Archived Thread

NFT: BBQ Grill cleaning tips

lester : 5/29/2015 1:06 pm

Let me caveat by saying I went the lazy route at the end of last season and did not throughly clean the grill prior to covering it for the winter. Any tips on cleaning the grates and other various parts? There is obviously rust now on the burners and heat tents but any BBI tips/tricks would be much appreciated.

Take the grills off..

FatMan in Charlotte : 5/29/2015 1:10 pm : link

spray them with oven cleaner and put them in a plastic bag for a few hours. Then wipe down with a cloth or paper towels.

Take the tents out and scrub them with a wire brush. Do the same with the burners to try and remove as much rust as possible.

You won't eliminate the damage, but you can slow down future damage.

yep, some sort of abbrasive brush

Jon : 5/29/2015 1:10 pm : link

and a litlle elbow grease.

I'd avoid using any type of rust preventer...

FatMan in Charlotte : 5/29/2015 1:11 pm : link

inside the grill. You'd hate to have that stuff oxidize and leech into the food.

I'd be hesitant to use any

Jon : 5/29/2015 1:13 pm : link

chemicals at all tbh.

Did you try and just soak

pjcas18 : 5/29/2015 1:18 pm : link

the parts in a tub with some soap (like a degreaser) and water, let the rust/caked on charcoal loosen up and scrub it off with a wire brush or something.

I don't use anything on the interior of my grill, but I also clean it after each use.

that earthstone/grill stone works well

Jon : 5/29/2015 1:19 pm : link

but wears away quickly.

heat it up to as hot as it gets

oghwga : 5/29/2015 1:31 pm : link

for a while and then use a steel brush dipped in water. easy peasy

The grates as mentioned above, and the burners

jcn56 : 5/29/2015 1:34 pm : link

with a steel brush to clear away debris from the burner holes. That's it, and don't put in any chemicals. You can use oven cleaner on the grates, but be sure to clean and thoroughly rinse before you put them back in the grill.

Clean the grates when hot

Beer Man : 5/29/2015 2:09 pm : link

using water from a spray bottle and a wire brush (wire brushes that spray water are even better). The steam work wonders in cleaning the grates. I always wait until I'm ready to cook to clean the grill grates. My grates are cast iron and the fat and char build-up helps prevent rust in between usages.

hank hill might find this disgusting

mattlawson : 5/29/2015 2:48 pm : link

but i dont clean grates. i knock loose stuff off after its preheated, thats it.

RE: hank hill might find this disgusting

dorgan : 5/29/2015 2:51 pm : link

In comment 12306310 mattlawson said:

Quote:

but i dont clean grates. i knock loose stuff off after its preheated, thats it.

I only clean mine about once every two weeks. I pull the grates and the grease deflectors out and wash them with a pressure washer a couple times a month.
Rest of the time, I give them a quick brush after the pre-heat.

You guys are a lot cleaner than me (well, all but matt)

jcn56 : 5/29/2015 3:25 pm : link

I clean the grates once a season, but beyond that, just scrape and heat them up really well before each cook.

The interior of the grill, I just brush off once a season (usually at the start) and clean the burners. That's it - no washing, no soap, no chemicals. I look at the coating as 'seasoning'. You know, flavorful insulation!

jcn..

FatMan in Charlotte : 5/29/2015 3:26 pm : link

I'm the same way. Clean the grates and the insides every Spring.

I never clean mine

pjcas18 : 5/29/2015 3:26 pm : link

I was just telling him how to do it.

The only thing I do is clean the grates AFTER cooking while they're hot and make sure the food is all off.

i soaked my grill grate

TheMcThrill : 5/29/2015 3:27 pm : link

in ammonia in a couple large trash bags for about 24 hours and then cleaning was a breeze. ammonia is great for breaking up grease. then i washed it all off, no residue, no taste.

WD40

giantBCP : 5/29/2015 4:58 pm : link

works well on the outer portion.

Throw it out

Bill in UT : 5/29/2015 9:06 pm : link

and get a clean new one