Dirty grills aren't just ugly — old stuck-on food can grow bacteria that transfers onto anything you cook and could potentially lead to food poisoning. Before you get scrubbing, you might be wondering what you need to clean a gas grill and how to clean one.
The cleaning process will be easier if you invest in a few pieces of equipment, and they'll last you long enough to make it worthwhile. Although cleaning a gas grill isn't all that different from cleaning a charcoal grill, you have a few extra parts to worry about, such as the flavorizer bars and the burner tubes.
Learning to properly clean your gas grill is vital, especially if you intend to grill regularly or you want your gas grill to keep going for years to come. A well-maintained grill is likely to stand the test of time and run more efficiently.
Before you get started, make sure the grill is disconnected from the gas supply, whether you're using a propane tank or your grill is connected to a household natural gas line. Either way, locate the gas supply valve and turn the knob or lever clockwise to shut off the flow of gas. This prevents the buildup of gas while you're cleaning your grill, which could potentially lead to accidents, such as accidentally igniting the grill while working on it and burning yourself.
The grates take a big hit when grilling food and are often caked in charred food and grease, so you need to pay them special attention. At this point, you might want to don some reusable cleaning gloves, as this will be a messy job. Remove the grates from your grill and brush them over with a steel grill brush to get rid of loose charred debris. Next, spray them all over with a grill cleaning spray — these are specially formulated to remove grease and other cooked-on grime from grills and do a better job than dish soap. Leave the spray to work for a few minutes to really tackle that grime before scrubbing with your wire brush once more.
This should remove the bulk of the dirt, but if there's still lots of stubborn stuck-on detritus, try pumice stone cleaning bricks, such as Barbi-Q Grill Cleaning Bricks. Finally, go over the grates with a clean, damp sponge to remove the last remnants of grime and set them aside to air dry.
The flavorizer bars sit on top of the burner tubes to prevent them from getting clogged when grease drips down from the food on the grates and also help impart a smoky flavor as this grease gets heated by the flame from the burners below. This means they get covered in burnt-on grease and need a thorough cleaning.
Remove the flavorizer bars, spray on a grill cleaning solution, and leave them for a minute or two. Next, scrape them to remove grease and other charred debris. Some grill brushes have built-in scrapers, otherwise you can buy grill scraper tools separately. Use a sponge to finish the cleaning job, then dry them with a cloth to prevent rusting.
Clean inside the bottom of the grill — the area sometimes known as the cookbox — using either soapy water or grill cleaning solution. Whichever you use, try not to get it on the burner tubes, because if they get wet, they can stop the grill from igniting until they fully dry out. If your grill has a removable drip tray, the easiest option is to remove this, scrape out the grease and clean it with a sponge and soapy water before drying and replacing it.
Check the inside of the lid for any stuck-on charred food or residual grease that might have built up there while grilling with the lid closed. If you spot anything worth cleaning, spray on some more of your grill cleaning solution, leaving it for a minute or two to work its magic, then scrub lightly with the scourer side of a double-sided sponge to remove the built-up dirt.
Although cleaning the outside of your grill isn't essential, it will look better when clean and it makes sense to give it a once-over while you're deep-cleaning the rest of your grill. Check whether your grill cleaner is suitable for use on the exterior of grills, or otherwise clean it with a sponge and soapy water. Finish by drying and buffing the outside of your grill with a cloth, especially if it has a stainless steel finish.
Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner
This cleaning spray helps break down grease and caked-on dirt to make the cleaning process less painful. It's food-safe and biodegradable.
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GrillArt Grill Brush and Scraper
You can use this grill brush to clean tough dirt off the grates, while the built-in scraper aids in scraping off stubborn charred pieces and grease from almost anywhere on the grill.
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MR. SIGA Multi-Use Cellulose Scrub Sponge
Sponges are useful at various stages of the cleaning process, and these ones have a scourer side for tough dirt that isn't quite at the stage where it needs to be removed with a steel brush.
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Swedish Dishcloth Cellulose Sponge Cloths
It's a good idea to have several cloths on hand, as they're useful for light cleaning, wiping grease and dirt that you've dislodged with a brush or scraper and drying off parts of the grill before replacing them. These cloths are highly absorbent and made from eco-friendly material.
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
