Cleaning Your Grill Properly

A barbeque grill is more of an investment rather than just an entertaining accessory. It can be used and re-used many times over and give you years of outdoor fun and reason to celebrate. Like any investment, a barbeque grill needs proper care and maintenance to bring out its best for all the ensuing years.

If you leave food residue on the grill after every use, layer upon layer dries out and cleaning it then could be a monumental task. Also food left on the grill reacts with it and could encourage the onset of rust, which could drastically decrease the grill�s lifespan.

Most grills have similar cleaning and maintaining requirements, though each kind may have its own specific maintenance schedule.

Step 1- Gather The Necessary Items

Most of the tools necessary for cleaning grills could be found commonly in most households. You will need dry baking soda, brass wire grill brush, mild dish soap, steel wool pads, preferably those that have soap loaded onto them, dishcloth or sponge, spray cooking oil and aluminum foil.

Step 2- Brush The Grill Off

The grill should be routinely brushed to dislodge foods which are stuck to it. Brush off all surfaces using the brass wire grill brush or any other brush specified for the kind of grill you own. Some grills like propane grills, charcoal grills or multi fuel grills could have their own specific instructions. This prevents buildup of food, which in the long run can be a huge chore to remove and could cause the grill to rust if left on for too long.

Step 3- Spray Cooking Oil

Once the grill has cooled down completely and you have brushed off all the debris and buildup, then spry the cooking surface with a thin layer of cooking oil. This is done to protect the barbeque grill from rusting. It is absolutely important that your barbeque grill has cooled down completely before spraying cooking oil. A hot surface could heat up the oil and cause it to ignite. This is a potential danger to your barbeque grill and more important it is a potential danger to you too.

Step 4- Use Aluminum Foil and Baking Soda on Your Grill

Baking soda enjoys a reputation of being a quick and efficient polishing and cleaning agent. After brushing off the buildup and all the debris, scrub the barbeque grill lightly with baking soda to give it an extra shine and get it looking brand new. Baking soda could also be used to remove build up from knobs, handles and other areas where you cannot use the wire brush.

A cheaper option is using aluminum foil. Gently rubbing the grill with aluminum foil will leave it looking shiny and nice.

Step 5- Clean Your Racks

Using the wire brush remove as much food build up as you can from the grill racks. The meats are placed on the racks of the grill and special care needs to be taken to keep them as clean as possible. After taking off as much as you can with the wire brush, wash the racks with dish soap and warm water. You can use steel wool pads on racks that are extremely dirty and hard to clean. Rinse off all soap residue before keeping it away or reusing it.

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