How and Why to Clean the Grill?

Grill cleaning can be compared to a visit to the dentist: nobody wants to do it, but everyone understands that it's necessary to do.

What are the dangers of a dirty grill?

• food residues on the rack rot and you risk getting a stomach upset;
• accumulated fat in the grill can ignite and cause a fire.

How often should you clean the grill?

Are you a barbecue lover and cook on the grill every day? Then a deep clean is sufficient once every couple of months. If you use the grill rarely, clean it right before starting to prepare the dish.

What do you need for cleaning?

• Rubber gloves,

• Grill brush,

• Plastic spatula,

• Dish soap sponge,

• Microfiber towel,

• Dish soap,

• Paper towels,

• Rapeseed oil or avocado oil,

• Two buckets.

How to clean a gas grill?

Heat the grill for ten minutes to burn off food residues. Close the lid. Begin cleaning the grill from the outside.

• Mix in a bucket dish soap with hot water.

• Wet the sponge and wipe the grill surface.

• Rinse and dry thoroughly with a microfiber towel — do not use paper towels, as small cardboard particles may scratch the stainless steel surface.

Before scraping the ash, open the lid, turn off the gas and let the grill cool down.

• Clean the rack from both sides with a soap brush.

• Rinse and let it dry.

• Dampen a paper towel with rapeseed oil and rub the rack all around to protect it from rust.

• Remove the thin plate at the bottom of the grill — the metal reflector.

• Empty the waste that has accumulated in the drip tray into a bucket.

• Clean the reflector and drip tray with a soap brush, rinse and let dry.

• Gas burners clean with a brush using gentle up-and-down movements, avoiding debris falling into the holes.

How to clean a charcoal grill?

Close the lid and wash the grill from the outside.

• Mix in a bucket dish soap with hot water.

• Dampen the sponge and wipe the grill surface. If necessary, use the rough side.

• Rinse and dry with a microfiber towel.

Now inside.

• Clean the rack from both sides with a soap brush.

• Rinse and let it dry.

• Dampen a paper towel with rapeseed oil and rub the rack all around to protect it from rust.

Get rid of the ash.

• Place an empty bucket under the holes at the bottom and sweep the ash and waste into it.

• Remove charcoal pieces from the walls, lid and bottom with a plastic spatula.

• Clean the internal surfaces of the reservoir and lid using a brush.

• Rinse and let it dry.

How to clean a shashlik pan?

First, you need to remove meat remnants and dried fat.

• Heat the shashlik pan over fire.

• Remove food residue with a metal scrubber. You can use crumpled foil instead of the scrubber.

To remove stuck-on dirt, use white vinegar.

• Mix vinegar with warm water in equal parts.

• Apply the solution to the shashlik pan with a dish soap sponge or spray it from a spray bottle, leave for several minutes.

• Remove residues using crumpled foil or a metal scrubber.

• Rinse and dry with a towel.

Protect the Grill from Rain

The main threat to a grill is accumulated rainwater on the bottom. The liquid seeps inside, mixes with ash and becomes coal paste. After drying, the mixture hardens like cement, making it nearly impossible to remove. Therefore, it's essential to cover the grill properly from rain!

Prevent Ignition

Leakage is the main cause of fires in gas grills. Always check it before use: add a little soapy solution to the gas hose — if there are holes, soap bubbles will start forming. You shouldn't cook on such a grill!

What to Do If the Grill Starts to Burn?

• Close the lid to cut off oxygen supply.

• Turn off the gas.

• Use a fire extinguisher if one is available. Ensure it is suitable for extinguishing burning oil, otherwise the flame will only intensify.