HOW TO CLEAN GRILL GRATES FOR BETTER TASTING FOOD

HOW TO CLEAN GRILL GRATES FOR BETTER TASTING FOOD

With summer comes family gatherings and BBQs. Since your grill will be seeing so much use it’s important that you keep it clean. If you don’t the old stuck-on food and marinades will start to affect the taste of the fresh meals you cook up.

Not giving your grill a wipe down can also damage it after a while too. When you see how dirty grills can get, scrubbing them down seems daunting. It’s not too hard to learn how to clean grill grates though.

All it takes is a good brush, the right cleaner, and a little bit of elbow grease. Check out this handy grill cleaning guide to get started.

 

Choosing a Brush

The first thing you're going to need to clean your grill is a good grill brush. Using a brush works best if you do it right after you finish cooking. Here are a few products for you to consider.

  • Bull Soft Grip Red Handle Big Head Grill Brush

The Bull Soft Grip brush has a heat resistant handle so you're not as likely to burn your hand on a hot grill while cleaning. There's a scrapper on one side of the brush that will help you scrape off particularly stubborn stuck-on food.

  • 12" Spiral Wide Faced BBQ Grill Brush

Again, you're going to need a lot of elbow grease when cleaning your grill. This brush has a big enough handle for you to use two hands when cleaning so you get that scrubbing pressure you need.

Due to the design of the brush, you'll be able to clean your entire grill in a matter of minutes. It doesn't matter how large or small it is.

  • 21" Double Helix Bristle Free BBQ Brush

The 21" double helix brush will flex to meet the unique shape of your grill grate. This handy feature makes cleaning your grill effortless so you can relax.

Cleaners

Most of the time your grill grates can be cleaned using soap and water. You may see better results if you use a cleaner that's been specially made for grills, however.

  • Fire Magic BBQ Cleaner With Foaming Trigger Bottles

This cleaner is made to lift grease and residue off your grill without damaging it. It's perfect for handling sensitive materials such as porcelain and stainless steel. This handy cleaner comes in a pack of 12.

  • Fire Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner


Once stains and rust set into a grill all scrubbing in the world won't get it clean. Unless you have the right cleaner that is. Fire Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner can cut through any grease or rust to make your grill look brand new again.

How to Clean Grill Grates

Depending on what material your grill grates are made of, you'll have to alter your cleaning approach. The main three material types are porcelain, cast iron, and stainless steel.

porcelain cleaner

  • Porcelain

Porcelain grates are a little tricky to clean. They're pretty much resistant to rust unless you scrape it. Small nicks in the material will allow moisture to seep into the metal and rust the grate.

This means that you shouldn't use metal tools when you're cooking or cleaning. Use soft-bristled brushes instead of wire or metal. If there's stubborn food stuck on the grate that you can't seem to remove, heat your grill first.

The heat will loosen up the grease and allow you to wipe it clean with a brush, no problem.

  • Cast Iron

Cast iron grates can stand up to any obstacle. Except for water. Iron is vulnerable to rusting.

That doesn't mean that you can skip out on cleaning. Burn off any food that's stuck to the grate and go at it with a brush after allowing it to cool.

Once the grate is good and clean, dry it and cover it with vegetable oil. This will stop rust from settling in.

  • Stainless Steel

It doesn't take too much to clean stainless steel grates. Like with the other two materials above, you can heat the grill in order to burn off any leftover food and scrub it clean with a brush once the grill has cooled.

 

Deep Cleanse for Stubborn Food

If you're working with stubborn food or your grill grates are grosser than normal, you can soak them. Fill up your sink with water, dish soap, and a dash of baking soda. Place your grates in the sink and let them soak for about an hour.

Drain the sink and scrub the grates clean. You can also put two cups of vinegar and a cup of baking soda in a trash bag and allow your grates to soak in it overnight. Both methods work and should honestly be done at least once or twice a year.

 

Burning Cleaning Method

We talked a little bit about the burning method when we were going over grate materials. We're going to go into a little bit more detail. Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the grate and get the grill going.

After about ten minutes the grate should get hot enough for the grease to turn into a white powder that you can brush away without putting in much effort.

 

Brush Cleaning

There is a certain method you should use when you're cleaning with the brush. Dip the brush in water and go at the grate while the grill is still hot.

The steam will loosen up the grease and keep insects away while you're trying to clean. You might have to wipe the grate with a cloth after brushing.

 

Keep Your Grill Clean and Your Food Tasty

The summer is the perfect time to throw a BBQ. Your summertime fun can quickly turn into a disaster if the taste of the food is a bit off. Create delicious meals each time by learning how to clean grill grates.

We have all the tools you need for cooking and cleaning. Check out our wide array of grill accessories.