During the first part of the year, when visiting the garden, we can see the traces of outdoor cooking activities in recent years. Our grills are left open on the elements and, in many cases, have seen much better days.

At this time of year, we are always thinking about cooking outside with our favorite grill. Before we are ready to throw charcoal and lighters on the grill, it’s time to pay attention to cleaning our kitchen utensils, so things start hygienically.

Cleaning Methods for the Grill

Wire Brushes

A stiff wire brush is a big help when cleaning your grill. Simply clean your shelf before and after each use. If you used oil to cover your grill, cleaning the grill with just a brush should be easy. Brass bristle brushes are particularly suitable for cleaning porcelain coated grids because they do not damage the porcelain.

Grill Stones

Barbecue stones are made to remove fat and food from the grill. If you are unfamiliar with barbecue stones, check out these inexpensive ones on Amazon. They look like a large pumice stone with a handle for easy washing, and it is also an excellent heat convector such as volcanic stone, ceramic tiles, etc. The main difference to a grill stone is that it has no holes, and due to this property, the possibility of germs and poor cooking significantly reduced. Grill stones withstand an incredible heat of up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Barbecue stones are ideal for use in most grill shapes and sizes, as you can work with the grill design with almost any grill format.

Combustion

This is one of the common methods of cleaning grills. All you have to do is leave the grill on after cooking after all the food has been removed. After a quarter of an hour, let the grill cool for about 5 minutes, then use an old trowel or piece of flat metal and carefully scrape on both sides of the grill to remove any hard, sticky residue. Remember that ceramic barbecues can be easily damaged if you use excessive force with sharp objects. So be careful with the tools you choose.

If you have an old metal kitchen appliance, e.g., B. a whisk, these tools are ideal for making work safer and more comfortable.

However, you must take care that this method is not banned by the grill manufacturer in order not to inadvertently invalidate your guarantee.

Ensure your safety when using this method with a pair of suitable potholders or special heat-resistant gloves.

Soaking

If everything else fails, you can remove dirt and stubborn food residue by soaking the grill grills in hot water. This can be an excellent way to get the edges of the racks, which are often difficult to clean, really clean.

Grease the Grill

Another excellent way to relieve the pain of cleaning a grill is to prevent the worst residue from sticking to the grill first. To do this, cover your grill with a layer of oil before you start cooking. This helps to prevent your food from burning and sticking to the grill and also makes it easier to clean the grill later. Remember to spray oil only on a cold grill. Spraying on a hot fire or grill will spray oil and can cause serious injury.

Steam Cleaning

If you use your grill several times a year, why not invest in a steam cleaner? A steam cleaner speeds up cleaning your grill after use and can be very useful. If you’ve had enough scrubbing to remove dirt from the grill, investing in a steam cleaner can be very useful and save you time.

When you are finished cooking, dip an old newspaper in water and place it on the heated grill with the lid closed. After about three-quarters of an hour, open the lid and clean the residues. Do not leave the newspaper on the grill for too long as it will dry out and give you more work.

Preventive Measures to Keep Your Grill Clean

Cover your grill with a lid

The best way to keep your grill clean is to simply buy a lid or put it in your device when you’re not using it. To protect your grill from the weather, you should cover it with a plastic film or preferably with a cover developed by the manufacturer, especially for the respective task, since these usually have a tighter fit are more effective.

During the winter months, remove the grill and keep it in a dry place that is protected from moisture and weather. This will slow down the rate at which rust builds up, and you will benefit more from this process with the above lubrication method.

This also prevents oxidation in the months when your grill is not being used regularly.

To protect your grill from the weather, you should cover it with a plastic film or preferably with a cover developed by the manufacturer, especially for the respective task, since these usually have a tighter fit are more effective.

The Foil Tray

Now that you know the basics of cleaning the covered grill, you need to pay attention to cleaning the inside of the grill.

After several uses, a large amount of dirt remains on the bottom of the grill. It also doesn’t help that its been sitting outside in the elements. Over time, this buildup can become unsanitary and pose an additional task.

