Your grill has endured the winter weather and survived the Wyoming wind. Even if it was covered, a good old-fashioned grill cleaning will set the tone for your BBQ experience all summer long. No one wants a dirty grill! Let’s reserve “dirty” for our martinis (Speaking of alcohol, check out this great recipe for grilled Sangria) and 4-wheeling trips. Right now it’s time to sparkle!
With a few simple steps and using the right tools, you will be ready for spring grilling and add years to the life of your BBQ.
Grill cleaning can be as simple or as intricate as you want it to be. In most cases, you’ll need a few simple tools to get you started.
- bucket of soapy water
- heavy duty sponge
- paper towels or rag
- grill brush or stone
Time to clean the grates!
Depending on the type of grill grates you have, the type of brush you use matters. For porcelain enamel-coated grates, a softer brass brush is best. For stainless steel grates, you can use a rougher steel brush or a grill stone. The key here is to not scrub too hard because you don’t want the enamel to get brushed off. You can also use the equal parts water/vinegar solution on the grates. Spray them, wait an hour, rinse.
Worried about rust?
Brush your grill grates with a soft brush to remove as much rust as you can. Put your grate on your barbecue and sprinkle it generously with baking soda. Turn your barbecue on and watch the baking soda begin to bubble and remove the rust. Turn off the grill and let it cool down.
Did you know?
You can put your clean grates in a 450-degree oven for a couple of hours to “cure” them. This works best for cast-iron grates. Brush the grill grates with cooking oil before putting them in the oven. You can also follow these easy steps found here.
Clean out the bugs.
Spiders especially like to make their home in your gas grill pipes. Make sure the propane is off and use a long pipe cleaner or sprayer to clear out any spider webs. This will ensure proper gas flow to the grill. You can also check your hoses and tank valves for leaks by applying soapy water to the hose and valves. Turn on the gas, if it bubbles up anywhere, you have a leak and need to replace the hose or the tank itself.
Check the air vents.
Be sure the air vents on your grill are clean and without obstruction. Proper airflow is an important part of grilling.
Clean the outer grill.
Let’s get the grime off the outer grill and make it shine. This is where your soap and water come into play. Take that sponge and soap up the grill. It’s going to take some elbow grease. If the soap and water won’t do the trick, there are specialty sprays that will cut through the grease and grime. You can also make yourself a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar. You may want to bring out the garden hose or power washer when you’re done scrubbing and spray everything down.
Plan your next BBQ and enter the BBQ Battle!
Now that your grill is shiny and new, slap some meat on that bad boy and feed the family. Throw a few veggies in for good measure and snap that photo! It could win you a fantastic prize! It’s easy:
The contest began on Saturday, April 23rd, and goes through June 22nd. This gives you two months of fabulous BBQs to get your best shot. All you have to do is snap a picture, upload it to Facebook with the hashtag #whatsgrillin and be sure to tag Porter’s Mountain View Supply in the post. For those that want it simplified even more: SNAP, UPLOAD, HASHTAG, TAG.
A few tips:
- Make sure your Facebook post is set to public, not private
- People don’t mind if you get your kids or pets in the photo (see last year’s winner)
- Enter as many photos as you like. The more food to drool over the better!
- Don’t forget the hashtag! #whatsgrillin
Get to Porter’s for all your grill cleaning needs and then GET GRILLING!
