Clever Cleaning Hacks For A Sparkling Clean Bbq

If you barbecue frequently, say at least once per week, thoroughly clean the grates every two months. And twice a grilling season, you should give your grill a thorough cleaning, which will help it cook better and last longer. By the way, the basic cleaning procedures presented here are essentially the same for gas or charcoal grills; charcoal grills just have fewer parts.

Wait at least 30 minutes for the extreme temperature to singe any stuck-on food or grease. Next, dip the wire brush into a bucket of warm, soapy water and scrub off all the carbon from the grates. Then turn off the gas, and disconnect and remove the propane tank. Let the grill cool completely.

Then, scrape away any caked-on charcoal dust and debris with a putty knife. If you’re not absolutely positive that the briquettes are completely cold and dead, set them into a bucket of water. Once the grill is cool, remove all the grates and flavorizer bars and totally submerge them in a tub of warm, soapy water.

Once the firebox is clean, rinse it out with a garden hose. After the grates and panels have soaked, take them out and scrub them with the wire brush. For really stubborn crud, mix a paste of white vinegar and baking soda and apply it directly to the worst caked-on bits.

And this is also a great time to inspect the porcelain grates for chips, which may eventually lead to rust. Clean any chips or rust thoroughly and coat with oil to form a protective film when the grates are seasoned before you use it again. Take a large piece of aluminum foil, crumple it up into a ball, and then use it to scrub cooking grates clean of baked-on food particles.

He’s the DIY editor at Popular Mechanics and also the founder of the home improvement site, Charles & Hudson, the Webby-nominated family site, Built by Kids, and Tool Crave. When not working, you’ll find him on his board or bike enjoying the LA weather with his family and friends. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

Fill the steam cleaner with tap water through the top of the machine. Plug the machine's power cord into the wall and turn the machine on using the switch on the machine. (The machine will heat up in as little as 30 seconds). If we start with the grill and hotplate, we should attach the small brush head with the bristles on the steam cleaner.

Open the hood of the BBQ to begin. Steam the areas of the grill and hotplate you are wanting to clean while simultaneously scrubbing the area the with brush head. This will loosen all the burn marks, fat and grease. Then an old rag can be use to just wipe it all away.

Now we can clean the stainless still on the underneath of the hood. Similarly to the hotplate, using a brush head with bristles that comes with the steam cleaner will achieve the quickest results. The grease and marks will loosen easily which can then be wiped away with a rag.

For this we recommend using a brush head with a microfibre cloth. Using this method will allow you to loosen the marks on the outside by steaming the area and wiping it all away with the microfibre cloth at the same time which reduces your cleaning time. (It's best not to use the microfibre cloth on the hotplate and grill as it would become too dirty too quickly).

4. For cast iron hotplates and grills, spray a light coating of canola oil to leave on until your next barbecue. This will prevent rusting 5. Ensure the BBQ is cool to touch before placing the cover on. This helps to protect the barbecue from exposure to the elements. Finally store your barbecue in shaded a dry area.

Push the tin to the side (using a mit!) and begin scrapping with a bristle brush. The steam helps the grime come right off! Pour half a bottle of beer over the top of greasy grates on a warm grill. The beer will break down the oil and grease, and it will come right off when clean with a bristle brush.

Spray vinegar all over the grill, then take a balled up piece of aluminum foil and use that as a bristle brush to scrape the grime right off. Cut an onion in half, put it on the end of your grilling fork and rub it all over the grill grates, then scrub with a bristle brush.