Charcoal grills suffer the most, and the best way to deal with them without spending a lot of money is to first clean the inside of the grill by removing hard and dry residue with an old brush (something we have somewhere in the garage) then use general household cleaners to remove the dirt stuck to the edges of the grill. Many special grill cleaners can cost two to three times as much as traditional household cleaners. Do not hesitate to try them, although experience has shown that regular cleaners do the job correctly.

Simply spray an adequate amount of liquid and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the worst from the buildup with a plastic scraper. When you are ready, you can lie down on the paper towel.

Use a high-quality kitchen sheet, the thickest and the best, and insert it in three layers. Illuminate the edges to look like a tray. Place it on the bottom of your grill and then add a layer of sand about 5 cm deep. This will help absorb the excess fat and juice dripping from the grill during cooking and make your life MUCH more manageable in the long run.

After multiple uses, simply remove the entire container and discard it. Quickly brush and clean the inside of the grill and insert another of your homemade aluminum trays to keep your grill clean the next time you use it.

If you’re ok investing a little more cash, you can use an aluminum tray for catering and throw it away after a few uses. Just use common sense and remove it if it seems that has already happened.

Cleaning Your Grill

Another trick you can try is to pour the rest of your coffee on the grill. Clean with a dry cloth. For excellent cleaning, spray the grill with your regular oven cleaner and leave it in a plastic garbage bag overnight. Rinse the hose the next day, and you should have a shiny grill ready.

You can also add vinegar or dish detergent to the water for added cleaning power.

Another standard method of cleaning the grill is merely rubbing the grill into the sand. This will remove most of the fat, etc. Once you’ve done that, bathe the grill with a hose. Depending on how cooked the grill is, you may need to repeat this process two or three times, but it’s worth it.

In the colder months, the use of gas taps is often difficult, which leads to cracks and, in the worst case, to plastic buttons. Remove the plastic buttons and spray some oil on the surface to loosen them. You can also try using some machine oil on each tap, and then cover it with a light grease to prevent the oil from escaping.

Cleaning your Burners

When your burners don’t create a steady blue flame, your gas flow is blocked.

When you lift the grill burner, you will see small brass nozzles called Venturis. They are like a little walnut with a bit of hole. They can easily be removed with a short key. If you cannot clear the blockage, buy new nozzles from a specialist dealer.

Insects will nest in the grill when not in use, and the openings should be blocked. Use a brush to clean the openings. If you are not using your grill for a while, you should use some type of cover. Covering your grill will help to prevent anything like bugs and pests from getting inside your grill.

Reconnect the gas supply. Then check the connections by covering them with a 1: 1 mixture of detergent and water. A gas supply failure is easily identified at this point, and you know that you have to do something to fix it. 

You can start by tightening the connections or replacing the seals. If this does not work, return the defective device. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or send it back to your local service center.

Cleaning Other Parts of your Grill

Grills with wooden cars should be kept in reasonable condition by lubricating them once a year. All you do is sand the trolley with sandpaper and use a suitable furniture oil or trolley oil. This not only soaks the oil stains on the top of your grill, but it also prevents new blemishes from forming.

Volcanic rocks also need care when you use them. Clean the rocks or buy new volcanic rocks each year. Grease and oil will clog these up after use. Don’t forget to throw the old sand out of the drip tray. Clean the tray, and add some cooking oil before lining it with aluminum foil. Place new, washed sand on the sheet to keep it clean.

If your volcanic rocks show signs of cracks, you can replace them. 

You can also replace them with porcelain briquettes. These disk-shaped “stones” are less porous than volcanic stones and much easier to clean.

If you live near the sea or with a lot of salty air, your grill needs more attention. You don’t want your grill overly exposed to the elements. This will inevitably lead to flaws in components and rust.

Wash the outer surface regularly with fresh water and dry it immediately for the best results.

 Check out our other post on Top 5 Healthy Grilling Recipes

Happy Grilling!

LearnGrilling.com

Source by Steven Aucoin