How to Wash an Outdoor Grill
2012-07-09 Hits:
How to Wash an Outdoor Grill
After you remove food from a barbecue, cover the grill and allow it to stay heated for 15 to 20 minutes longer. This process will burn away a lot of the residual grease and grime between uses. A couple of times a year, though, you'll want to give the grill a thorough cleaning before you fire it up.
1 Use a stiff wire brush to scrape away any loose debris from the grill and grates, then remove the grill and grates.
2 Scoop out any ash at the bottom of the barbecue with a large spoon or cup.
3 Clean the inside and outside of the barbecue with baking soda (or another abrasive cleaner) and a little water using a metal scouring pad. If your barbecue has a painted, a nonstick or an aluminum surface, use dishwashing liquid, water and a plastic scrubber (not abrasive cleaners and metal scrubbers).
4 Place the grill and grates in a large plastic bag and cover them thoroughly with oven cleaner. Allow them to sit for several hours or overnight. If the grill and grates are aluminum, soak them in dishwashing liquid and water instead.
5 Remove the grill and grates from the plastic bag and place them atop several layers of newspaper.
6 Use a metal scouring pad or stiff brush to scrub them clean. If the grill or grates are aluminum or nonstick, use a plastic scrubber, not a metal one.
7 Hose off the grill and grates to remove any remnants of the oven cleaner. Use the hose to clean out the barbecue itself as well.
8 Allow everything to dry thoroughly, then replace the grill and grates.
9 Coat the grill with vegetable oil to prevent rusting and future buildup.
Tips & Warnings
Before you fire up the grill, spray it with nonstick cooking spray or wipe it with vegetable oil to make cleanup easier.
If a grill is still warm, not hot, rub a balled-up piece of aluminum foil against it to remove any debris, just like you would a stiff brush.
Some barbecue aficionados prefer to leave carbon buildup on the grill because they believe it adds flavor to barbecued meats and vegetables.
