Polish Your Stainless Steel Grill
Vegetable oil is a great way to keep your food from sticking to the grates. It can also be used to polish the outside of your stainless steel grill. To shine your BBQ, you need to start with a clean grill.
Dampen your microfiber cloth with some cooking oil and buff the outside. Go along with the grain of the stainless steel for the best results. If you are unhappy with how it turns out, use a stainless steel polishing wipe to shine your grill up nicely.
How To Clean Rusty Grill Grates
A rusty grate is the result of improper cleaning and prolonged disuse, which prevents the remaining moisture from fully vaporizing. It makes the food taste strange and severely dampens your cooking mood before you can even begin. While commercial dish soap should suffice in most cases, youll need something stronger for stubborn stains.
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.
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Create A Cleaning Paste
Firstly, let’s think about the products you’ll use to clean your grill. It’s important to pick the right tools and products, as the wrong ones can actually damage your grill. Of course, you don’t want that to happen, so you’ll need to ensure you’re using the right stuff.
In this case, you don’t actually need a specially made grate cleaner in most cases. Instead, you’ll need baking soda and water. Just these two ingredients make an effective cleaner that will clean off the burnt-on food on your grates. Mix 45g of baking soda with 59ml of water to make a paste, and apply it to your grate. Once you have done this, allow it to sit. This will work to lift that residue off your grates and make it easier to scrub it off in the next step.;
If your grates have been left out for a long time, or are very dirty, you’ll want to consider using an oven cleaner. Again, you’ll want to leave this on for a while to do its magic. If it’s especially dirty, leave it on overnight to do its thing. If you choose to do this, place the grill in a plastic bag after you’ve sprayed it, in order for the oven cleaner to work properly.;
Should I Oil Stainless Steel Grill Grates
WHEN TO OIL YOUR GRILL GRATES
Its recommended that you preheat new grates made with stainless steel or porcelain-coated cast iron before using them for the first time. This will remove any processing residue. You should always oil your grates before or after each use for best cooking results.
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Gear You Need For Cleaning Your Stainless Steel Grates
Heres what you need to clean your stainless steel grate:
- Stiff nylon brush or metal scraper
Cleaning stainless steel grill grates is a simple 4-step process:
Allow me to walk you through this simple process of how to keep your stainless-steel grill grates clean. Ready? Lets dive in.
The Grate Scrape Woody Paddle
The Grate Scrape produces all-natural BBQ cleaning tools that are a great alternative to a metal wire brush. Made from premium hardwood, it is designed to be used for years to come. The Woody Paddle is completely safe for every grill with custom fit-grooves. To start the grooving process, use on high heat and work back and forth with firm pressure.
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Removing Dirt From The Grills Exterior
Insert Them Into Your Grill
Pro Tip: Now that youre done cleaning, oil the grill grates with canola oil before you cook. This will help prevent food from sticking to the grill in the future and make cleaning much easier.
Canola oil, peanut oil, and avocado oil are all great due to their high smoke points.
Olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are not good to use as they have a smoke point. They will burn at around 400º which is too low for grilling.
Now lets continue with the rest of our grill grate cleaning methods.
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Cleaning The Grill Grate
The most obvious part of any grill to clean is the grate. Most barbecues, grills, and smokers have removable grates to facilitate cleaning. Its important to know what material the grate is made from before tackling cleaning. Stainless steel grates can be damaged by using the wrong techniques, while cast iron can simply be ruined by neglect.;
A good rule of thumb: if the grill grate is shiny when clean, its probably stainless. If the grate is heavy and solid, its probably cast iron. Numerous other types of steel are also used, and these can be identified by two features: no shiny surface and welds attaching the supports to the grill grate. Less common these days are grill grates made from porcelain-coated steel. Regardless, type has a specific process for cleaning that must be done correctly.;
Cast Iron Grill Grates
If appropriately maintained, cast iron grill plates can last for several decades. After the grill heat has burned off food residue, scrub the cook plates with a wire brush or scraper.
After you have removed all leftover food particles, coat the entire surface with a high smoke point oil, like vegetable oil, and let them dry completely. If you skip the seasoning process, your grill grates are more likely to face corrosion and rust.
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How To Care For Your Stainless Steel Grill Grates
Lastly, its very important that you prioritize proper care for your stainless steel grill grates. It doesnt matter how clean it is if youre damaging it during the cleaning process. In order to avoid heavy clean-ups, its best to prevent your food from sticking to the grill in the first place. Unlike cast-iron grates, you should not use vegetable oil on your stainless steel grill grates after every use. Instead, focus on oiling your food to prevent them from sticking to the stainless steel surface.
We hope that our foolproof guide to cleaning stainless steel grill grates has helped you. Keep your grill grates clean, and keep enjoying those outdoor barbecue sessions! Do you know any other ways to clean stainless steel grill grates? Let us know in the comments below.Charlie
Hi, Im Charlie, I am head taste tester at Simply Meat Smoking! I love it grilling, smoking, and getting out in the yard with the kids! The family also love to test all my recipes
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Cant wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling adventures with you! You can read more on our About Us page.
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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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Can I Use Oven Cleaner On My Grill
Spray the grill grates with oven cleaner, coating them thoroughly. You can also spray the interior of the grill with the cleaner, but do not get oven cleaner on the exterior of the grill because it can damage the enamel finish. Leave the cleaner on the grates for 20 to 30 minutes so it can soften the grime buildup.
