How to Keep a Barbecue Grill Clean
Grilling is a healthy way to cook delicious meals while enjoying time outdoors. Exposure to charcoal, soot, food particles and grease can cause buildup on your barbecue grill. Regular cleaning and maintenance keep your grill in ready-to-cook condition while leaving buildup to form on the grill can affect how well it works and how your food tastes. By caring for your grill after each use you can keep it clean. Simple supplies and techniques help you clean your grill so it doesn't become a messy chore you dread tackling.
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Remove the food from the grill after cooking. Allow the grill to stay hot for another 15 minutes to burn off cooked-on food or grease.
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While the grill is still hot, scrub the grate with a stiff-bristled grill brush. If you don't have a grill brush, use crumpled up aluminum foil. Scrub the entire surface to remove any remaining food and grease then allow the grill to cool overnight.
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Pour cooled ash and soot into a trash bag-lined garbage can with a lid. Scrape out the drip pan to remove solidified grease and food particles. Place these in the garbage can and secure the lid to prevent animals from getting into the trash can.
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Fill a bucket with 1 gallon hot water and 1 tsp. dishwashing detergent. Dip a sponge in the soapy mixture and wash out the inside of the grill lid, the drip pan and the grill grate, if it needs it. Rinse them off with water and allow them to air dry.
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Cover your barbecue grill with a grill cover in between uses. This prevents bird droppings and dirt from making the outside of your grill dirty in addition to preventing rust by keeping the grill dry.
Things You Will Need
- Stiff-bristled grill brush
- Aluminum foil
- Trash can with lid
- Scraper
- Bucket
- 1 tsp. dishwashing detergent
- Sponge
- Grill cover
Tip
- Place aluminum foil beneath messy, greasy food to prevent a stuck-on mess on the grill grate.
Warning
- Leaving food and grease on grill grates can lead to flare-ups while cooking. Keep the grill clean so you don't get burned while grilling.