How do I clean and maintain my grill?

Table of Contents

Regular cleaning and maintenance will keep your clean in tip-top shape and ensure that it lasts longer than if it’s not looked after.

FOR CHARCOAL GRILLS: #

Preheat your grill completely every time you’re cooking on it. This cleans and disinfects your gas grill.
While it’s hot, use a wire brush or scraper on the cooking grates to remove any food debris that will stick to your food.
After use let the grill cool completely before clearing out and discarding the ashes. Ensure that there are no hot embers left. Never extinguish hot coals with water or leave your grill out in the rain. Water mixed with ash creates lye, which causes chemical burns and corrodes metal.

If it’s quite gunky, you might want to do a deep clean.
Start with scraping, brushing or vacuuming out as much dry ash as possible. Clean out the ash catcher if there’s one.
Wash your grill and lid, inside and out, and rinse out any residual ash.
To remove cooked on grime, use dish soap and a non-metal scouring pad, and scrub the entire firebox and grates with hot, soapy water. Rinse all the components well and dry them. You can also use a non-toxic food-safe degreaser (wear gloves) if the stains are stubborn — according to the product’s instructions.
Leave the grill out in the sun to dry. Ensure that all the parts are completely dry before storing in a sheltered area or covered.

Preheat your grill completely every time you’re cooking on it. This cleans and disinfects your gas grill.
While it’s hot, use a wire brush or scraper on the cooking grates to remove any food debris that will stick to your food.
Cover your grill as soon as it has cooled down. And always keep your grill covered when not in use.

Remove the cooking grates and brush them on both sides. You might want to scrub and wash them in hot, soapy water if they are very dirty. You should however leave a greasy film on as a protective layer on the metal – this applies to any metal parts like flame tamers and burners if you wash them.
Brush flame tamers or burner tubes; wash them if they are very dirty.
If the flames are uneven, you need to clean out the burners. To do this, remove the affected burners from the grill and, with a pipe cleaner or small wire, push through the ports (holes along the side). Then gently tap the burners, open end down, on the ground to displace any debris from inside the burner. Once cleaned out, replace the burners and fire it up again. If the flame is even, continue. If not, repeat this step.
Brush any debris on the inside of the grill into the drip pan below.
Clean out or replace the grease drip pan.
Clean the exterior of the grill.
Reassemble the grill and heat up for about 10 minutes or until there is no (or at least not very much) smoke coming out of the grill.
Cover your grill as soon as it has cooled down. And always keep your grill covered when not in use.

Updated on October 25, 2022