How To Clean a Grill Like a Pro

There’s something so refreshing about firing up the grill and cooking your meal out in the fresh air. To ensure your grill is being sanitary, it’s important to keep it clean. As soon as you learn how to clean a grill, you’ll see that it’s pretty easy to maintain its condition.

Whether you’ve just purchased your first grill or you’re a seasoned griller looking for a few quick cleaning tips, you’re in the right place. From cleaning a BBQ grill to maintaining a gas grill, here is everything you need to know.

How to clean a charcoal grill

Sure, you may know how long to cook burgers, but that’s no use if you don’t know how to clean a grill. Here are some tips and tricks to transform your charcoal grill into a clean cooking space.

Necessary tools to clean a charcoal grill:

• A grill brush or coarse cleaning brush 
• A bristle brush or a putty knife
• Paper or plastic bags
• Aluminum foil
• Rubber gloves
• Scraper 
• Sponge 
• Vegetable oil

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3 In 1 Barbecue Plus Grill Brush (1 ct)

Reynolds Aluminum Foil (75 sq ft)

Project Pro Putty Knife, 1-1/4 Inches (1 each)

Store Brand White Vinegar, Distilled (64 fl oz)

Core Kitchen Silicone Sponge - Assorted (1 each)

Step 1: Wait until cool, then remove the bricks

For folks who are unsure how to clean a grill, you must make sure it is cool before you begin the cleaning process. After your charcoal grill is cool, you can start removing the bricks. You’ll also need to brush out any ash residue. 

Step 2: Clean the grates

Remove the grates from your grill to ensure you’re cleaning every inch. Don’t be afraid to use your grill brush to clean the grates. 

If you find large pieces of gunk that won’t easily come off, ball up a piece of aluminum foil and use it as a scrubber. You can also use vegetable oil to prevent rusting and remove built-up food.

Step 3: Clean the inside of the grill

Next, clean any debris out of the bottom of your grill and empty the ash catcher, if you have one. If you notice any black stuff that seems to be peeling off, scrape this off with your bristle brush or putty knife (typically a mixture of carbon flakes and grease).

Step 4: Wipe down the outside of the grill

When cleaning your charcoal grill, don’t forget to wipe down the outside of the grill and the lid with warm, soapy water. This will remove any grease splatters and keep it looking great.

Step 5: Put the grill back together

After you follow the steps above, you should have a fully cleaned grill. The final step is to put everything back together, and you’re ready to begin planning what to cook at your next BBQ.

How to clean a gas grill

Cleaning a gas grill involves the same number of steps as cleaning a charcoal grill. Here is how to clean a gas grill.

Necessary tools to clean a gas grill:

• A grill brush or coarse cleaning brush 
• A bristle brush or a putty knife
• Paper or plastic bags
• Aluminum foil
• Rubber gloves
• Scraper 
• Sponge 
• Vegetable oil

Step 1: Turn off the gas

If you’re unsure how to clean a grill, the first step is to turn off the gas supply. The gas supply should either be a propane tank or an actual gas line.

Step 2: Clean the grates

Next, you’ll want to remove the grates to make sure you are wiping down every nook and cranny. Don’t be afraid to wipe the grates with vegetable oil to prevent rusting.

Step 3: Clean everywhere inside

Now that the grates are spotless, it’s time to clean everywhere else. Wipe down anything covering the burners and the burner tubes. You’ll want to make sure the gas ports are open and clean. Don’t forget to wipe down the grease collection tray with warm, soapy water.

Step 4: Clean outside

It’s important you don’t neglect the outside of your grill when cleaning. Don’t forget to clean out the bottom of the grill and inside the lid. Use soap and water to wipe down the outside of the grill.

Step 5: Reassemble your grill

After you follow the steps above, your gas grill is ready to be reassembled. Once your grill is back together, it’s time to prepare for your next cookout.

How to clean a flat top grill

While flat top grills don’t have grates to clean, they do require proper maintenance to ensure they run smoothly. Follow these steps to professionally clean a flat top grill.

