How To Clean A Barbecue Grill Step By Step

How To Clean Your Barbecue Grill

If you want to know how to clean a barbecue grill, this step by step guide will teach your everything.  Summer is around the corner and you are anxiously looking forward to the outdoors again! An opportunity has presented itself for another barbecue social event and since you had a great time last year grilling to the delight of family and friends, you are ready to take on the task again.

However, in order to have an equally delightful time using your grill this summer, it must be spotlessly clean to ensure seamless functionality and a delicious array of grilled food. So, now is the time to get your barbecue grill ready for an amazing barbecue season!

Cleaning Your Grill – What You Need To Know

To achieve this, your first and most important move is to clean your grill.  You will want to do this in advance of your gathering to ensure it is ready to be used.

Although you may have washed it before packing it away last season, to commence your grilling adventure again, a thorough cleaning process is necessary.  This is done to clear away any dirt and grime that may have built up in storage and for many hygienic reasons as well.

Your Food Will Taste Better!

As you might know, a clean and smooth working grill makes an already tasty meal look and taste even more appealing!  In contrast, a dirty grill tends to release unhealthy smoke which can effect the taste of your food.

The result is that this dirty smoke actually changes your food completely due to carbon deposits (which also increases the risk of food contamination). This is something you will want to avoid at all costs.

In addition to all of this, if you have a gas grill the layers of carbon will affect functionality.  Your grill will not be able to heat food uniformly.  This could also affect the effectiveness of the gas-burner tubes.  A clean grill is safe and will make sure that your barbecued foods stay tasty and mouth-watering.

grilling food image
grilling food image

Cleaning Your Grill Made Simple

To ease the cleaning process, you might want to call upon a professional cleaning service.  Such services can professionally clean and maintain your appliances yearly so that they are in perfect working order and ready to be used.

However, if you take a DIY approach to your grill cleaning job, you must learn to clean your grill the right way and at the right time.  Remove buildup from grill grates with a wire brush when the grates are still hot each time you grill. This stops food from sticking to the grate and grit from changing the taste of your food.  If you grill often, you must clean just as often too.

For some, cleaning the grill comes with a feeling of dread and it is seen as an uphill task.  For this category of grillers, the best option is to look out for an easier way to get the task done in a shorter time frame and still get an equally fantastic result; a clean and shiny grill. The only way to achieve this is by making use of a power washer; gas or electric, either will do just fine.

Use A Power Washer Or Pressure Washer

What is power washing? To power wash simply means using pressurized, hot water to achieve deep cleaning of many outdoor surfaces and some of your everyday appliances.  Before you get out the power washer or call your guy to do it, read this informative blog post which will walk you through differences between power washing and pressure washing.  We know you’ll enjoy it and learn a ton!

The gush of hot water spray will work perfectly when removing all the accumulated grease and grime.  You can rent a pressure washer for this purpose if you do not have one to use.

A power washer unit that generates 1.3 GPM at 2000 PSI and will do a fantastic and thorough cleaning. In 10 -15 minutes you will have a clean grill as opposed to manual cleaning which takes time and is tasking at the same time.

PRO TIP: If you’re curious about power washing and want to read a great article, check out this post on the benefits of power washing your home!

 

cleaning your grill improves the taste of food
cleaning your grill improves the taste of food!

Below is a step by step guide on how to clean your barbecue grill:

 

Note: The cleaning process for charcoal and gas grills is the same but charcoal grills have fewer parts.  So, remember to always read through the manufacturer’s instructions before you commence cleaning.

Step 1: Get ready to wash.

For safety reasons, if your grill is gas or propane-powered, you will need to disconnect the grill from the propane or gas cylinders and put it away, so that the water spray does not destroy it. If you make use of an outdoor electric grill, unplug the power cords and roll it up neatly. For charcoal grills, pour out used charcoal, then remove the grill from its stand and place it on the ground. However, if this is not possible, get a cloth or sheet to cover the ground and also cover other items around that could get stained.   Move your grill to the centre of your compound, backyard or driveway. Essentially, it should be a convenient distance from your house.

  

Step 2: Get the soap ready.

Grilling always involves grease, so, a degreaser is a must-have for every griller. However, before you degrease, you can make use of a 40-degree nozzle to splash off loose dirt for easy penetration of the degreaser.  It is important that you use a degreaser that is safe for power washing.  Pour the degreaser in the detergent chamber following the instructions in the user’s manual.

 

Next, use the soaping nozzle to apply the degreaser, taking care not to spray it onto the heating parts.  For excellent results, it is best to spray at an angle aligned with the ground. Finally, leave the degreaser on for three to five minutes to break down the grease and grime. 

Step 3: Do a thorough rinse.

After the three to five minutes wait, the degreaser would have completed the process of breaking down the grease and grime. You will then fix up a 15 or 25-degree nozzle to conduct an exhaustive rinsing from top to bottom just like you would do with at a car wash.  If you are not satisfied with the first round of rinsing, do a rerun of the degreasing process and rinse again.  Now, if you have a case of plastered grime on your hands, make use of a turbo nozzle.

 

With a turbo nozzle, the impact of the water is heavier so you might have to regulate your distance to avoid damaging your grill.

 

Step 4: Leave to dry.

Once you have finished rinsing your grill, the next thing to do is to leave it to dry in the sun. You must ensure that your grill is completely dry before use.

 

Step 5: Oil your grill.

When you are quite sure that your grill is dry, rub the cooking grates or grids with canola or olive oil. Doing this will make the surface of your grill rust-resistant and this also keeps your food from clinging to the grids.

   

Step 6: An exciting grilling experience.

After your grill is dry and oiled, you can now connect the gas or power cords as the case applies and finally get set to enjoy the grilling adventure of a tasty meal from a clean and shiny grill!

 

In Summary

Cleaning your grill isn’t really as big of a deal as it seems.  In addition, if you want your food tasting great and to be free of toxins, you really need to do it and on a regular basis.

If you get on a schedule with a house cleaning service near you, it’s possible they can take this on or at least guide you through some simple suggestions.  Many commercial cleaning companies offer regular maintenance and cleaning of appliances in addition to the normal stuff that they do.

We hope this post has offered some valuable information on how to clean your barbecue grill and wish you a joyful grilling experience!