There’s some work that we HAVE to do, like our jobs and housework, and then there’s some work that we LOVE to do because it means that we get to have fun afterward. Cleaning your BBQ grill is definitely work that we love to do in anticipation for an exciting summer grilling and eating delicious food with friends and family. In today’s article, we’re going to cover some of the best practices for getting your barbeque grill clean and ready for action this summer. Sound off in the comments if you have your own tips and tricks to add or if you have any great burger recipes that you’d like to share. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Start With The Outside 

Since your grill has most likely been sitting dormant all winter (unless you also like to do winter BBQs!) then you will want to take the cover off and clean off the outside of your BBQ station. Start with an inspection of the whole thing from top to bottom. Look for things like cobwebs, insect nests, rust patches, and possible damage or cracks. Make sure that there are no wasps nests ready to explode all over you once you light the fire for the first time. Not pleasant! 

Get a bucket and some warm soapy water and a few rags or towels. We like to use a few tablespoons of dishwashing liquid per gallon of water, but you can use whatever soap you like for this part. Liberally splash your water mixture on the top of the lid and the sides. Take your rag and wash the top and sides and even the support legs and wheels. Really give it a detailed clean! 

Empty The Ash Trap

You may have ashes and other food cooking debris piled up in the bottom of your BBQ grill area from your last cook. Clear out all of the ash and debris and make sure that there are no rusted out or heat damaged areas that could be contributing to heat loss in the cooking area. 

Scrub The Grill Grates

Now here’s where the rubber really meets the road: The grill grates. This is your primary cooking surface and it is, by definition, touching everyone’s food, so you should take extra special care with this section. Here’s what we recommend. 

• Use a flat edge of your wire brush tool to scrape the food bits and other particles off of the grate
• Scrub grate once or twice over with the wire brush tool
• Using a small bucket of warm water with some dish soap in it (about 2 tablespoons per gallon) dip a rag in the water and scrub all surface area of the grate
• Rinse grate with sink sprayer or garden hose and replace back in the grill 
• Optional: you can oil up the grate with some high temp oil or use an onion half to rub on top of it to help it not stick as much when in use the next time

For The Road

Putting together a fun and memorable BBQ season is no small feat, but with a little preparation you can be ready for anything that comes your way this year. Contact us if you or someone you know may be in need of a residential or commercial cleaning service like ours. We can’t wait to hear from you. Give us a call or email us here. Have fun and stay safe out there!