For many of us the reason we don’t cook out as much as we would like is the time involved in cleanup. Gas fired Barbeques have reduced some of the work associated with cleaning of ash that is left behind but the overall task of maintaining your bbq is still a chore.
If your barbeque isn’t clean then your food isn’t going to taste as good.
Depending on how often you use your outdoor grill you will need to give it a through cleaning at least two or three times a year and maintain it during the season with general cleanup.
Cleaning your grill will also help it function more efficiently and safely and it will give you a chance to inspect the parts for any problems you may need to take care of.
Cleaning Your Barbeque Grill
It is a good idea to refer to your grill instructions before you begin. There may be special care tips that your manufacture needs you to take care of whenever you are performing maintenance.
The grill grates should be cleaned before every use.
To reduce the labor involved in cleaning your grates it is a good idea to heat up your barbeque for a few minute before you scrub them with a wire brush.
There are many different types of grates and they can be made of Cast Iron, Steel or Porcelain.
Make sure you double check your manufacturers recommendation on how to clean the grates especially porcelain grates which could be damaged with aggressive wire brush scrubbing.
Reducing the Cleanup of Charcoal Ash
Lining the bottom of your Charcoal BBQ with heavy aluminum foil is a easy way to collect ash.
Make sure that you do not block the vent holes when installing the aluminum foil and when removing it you want to make sure that there are no hot coals so letting it sit overnight is not a bad idea.
You can also use a dedicated steel trash can for your ashes which will reduce problems.
Most charcoal can be discarded in your trash or you can mulch it along with garden waste if you know that there are no hot coals .. again do so after many hours have past and the ash is completely cold.
Cleaning Exterior Stainless Steel Surfaces
You want to clean your stainless steel surfaces every week or after each use depending on how often you use your grill. Deposits that are allowed to remain will get baked on and be harder to remove if you don’t catch them as they happen.
Use a bbq stainless steel cleaner for good results.
Always clean the exterior surfaces when they are cold.
Never use steel wool or aggressive scrubbers on your exterior surfaces.
Yearly Cleaning of your BBQ Grill
If you are cooking with a gas grill the first thing you want to do is disconnect the gas connection and remove the gas tank.
Place the grill on an area of your lawn where it will not damage surrounding items because you will need to use a garden hose and it will get messy.
Cover the Gas supply line that you disconnected from the supply tank with plastic so it will not get wet.
Disassemble the grill grates and remove the burners with the ignitors on a gas grill and place them out of the way.
Remove any large amounts of debris from the bottom of the trill with a wire brush and scraper.
Place the grates on some newspaper and spray them with oven cleaner. Allow them to sit for at least 30 minutes before you scrub them clean.
Other parts of your grill can be cleaned with a combination of oven cleaner and dish detergent. You do not want to clean your burners with soap a light wire brushing is all that should be needed.
Run water through your burners and make sure all of the holes are open. If you see any cracks or holes other then the burner openings you should replace the burners.
Clean all of the surfaces with dish washing detergent then allow them to dry
Once everything is dry and clean you can reassemble the grill
If the exterior of your grill looks dull you can use a stainless steel polish to restore the metal surface.
Final Note
If you notice problems with how your grill works it may need repair. Do not take chances when operating a gas grill and always follow manufacture recommendations on any other steps needed to care for your grill properly.