Last Updated on December 10, 2020 by Gas Grill Buy
Cleaning the gas grill immediately after each use is a must. Don’t argue that leftover food on grates will add flavor. It’s just an excuse for lazy people.
Just imagine, you eat with used plates. Of course you don’t want to do that, right? The analogy is almost the same as that. Of course there are many bacteria or other pathogens in leftover food that sticks to the grates. You will become sick from it. Besides, your food will taste disgusting because fresh food will mix with the smell of burned leftovers.
You will also prevent rust from occurring by regularly cleaning the grates as soon as you finish using the grill.
How to Clean Grill Grates According to the Material
The treatment of each type of grates must be different depending on the material for which it is made. Not all types of grates are good at cleaning with water.
Cleaning Stainless Steel Cooking Grates
Stainless Steel grates can last quite a long time when cared for properly. These types of grates are rust resistant and resistant to high temperatures. To clean it is very easy.
Cleaning Porcelain-Enameled Steel Grates
This type of grid is easy to clean the surface. These grates are rust and heat resistant. Unfortunately, any food leftover can seep under the surface of the porcelain enamel, causing the iron underneath to rust.
You also want to be careful when grilling with metal tools that could scratch the porcelain finish. Close the grill lid, turn on the maximum heat to burn the leftovers. Then brush it with a brush made of nylon or soft bristles. You should not use a wire or metal brush to clean it. The metal or wire brush will scratch and damage the porcelain enamel.
Click here to see latest price of Nylon Grill Brush
Cleaning Cast Iron Grill Grates
This type usually retains heat better. Cast iron material is strong, durable, high heat resistant and resistant to almost anything, except water. Cast iron rusts easily. Therefore, do not clean it with water. Close the lid of the gas grill, turn on high heat to burn all leftovers.
Then, scrub it with a nylon cleaning brush. After cleaning, season the grids with avocado oil to prevent rust from forming on the grids.
What Do You Soak Grill Grates in to Clean Them?
To clean leftover food that stuck and won’t come out with a grill brush, you can soak it overnight with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or vinegar or lemon or coke (basically an acidic liquid) with a ratio of 2 cups vinegar and 1 cup baking soda. The mixture will break the fat from the burnt leftovers.
Baking soda is an abrasive which is perfect for crushing and breaking down greases and oils. With a pH of 8.25, baking soda is alkaline. Oils and greases can dissolve under alkaline conditions. This makes baking soda very suitable for dissolving grease and grease that stick to the grates.
You can also use a grill cleaner that is available in the market. The next day you can rinse it with water, cleaning up any stuck food debris easily. Dry the grates. You can do this deep cleaning at least once a year.
Click here to see latest price of Carbona Grill Cleaner
What You Shouldn’t Do To Clean Gas Grill Grates
- Do not use a wire brush as it will scratch and damage the grates, especially those with a porcelain finish. Use a nylon cleaning brush.
- Do not use oven cleaners. Oven cleaners can damage the enamel finish on the exterior gas grill.
- Do not put greasy grill grates in the dishwasher. This will clog up and damage your dishwasher.
- Do not clean cast iron grates frequently with water. Because it will cause the grates to rust easily.
- Don’t place a sheet of aluminum foil on the grates in order to clean grates. It’s very dangerous. It can block air flow inside the grill. It also can damage the internal grill’s components.
- Do not brush your grates with a wire brush as this may scratch them. There is also a chance that the bristle may break off and get stuck on your grates, so it may adhere to your food and may accidentally ingested by you and your family. According to a study published in March 2016 in the journal Head and Neck Surgery, a total of 43 cases were found in the NEISS database, which was extrapolated to about 1,698 Americans visiting the national emergency department after they ingested wire bristles in baked goods.
Is It OK to Grill on Rusted Grates?
Do not grill with grates with loose rust, as rust can adhere to food. Grates that are a little rusty can be cleaned and you can continue to grill using the gas grill. However, if the grates are badly rusted, consider buying a new one immediately.
Can I Power Wash My Grill?
You can use a power washer to clean your gas grill. But I wouldn’t suggest it.
If you think that cleaning the gas grill with a power washer will make your job quick and easy. Apparently not. Many steps that must be taken to clean the grill with a power washer. It is not only to spray it with high pressure and finish.
First of all you have to prepare the gas grill so that it is ready to be sprayed. You have to disconnect from the gas tank, etc. You have to prepare a degreaser that matches the power washer as otherwise it could damage it. Then the gas grill has to be rinsed, dried and in season again.
With high pressure water, gunk can also be thrown everywhere so that it will litter your backyard. Not to mention the high pressure from the water can push the grime into the gas burner, clogging it.
So there are more disadvantages than advantages to using a power washer to clean the gas grill.
The Easiest Way to Clean Gas Grill Grates
As soon as you finish grilling, clean your grates while it is still hot. While your meat is resting, you have free time to do some cleaning before eating. This is a great way to kill time.
If you forget to clean it after grilling, that’s fine. Before starting the grilling activity, preheat your grill to a maximum temperature of about 500 ° F + for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. After that, turn off the grill. While the grates is still hot, use a nylon cleaning brush to remove gunk from the previous grilling session.
Since the gas grill will get very hot, you may want to consider wearing heat-resistant gloves while doing this cleaning.
Click here to see latest price of Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves
How Do I Make My Grill Grates Look New?
After you have used your gas grill for a while, there is nothing you can do to make your grates look like brand new. Because over time, combination of oxidation, heat and oil will create a brown layer called patina on your grates.
You can use a good, high-temperature oil such as avocado oil to season your grid each time you use it to keep it in good condition and rust resistance. Avocado oil is the most heat resistant oil. This is reflected in high smoke points up to 520 F.
Click here to see latest price of Pure Avocado Oil Spray
Why should you choose high smoke points for season grates? Smoke point or burning point is the point where heated oil will generate smoke. You don’t want smoke coming from the burning oil when you grill it.
That’s all you need to know to clean your gas grill grates effortlessly and perfectly.
Happy Grilling!