important
Cleaning the grill grates is essential because they are a big part of grilling. You cant have a good cookout without clean grill grates. Cleaning the grill grates is no different from cleaning the houses floors, especially the clothes. Like clothes, grill grates need to be cleaned every day if you use them often and dont want to smell bad food odors or food that doesnt taste right.
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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!
What Do You Do With New Grill Grates
Using a paper towel or brush, brush the grill grates with cooking oil. We recommend vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or bacon fat. After the grates are coated, you can place them in a 400-degree oven for an hour or on a 400-degree grill for 40 minutes. After time is up, let the grates cool down naturally.
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How To Clean Grill Grates
Grill grates, do you remember the last time you cleaned them?
Cleaning your grill grates is an important step to maintain a clean and safe barbecue. It can also help improve the cooking ability of your grill and the flavor of food you cook.
You dont want to spend hours scrubbing tough baked-on food and gunk that just wont come off.
So, well start by giving you some tips on how to clean porcelain grates, cast iron grates, and stainless steel grates. These are the three most common types of grates out there.
Then, well go over eight different methods to make them look new again:
- Brush your grill grates
- Burn off the baked-on food
- Soak the grill grates with dish soap and water
- Soak the grill grates in vinegar and water
- Soak the grill grates in baking soda and vinegar
- Soak the grates in a trash bag with ammonia
- Soak the grates in coffee
- Scrub the grates with an onion
Use An Onionto Season Grates
One of our favorite tricks is to cut an onion in half and rub down the tops of the rails of clean, hot grates. Onions contain many sulfur compounds that when heated, creates a super slick, rock-hard surface which is good to 1000°F before it degrades. Onions also contain antibacterial compounds that help keep your GrillGrates safe to cook on.
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Get Your Grates Clean With Baking Soda And Vinegar
Sometimes, you need to use a daily cleanser with a little more oomph. When you mix vinegar and baking soda, you get a cleaner that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Vinegar and baking soda have strong reactions when combined, and this effervescence is excellent for cleaning your stove top and cast iron accessories. Cleaning oven racks with vinegar and baking soda is inexpensive and gets your grates shiny again with just a little effort.
- Microfiber cloth or paper towels
Sprinkle the baking soda on the grates and burners. Fill the bottle with vinegar and spray the equipment. Don the gloves and scrub the burners and grills, and wipe them clean with a microfiber cloth or paper towel.
You can use the same recipe here for cleaning grill grates on your barbecue grill. Be sure that they are dry before replacing them in the grill or turn the grill on low for about 15 minutes to thoroughly dry the grates.
How Do You Know When A Grill Is Ready
Wait until your charcoal has burned to an even temperature before placing any meat on the grill grates. When the charcoal firsts turns white, it is hot on the outside, but still cool on the inside. You want to wait until at least 2/3rds of the charcoal have turned white and the charcoal has stopped smoking.
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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.
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.
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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.
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!
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Choose The Right Tools To Clean Grill Grates
While some grillers opt for a traditional grill brush, many do not know wire grill brushes can be slightly dangerous. Wire bristles are notorious for breaking off and falling into your food. Without even realizing it, many people have accidentally ingested these bristles, too. If you feel like swapping in a safer tool, weve got plenty of other grill cleaning ideas you can start using today.
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Aluminum Foil: Grab a handful of aluminum foil, ball it up and use grill tongs to hold it while you scrub away. You can even re-use the same aluminum foil from cooking your favorite foil packet recipes.
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Nylon Scouring Pad: Grab a scouring pad from your kitchen and take it to the grill for fast and easy cleanup.
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Grill Stone: Gently rub this pumice-like grill stone back and forth across your grill grates. Then, finish it off by wiping the area clean with a soft cloth or water. Its that easy.
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Onion: It might seem a little strange, but you can use half an onion to clean your grill. Just spear the onion on a barbecue fork, and use the cut side to scrub grates clean. The acidic enzymes will break down grease without being overly abrasive. And if youre cooking with charcoal, the onion can simply be thrown into the coals to discard.
