Grilling outdoors is one of the best ways to bond with your friends and family and at the same time enjoy tasty food. However, it is only possible if your grill has been maintained and cleaned thoroughly throughout the years.
If you are new to this and is still in the process of grasping the idea of how to clean BBQ grills, fret not! In this article, we are going to go through some tips and tricks on the best way to clean a BBQ grill.
Below are some of the “musts” when cleaning BBQ grills:
Propane should be disconnected: best way to clean BBQ grill
Make sure that all dials are in the off position. While the grill is still warm, turn it off and then remove the propane tank.
Grates should be soaked
Start removing the grates and the metal plates under them while using your work gloves. These should be soaked in a mixture of hot water and any regular dish soap.
Foil should be used for protection
Take a big piece of foil and use it to loosely cover the heating elements of your grill. Once done, take your grill brush and scrub the underside of the hood. Don’t worry if you encounter areas that seem to be covered in paint. These are actually harmless spots of built-up carbon created from grease and smoke.
Damp paper towels should be used to clean the inside
After scrubbing the underside of the hood, take the same grill brush and scrub the inside walls as well. With this process, it is inevitable that ash and debris will fall off. Use a damp paper towel to clean it up.
Grates should be scrubbed and rinsed
Once the scrubbing is done, take the grates and let them dry off by having them leaned on the wall. Scrub them with the grill brush and finally rinse them with a hose spray.
Innards should be replaced
You can now remove the foil in this tep. The elements of the grill should be wiped and the grates, metal plates, and drip pan should be replaced. Finally, reconnect the propane tank.
Cabinet and exterior should be cleaned
If your grill has a cabinet, make sure to clean it too. Remove the leaves or debris with a broom. For the exterior as well as the interior of the cabinet, you can use stainless steel wipes to clean them up.
Now that you have managed to get a rundown on cleaning BBQ grills, take a look at some other tips on maintaining BBQ grills. These are some pointers you should take note on as this can majorly affect the long term performance of your grill.
- Make sure to clean lightly after every use
- Leave the grill for 15 minutes or so before cleaning it (This allows excess food to be easily removed once you start cleaning the grill)
- Clean the grates while still warm
- Make sure to research what type of cleaning solution should be used on your grill
- Make sure to clean thoroughly at least twice a year
- Make sure to check for gas leaks
- Test your ignition button
- For safety purposes, always disconnect the gas
- Fuel levels should be checked
- Don’t forget to clean the burner protectors
- Don’t forget to clean the venturi tubes
There is probably no better way to spend your summer outdoors grilling. This is why these tips are important to follow as these can seriously affect the performance of your grill. In order to enjoy your summer, a proper functioning grill is required.
These tips along with the knowledge of what type of grill you have and what cleaning solution is the best way to clean bbq grill for it is a formula for a good grilling experience.
You can also check the manufacturer’s instructions before cleaning your grill, as this would include more detailed steps to clean the type of grill you have. There are tons of grills on the market today and proper maintenance of each can differ. We have cast iron, stainless steel, porcelain, infrared, and much more. Each requires a specific and distinct way of proper maintenance.
For example, cast iron grill grates are known to efficiently distribute heat across the surface. Iron produces rust when in contact with water, and a rusty iron grill grate is not good. These little things are important to know, as these can make a big impact on your grill.
Furthermore, we wish you all the best on your grilling experience. We hope that this article has given you much information on how to properly clean and maintain your BBQ grills.