Grilling 101: How To Clean a Grill Like a Pro

Grilling is a great way to cook and enjoy delicious food while spending quality time outdoors with friends and family. To keep your grill looking and working its best, it’s important to clean and maintain it regularly. Unfortunately, many people don’t know the proper steps for cleaning a grill.

We’ve curated a detailed guide to help you learn how to clean your grill and keep it in tip-top condition. From the best materials for scrubbing to the proper way to store a grill, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know. So, grab your grill brush, and let’s get started!

Before You Start

Before you begin, it’s important to make sure you have all the necessary supplies on hand. You’ll need a putty knife or wire brush, soapy water, a damp cloth, BBQ cleaner or polish, and a high-quality grill brush. If you have a gas grill, be sure to disconnect your propane tank from your grill before attempting to clean it; this is essential for safety reasons, and failure to do this could result in serious injury or damage to your property.

Pre-Cleaning Steps

Once you’ve disconnected the propane tank, you must remove all the removable parts from the grill, including the grates. Lay these out on a flat surface and scrape away any stuck-on char and grease with your putty knife or wire brush. Then, you’ll need to scrape away any grease buildup on the bottom of your grill’s firebox with your putty knife or wire brush. Make sure you take your time during this step so you don’t damage any of your grill’s components during the cleaning process.

Clean Your Grates

Now it’s time to get ready for the actual cleaning! Start by filling a bucket with hot water and adding a few drops of dish soap. Then submerge each grate in the soapy water one by one and use your putty knife or wire brush to remove any remaining stuck-on grease or food residue. Ensure that each piece of the grate is thoroughly cleaned before moving on to the next step. Once you’ve finished scrubbing with soap and water, rinse each grate with clean water until all the soap is removed. Once all the grate pieces are clean and rinsed off, it’s time to move on to the next step.

Clean Your Burners

Now it’s time to clean out those burners. First, take out each burner individually using a wrench or other appropriate tool (check your owner’s manual for instructions specific to your model), and wipe away any grease or dirt buildup around the burners using a damp cloth until they’re completely free from debris. Once all of the burners are clean, you can replace them in their appropriate spots within your grill’s firebox before reconnecting them to their gas sources (follow instructions specific to your model).

Clean Your Firebox

Using a good-quality grill brush, scrub inside the firebox to remove any excess dirt, food, or grease accumulation that may be present. Once you finish brushing out dirt buildup inside the firebox, vacuum out any remaining ashes using an appropriate vacuum cleaner attachment designed for this purpose (check manufacturer recommendations for best results). Ensure all ashes are removed before moving on to the next step: cleaning your tank.

Clean Your Tank

Wipe down the propane tank with a clean cloth dipped in a soapy water solution. Be careful not to use flammable cleaners or abrasive scrubbers. Once the tank is clean, check for leaks by examining each connection point carefully for signs of dripping liquid propane before proceeding with further steps. When all connections appear secure and leak-free, then go ahead and move on to the next step.

Clean Your Grill’s Exterior

Use a damp cloth with mild detergent to wipe down all exterior surfaces, including the hood and knobs. To restore its just-bought shine, apply some BBQ polish onto the exterior surfaces using an appropriate applicator tool or rag (we suggest following manufacturer instructions regarding what type of polish should be used where); be careful not to scratch any surfaces while doing this.

Final Touches

Once everything has been cleaned and polished up nicely inside and out, it’s finally time to start reassembling the unit. Carefully hook the propane tank back up to the grill and make sure all burners, grates, and knobs are clean, dry, and back in their designated spots. To keep your grill looking great and working well, we recommend regular maintenance sessions every few months (or more frequently, depending on usage levels).

So there you have it. Now you know how to clean your grill like a pro. Follow these simple steps consistently throughout the grilling season, and you’ll surely get perfectly cooked results every time — no matter what meal you’re serving.