Comments on: Share Your Grill Cleaning Tips!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 22 May 2015 17:35:21 +0000

We cookout at parks and on the beach, so, it is so not about the grill, just need a box or a deep hole in the sand and a grate. It is all about the fire, just wood, charcoal, and newspaper, light it up, let it burn down and keep an eye on it. Rub down your grate with onion or newspaper or tin foil, and cook. If you are a half descent home cook you can cook over open flame, trust yourself. All I bring is tongs and fire making stuff and paper towels and food, split it between the kid’s go bags, and you are eatin’ good. Grilled steak tacos with lemon and salt. Toasted marshmallows. Done! And way better than PB&J.

By: kay43026

kay43026 — Fri, 22 May 2015 12:35:08 +0000

Buy a new grill!! Well, we bought a new one…but needed one.

I/we make sure, once we preheat the grill, to use a stainless steel T-shaped grill brush to get all the crud off. I’m from the school of cleaner is BETTER. I mean, would you just keep cooking inside and not clean the pans you use? Kind of gross!!

I also (because I’m type-A & a little bit of a perfectionist) use stainless steel cleaner wipes for the outside of our grill. Sometimes I need to wipe it down with another cleaner first, then finish it up with the wipes for a ‘like new’ look. I do this before covering the grill once it’s cooled. Even thought our stainless steel grill is very pretty to look at, we keep in covered when not in use, which really keeps it looking nice longer. When we have company, we just put the grill cover in the deck boxes that house the chair cushions…since they’re empty because the cushions are on the chairs!!

I’m also pretty anal about keeping the drip pan underneath emptied and clean. Just takes a few minutes…and it REALLY helps to keep down the flare ups, especially when cooking a fattier cut of meat.

By: Aaryne McEvoy

Aaryne McEvoy — Fri, 22 May 2015 02:36:57 +0000

You’re supposed to clean your grill? Just kidding. Although I do come from the “camp” that less is more, but I suspect that is self-serving. I go with the advice that says to brush the grates right before grilling food while the grates are hot. The rest of it just adds flavor! Now, the outside of the grill is another story. Every time I race out to cook something it occurs to me that I have not wiped down the side table part of the grill where I rest plates and utensils since the dinosaur ages. It’s long forgotten by the time I get back in the house and then I repeat the same thought process the next time I grill. What I need is for some company to come over and scare me that they might see it – then I will remember. Probably.

By: Talina

Talina — Thu, 21 May 2015 17:12:44 +0000

My boyfriend has tried a few different things and his favorite way is to bring a container of hot water and dip the wire brush in it then scrub the grill – I guess we’re really ‘steam cleaning’ it. It works really well for us. My contribution to his idea is to put the hot water in a plastic container with a lid – that way he doesn’t spill water in the house on the way to the BBQ.

By: Donna

Donna — Wed, 20 May 2015 20:04:32 +0000

I agree with comment 1 – I can not tae the noise the aluminum foil makes to clean so use a wire brush before grilling when its hot. I also spray my grills with pam before cooking (standing way back) so the meat pieces really do not stick.
Horror lighting up for the first time a few weeks ago – the bottom flame protector had a hole in it and I had flame coming out the back cover – Hot and too close to propane line!
Scary – got a new grill now!

By: Patricia @ ButterYum

Patricia @ ButterYum — Wed, 20 May 2015 19:52:06 +0000

My husband is a fan of using a wire brush on really the really hot grate. I’ve never tried this, but I’ve read that you can put a cool grate in a large plastic garbage bag with a paper towel that’s been doused in ammonia. Twist the bag closed and let it sit outside (or in the garage) for a couple days to let the fumes from the ammonia loosen all the burnt on stuff. Carefully open the bag outside (strong fumes will escape), and spray the grates off with a hose. Supposedly works for oven racks too. If all else fails, you can usually buy replacement grates at the hardware store.

By: kim

kim — Wed, 20 May 2015 18:53:25 +0000

I know the aluminum foil ball is supposed to be a great way to clean the grate, but am I the only one who just can’t stand that noise? It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me.

We keep it really simple: We use a Weber gas grill, and after it preheats for a good 15 minutes or so we just use a wire brush to get off anything solid. I swear, we’re pretty neat clean folks, but I’ve never done more than this, and it’s never seemed necessary.

When we put the grill away for the winter we wipe it all down, then it’s covered and tucked in the “mudroom” which is between the basement and garage. When we get it back out for grilling season we just wipe it down and wire brush the grates again.

By: mctrot

mctrot — Wed, 20 May 2015 17:29:06 +0000

Basically, I treat my grates the same way I treat my cast iron skillets. Clean them with friction, usually from crumpled-up foil, then oil them. The only difference is that I do the grates while the charcoal is heating instead of after using them. BTW, onion does have antiseptic properties, so it can’t hurt.

By: Lynne R

Lynne R — Wed, 20 May 2015 17:17:19 +0000

We use a grill brick or wire grill brush to clean after the grate has preheated–before the next heating. We just became aware of a caution on the wire grill brush–be sure there are no broken off bits of wire left on your grill. Those stick to your food and then if you swallow them, they can cause internal damage. Who knew? (I guess the people who had to go to the hospital)

Anyway, we are much more careful now.

By: Mary D.

Mary D. — Wed, 20 May 2015 16:50:19 +0000

After the grate cools (I always grill with charcoal), I scrub it with a rolled up ball of heavy-duty aluminum foil as water runs over it. Then I wash it in hot sudsy water and it’s ready to use again. Next time I grill, however, I first squirt charcoal lighter over the new coals, then put the grill in place and light the coals. The flames that shoot up thoroughly sterilize the grate.