How To Clean a BBQ – BBQ Maintenance Tips

How To Clean a BBQ – BBQ Maintenance Tips Default view

It’s BBQ season, and there’s one skill we all need: knowing how to clean a grill. Whether you’ve got a top-of-the-range gas BBQ, a charcoal type, or a portable one, they all need maintenance. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide full of barbecue cleaning hacks!

The Anatomy of a BBQ Grill and Key Parts to Clean

A typical charcoal grill usually has a kettle shape on three legs, with or without wheels. At the bottom, you’ll find an ash catcher beneath a firebox with a vent for managing the charcoal fire. The main cooking chamber features a grill rack and a removable lid with a vent.

The key parts for cleaning include the ask catcher, the grill rack, the vents, and the BBQ lid.

In contrast, a gas BBQ grill features a cooking area with a cooking grate on a lower shelf and a warming rack above it. Unlike its charcoal counterpart, it’s enclosed by an attached lid that folds over the grill. The grill is then lit by burners underneath, and there may also be a side burner or hot plate.

Gas BBQ parts for cleaning:

• Ignition and temperature knobs
• Side burner or hot plate
• Grill rack and warming rack
• Gas tube and connector
• Lid and handle

How to Clean a BBQ Guide

Now that you’re familiar with the nooks and crannies of both BBQ types, let’s get into the cleaning steps.

1. Get a cleaning kit

If you’re dealing with fat, dirt, and grease, the first step is to come prepared with a BBQ cleaning kit. Start by chucking some old clothes and shoes on so that you don’t mind getting splashed and dirty. Next, round up everything on this cleaning kit list:

• Gloves: Grease and oil are tough to wash off, and dirt can get under your fingernails. Use disposable nitrile gloves or marigolds.
• Grill brush: A steel or wire brush will help remove carbon and food residue from your grill.
• Grill scraper: A plastic grill scraper is useful for getting rid of grease without scratching the BBQ.
• Bucket and sponge: Choose a sponge with a scourer head and bring a bucket filled with soapy water.
• Sprays: For a premium stainless steel BBQ grill, use a specialist spray. For other types, antibacterial, non-stick, or enamel sprays will work.
• Microfiber cloths: These are excellent for removing dirt without scratching the grill.
• (Optional) Pots and pans: If you have a gas BBQ, you might have a grease trap or drip tray. If not, use old pots and pans to catch grease while you work.

EQUIPMENT	CLEANING PRODUCTS	OPTIONAL
Steel brush	White vinegar	Cat litter or coffee
BBQ scraper (metal or plastic)	Soap and water	Vegetable oil
Stainless steel or wire brush	Bicarbonate of soda	Vacuum
Rubber gloves, sponge, microfibre cloth, a bucket	Stainless steel cleaning spray	Newspaper, aluminium foil, beer, an onion

With all that in tow and access to a bin and hot water, we’re ready to start cleaning.

2. Clean the inside of the grill

For this step, we cut it down into three sections:

Brush the inside while it’s still hot

Use the wire brush to clean the grill racks and warming racks. Brush up and down in the direction of the bars to remove excess food and burn marks. Once done, turn off your gas grill.

For a charcoal grill, use a bin or one of the pots you brought. After the coals have completely cooled, remove the grate, discard the coals, and scrape out the bottom of the ash catcher.

Tip: Check your gas line and canister. If you find any holes or damage, turn off the gas, disconnect the line, and replace it. Also, replace any outdated gas canisters.

Clean the inside while it’s cold

1. Remove any fixtures like grill racks, side burner plates, or the ash catcher. If there are still carbon deposits or bits of food, use your vacuum cleaner’s nozzle attachment to clean stuck food off a BBQ
2. Use your plastic scraper to remove excess residue, scraping it into a grease trap or pan. For heavy grease build-up, use an absorbent product like cat litter or ground coffee to soak up the grease before disposal. Never pour grease and oil down the drain.
3. Put on your rubber gloves and get your scourer and bucket filled with hot, soapy water.
4. Scrub the inside of the BBQ with the scourer. Dip the sponge into the hot, soapy water and flip it to clean thoroughly.
5. Soak the grill racks in hot, soapy water to loosen dirt.
6. Alternatively, you can put the hot plates and grill racks into the dishwasher. If you have a cast-iron grill, clean it by hand.

At this point, you’ll either need to wait for your dishwasher cycle to finish or rinse everything off and dry it. If you prefer a quicker option, you can use a spray or pressure washer to clean a gas BBQ.

Be cautious not to force grease and dirt into the gas burners, as this can clog them and affect functionality. You’ll also need to make sure you dry your grill after.

Heat it to finish cleaning

If you’ve used chemical sprays or cleaning agents (even soap and water) on your BBQ, heat it again to burn off any residue. After all, you don’t want unwanted chemicals affecting your food.

For extra cleaning and sanitisation, you can steam the inside of your grill. Simply place a wet sheet of newspaper on the BBQ and let the residual heat create steam. This will add a final touch to your cleaning. Just remember to remove the newspaper and turn off the BBQ before it burns.

3. Tackle the grill itself

The grill is one of the most important parts of a BBQ. It often has raw meat and fish touching it and withstands high temperatures. Simply put, it needs proper care, too.

• Use a wire brush to scrape the grill while it’s hot. (Be cautious of bristles breaking off into the food.)
• Let it cool, then wash it with cleaning or hot, soapy water.
• Thoroughly dry it before placing it back in the BBQ.

Proper drying of your grill and racks will help prevent rust. If you don’t have a wire brush, scrub the grill with scrunched-up aluminium foil.

Tip: Take extra care of your grill when you use it next time. Rub it with vegetable oil and a kitchen towel to help prevent food from sticking.

4. Finish with the outside

Use the gloves, sponge, warm, soapy water (a fresh batch), and bucket from step one. Work around the grill and clean burns off a BBQ, including any sticky sauce drippings, hardened marinades, or other remnants from past meals.

Pay extra attention to areas like the ignition, temperature control knobs, and handle for gas grills. These are frequently touched and may carry bacteria or food residue. For a stainless steel model, wipe with the grain to prevent scratches. You can also use a stainless steel spray or polish.

For an enamel or painted grill, use soapy water and a soft-bristled brush. Lightly sand and repaint any rust spots. Stainless steel doesn’t rust, so what you see is likely something else — use a mild abrasive to remove it.

Finally, use the microfiber cloth to gently dry the outside of your BBQ. Some suggest lightly coating the BBQ’s exterior with baby oil, but it’s more important to keep it covered when not in use to minimise damage and rust.

Extra tip: The potato trick

You may have heard about cleaning your grill with a potato, but does it actually work? It might! The idea is that the starch in potatoes acts as a natural abrasive.

Here’s how it works: Heat your grill, cut a potato in half, and rub it against the dirty grates. The starch helps loosen grime and grease without scratching the surface. For added cleaning power, you can dip the cut side of the potato in baking soda or coarse salt.

While there are no scientific studies confirming this method’s effectiveness, many grillers swear by it. It might not be as powerful as a grill brush or wire scrubber, but it can be a handy technique to try!

If you follow these steps at least twice a year and give your BBQ a quick clean after each use, you’ll be set! Just remember to keep your cleaning kit handy, and you’ll be good to go.

Up next on your reading list: How to Store Your BBQ After Summer?

 

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