Necessary tools to clean a flat top grill:

• A grill brush or coarse cleaning brush
• Dish soap, degreaser or homemade cleaning solution
• Dry cloth 
• Rubber gloves

Step 1: Don’t wait until it’s cool

While it may sound unusual, you’ll want to keep the burner hot while cleaning a flat top grill. However, make sure you use caution to avoid getting burned by the steam.

Step 2: Use your cleaning solution

Now that your burner is still warm, it’s time to spray your cleaning solution. You can use whatever cleaning solution you want — dish soap, degreaser and homemade baking soda cleaner get the job done. Let the solution sit on top for at least one minute.

Step 3: Scrub away

It’s common for food and debris to get stuck on your grill top. Bring out your trusty grill brush to scrub away any leftover grease, food and debris. Wipe down the grill top with a dry cloth. You can repeat this step as many times as you need to clean a grill like a pro.

How to clean grill grates

Cleaning grill grates can be a messy job, but there are a few things that can make it easier. If you’re wondering how to clean grill grates the easy way, try one of these methods.

1. Burnoff

The burnoff method is one of the fastest ways to clean your grill’s grates. To do this, follow these three steps:

1. Leave the lid open when you’re done cooking.
2. Shuffle the coals around or blast your burners on high for about 15 minutes.
3. Use a grill brush to brush the grates clean.

2. Soap and water

If you use the burnoff method each time you grill, it will be easy to clean your grates with soap and water once a month. To do this, simply:

1. Remove your grates and soak them in warm, soapy water for about an hour.
2. Rinse them thoroughly.
3. Put the grates back on the grill, turn it on and close the lid until the grates warm up.
4. Use your grill brush to scrape off any remaining residue.

3. Vinegar spray

If you prefer, you can use vinegar spray instead of the soap and water method. Just follow these simple steps.  

1. Mix 2 cups of white vinegar with two cups of water.
2. Use a spray bottle to spray the mixture onto your grill grates.
3. Wait 10 minutes.
4. Use your grill brush to brush the grates clean — no need to rinse!

4. Steam cleaning

To clean your grates using the steam cleaning method, all you need is water and a sponge. Just follow these steps:

1. Heat the grill to 600 F, then turn off the heat.
2. Place a tin full of water on the grates (a small coffee can or large vegetable can work well for this).
3. Close the lid and allow the grates to steam for about 30 minutes.
4. Loosen the buildup by scrubbing your grates with a silicone sponge.

Homemade grill cleaner

Recipe by Instacart

You can use homemade grill cleaner instead of the soap and water method with these simple steps.

Ingredients

• White vinegar

• Water

• Spray bottle

• Grill brush

Directions

• Mix two cups of white vinegar with two cups of water.
• Use a spray bottle to spray the mixture onto your grill grates.
• Wait 10 minutes.
• Use your grill brush to clean the grates — no need to rinse!

Why do you need to clean your grill?

Making sure your grill stays clean will help it operate safely, look nice and cook your food well. While wiping your grill down regularly is a good start, it’s also important to periodically give it a thorough cleaning.

The same method of grilling that gives your meats those beautiful, tasty char marks also leaves carbon deposits all over your grill — on the hood, the interior of the firebox, grates and (if you have a gas grill) on the burner tubes. Not only does this look bad, but the more it builds up, the more problems it can cause. Eventually, your grill might start to heat unevenly or fail to reach the right temperature. It can also cause the burner tubes to fail prematurely on a gas grill.

How often should you clean your grill?

It’s important to thoroughly clean your grill about twice a year. If you grill once a week or more, you’ll also want to thoroughly clean the grates about every two months. Routine cleaning should take five to 10 minutes, whereas deep cleaning could take a few hours.

If you take a moment to scrape the grates with a wire cleaner each time you cook, it will be much easier to keep your grill clean. Just make sure you’ve removed any wire bristles that are left behind on the grates before you fire the grill back up.

Get ready for the grilling season!

Whether you’re grilling up burgers and brats, steaks or fresh, seasonal vegetables, Instacart makes it easy to get ready for your next barbecue. Use our online grocery store to add everything you need to your shopping list, and let a professional shopper take care of everything for you.

Unsure what to serve at a BBQ? Check out our guide full of main and side dishes to help you plan the ultimate cookout.

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