With summertime coming to an end, you might be looking to clean up your freestanding grill before you tuck it away for the winter. Cleaning a grill can be a tedious and time consuming task, but it does not have to be. Working smarter, not harder, is a great way to keep your grill clean and well maintained without spending your whole weekend working on it.
Keep these tips in mind when cleaning your grill.
Grill Cleaning Step #1: Shut off the gas.
If you have a gas grill, the most important thing to remember is to shut off the gas before you do anything else. Make sure that any and all dials are turned to the “off” position. Gas leaks can range from expensive to deadly, so you will want to make sure that you are being as careful as possible when it comes to your grill’s connections. Once your grill is completely turned off, you will want to disconnect the propane tank from the rest of the grill and store it in a safe place while you clean the grill.
Grill Cleaning Step #2: Soak your cooking grates and burner covers.
While you will want to keep your entire grill clean, most people prioritize the cleanliness of their cooking surfaces. This stands to reason, since in most cases, the cooking surfaces will be the dirtiest part of the grill. It is also the only part of the grill that your food touches. These parts collect dirt, grime, and burnt on bits of food, making them crusty and unattractive. The other part of your grill that is likely to collect burnt on bits of food is the metal trays that lie below the cooking grates.
Scraping the crusty residue off of your cooking grates, metal trays, and burner covers will be the most labor intensive part of the cleaning process. Fortunately, this process can be made much easier if you soak these pieces ahead of time. Place all of these pieces in a bucket of hot water and dish soap, letting them soak while you clean the exterior shell of your grill.
Grill Cleaning Step #3: Thoroughly scrub the interior of your grill.
Before you get anywhere near the inside of your grill, you will want to cover the heating elements with aluminum foil. This will keep the fragile parts of your grill safe from soap, water, and falling debris.
Once you have protected your grill’s heating elements, you will want to thoroughly scrub the inside surfaces of your grill with a stiff bristled grill brush. Carbon will build up on the interior of your grill, but it can easily be scrubbed off with a little bit of elbow grease. This residue can look like peeling paint, but rest assured that its removal is helping, not harming, your grill.
Once you have removed all the built up, you will want to wipe down the interior with a paper towel to capture the finer particles left behind by the grill brush.
Grill Cleaning Step #4: Scrub the grill grates and metal plates.
By now, the cooking grates and drip pans should be done soaking. Remove these pieces and scrub them down with your grill brush. This can most easily be accomplished by leaning them against one of your home’s exterior walls before you begin scrubbing. Since you are outside, you can rinse them off with a hose after you are done scraping away any burnt on food.
Grill Cleaning Step #5: Cleanup.
Now that all the main components of your grill are clean, it is time to put everything back together. If you took our advice and covered the bottom of your grill and its heating elements with aluminum foil, you should be able to easily fold this up and remove it, taking with you the debris that you removed from the inside surfaces of your grill. You can then put the metal drip trays and cooking surfaces back into your newly cleaned grill. Replace the propane tank and reattach the hoses and you will be ready for your next cookout.
These 5 tips for cleaning your grill can help to keep your grill working better for longer. A clean grill is more efficient and keeping it well maintained will make your grill last for many years to come. To learn more about maintaining your grill or to shop for a brand new grill, browse our website. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns that you might have.