Cleaning Stainless Steel Surfaces
- Choose a nontoxic and nonabrasive stainless steel cleaner to clean the exterior stainless steel surfaces.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel. Never use paper towels or pastes to clean the exterior. They will change the color of the exterior metal by removing the chromium oxide film coating from the surface.
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Stubborn Stains On Your Grids
Unfortunately, from time to time, something stubborn sticks to your cooking surface, dont fret. Try these tips instead.
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A sheet of foil, shiny side down, over the offending area while the grill is heating up to 500°F should loosen the problem. When the grill is hot just brush the offending detritus away with your grill brush. **Please consider wearing Heat Resistant Barbecue Gloves when doing this as the grill will be very hot.**
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As a last resort, soaking your filthy stainless steel grids in hot water, then scrubbing gently will help get your grids squeaky clean. Just remember that in doing this, you are stripping off the seasoning you have built up and the grids will need to be re-seasoned. Dont worry you can reapply that seasoning by following our instructions on how to season your stainless steel cooking grates.
Why does the tinfoil trick work? The tinfoil will form a concentrated convection over the offending area. This also traps steam if there is moisture present. It will break down the baked on gunk so that it is easier to remove with a grill brush, very similar to when you turn on the self cleaning in your oven.
How To Clean A Stainless Steel Grill With Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is one of the best DIY cleaning products for grates of all types of grills and is ideal to clean steel pans, as well. The great thing about using vinegar for cleaning is it naturally fights grease and rust and virtually everyone has a bottle or jug on hand.
- 2 cups of white vinegar
- 2 cups of water
Add vinegar and water to a spray bottle. You can use different measurements; make sure to add both ingredients in equal amounts the same as you do for a kitchen cleaner spray.
Spray cool grates with the solution and allow to sit for one hour. Never spray this homemade grill cleaning solution on hot cooking grates and always turn gas off before cleaning. Wipe clean with a soft cloth.
You can also use vinegar for cleaning porcelain grill grates. Follow the same procedure above. Be sure not to use steel wool or a brush for scrubbing as you may damage the material. A nylon scrubber or cloth works best.
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How To Clean Stainless Steel Gas Grill
For those of you wondering how to clean stainless steel gas grill, heres what to do:
When Is The Time To Buy New Grates
No matter how it can happen, grates will eventually wear out if you dont take care of them. The issues of rust, wear-n-tear, and rough cleaning can end them sooner for all the wrong reasons. When you see that the grates are getting too pitted from scraping too hard will be a sign. Rusted to the point they are nearly falling off is another! Perhaps you forgot that the weather damaged them through water and rusting.
When you see these signs, its time to get a new grill surface that fits onto your grill. Since this is your cooking table, you better buy a quality metal. If you take good care of that grill, it will last longer without needing a replacement for many decades.
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Stainless Steel Grills: An Industry Standard
Generally acknowledged to be the leading example of a quality grill grate, stainless steel grill grates are the most widely available grates on the market. Their durability, ability to retain heat, and ease in maintenance makes opting for stainless steel grill grates an obvious choice. Naturally, any quality stainless steel grate will not be cheap, but with proper maintenance, these grates can last a lifetime and then some.
Although stainless steel can withstand a great deal of abuse, proper treatment and maintenance of stainless steel is paramount to a long life of consistent, high-quality use. The hard nature of stainless steel means that basic steel wool and soapy water will work in a pinch, but with so much innovation going into grilling technology, it wouldnt hurt to consider using some of the specialized options available.
Burn Off Remnants Before Starting Any Actual Cleaning
The ideal time to start is after serving the last diners, so you can get to work right off the bat.
By burning off, we dont mean setting the grate on fire, but simply cranking up the grills temperature. This preliminary step incinerates any unwanted residues on the grate, some of which dont come off no matter how forcefully you scrub. It also lessens your cleaning effort and time as well.
After 15 to 30 minutes, youll spot white foam on the grates, which you can wipe off with a damp piece of cloth. Remember to put on heavy-duty gloves to prevent burning. And be advised that high heat can cause the grates to discolor if the intensity is too much.
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Clean Out The Drip Tray
Your grill may have a drip tray, that catches grease and other debris as you cook. It’s important you clean this as it gets dirty over time. Remove it from the grill, and use a putty knife to scrape the grease out and into a garbage bag. Use soapy water to scrub the pan down, and put it back into the grill.;
How Do You Clean A Burnt Stainless Steel Grill
Begin by washing the surface of the stained area to remove any loose food debris. Scrub the surface with dish soap and a nylon scrubber. Apply a small amount of Bar Keepers friend to the scrubber and rub it over the scorched area. If Barkeepers Friend is not available, baking soda can be substituted.
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Best Ways To Clean Grill Grates
Cleaning grill grates is a nasty job, but not if you want your food to taste nasty too!
Ive heard people say they dont mind a little leftover grime on their grates,; with the claim that it adds flavor. No, this is not a thing. Only lazy people say that. Grease, oil, and marinade get caked up during grilling. After they sit there for a while, they turn rancid and will make your food taste bad. Just clean the grates, its not that hard.
You never think of using a frying pan and want to cook something that has left-over gunk and dried sauce everywhere. Well, your grill is pretty much the same principle and should have proper hygiene you need for a fine BBQ.
Lets talk about heavy metal for a second. Not the kind that you listen to that makes the neighbors wonder if youll ever grow-up. The kind that gets hot enough to put an excellent sear and crust on your steak. Below well cover everything you need to know about grates, DIY cleaning hacks, maintenance tips, and our top picks for the best grates and cleaning tools.
Cleaning Tools & Grate Upgrades, Reviewed & Ranked
| Product |
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| Kettle Grate |
