How to Clean an Amplifire Gas Grill
How to Clean an Amplifire Gas Grill
Keeping your grill, grates and emitters clean is key to getting the most out of your Char-Broil® Amplifire™ gas grill. In this article, we’ll give you tips for cleaning your grill, grill grates and emitter plates. We’ll also talk about some deeper cleaning options using soap and water, grate cleaner, vinegar and baking soda, as well as some hot cleaning do’s and don’ts.
WARNING: Before you do anything, turn off and disconnect the propane tank. If your grill is connected to a natural gas line, close the shutoff valve between the natural gas supply line and your grill.
Spread newspapers or a tarp over your work area to contain the mess and start by cleaning the grates.
Amplifire grills are equipped with easy-to-clean porcelain-coated cast-iron grates and stainless steel emitter plates. Allow the grates and emitters to cool completely before touching them. Then, using a nylon-bristle grill brush, firmly scrub the grates in a forward and backward motion parallel to the grates. Dislodge any bits that don’t come loose with the scraper blade. Remove the grates and set them aside.
WARNING: Never use a brush with wire or metal bristles, which would damage the grates’ porcelain-coated surface.
How do you clean the emitters on your grill?
Remove the emitter plates and knock off any loose grilling debris into a trash can. Then, insert the pronged end of the emitter cleaning tool that came with your Amplifire grill into the recessed wells of the emitter plate. Scrape the plate in a back and forth motion from one end to the other to remove stuck-on debris. Then, brush with your nylon-bristle brush to get into all the nooks and crannies.
Grill grates should be cleaned at the beginning and end of each grilling season to keep them in good condition. Exterior surfaces, other than the shelves, don’t need to be cleaned as often, but wiping them down regularly will keep your grill looking good.
Maintain your grill’s overall condition by deep-cleaning the interior about once a month if you’re a frequent griller, quarterly if you grill more occasionally.
What should you use to clean your gas grill?
What you use to clean your grill depends on what part of the grill you are cleaning and how dirty your grill is.
For light cleaning, all you need is a nylon-bristle brush for the grates, your emitter cleaning tool for the emitter plates and a soft cloth to wipe down the exterior surfaces. Check your operating manual before cleaning the outside of your grill. Since Amplifire gas grills have a stainless-steel exterior, we recommend using our specially-formulated stainless-steel grill cleaner and micro-fiber cloth.
For deeper cleaning, you will use soap and water.
How do you clean your grill with soap and water?
When you have the time for a deeper cleaning, heat the grill for 10 to 15 minutes on high heat before turning it off to burn off any stuck-on food. Allow it to cool completely before you begin.
You will need to remove some parts when you deep clean your grill. To be sure you’re putting it back together correctly, refer to your grill’s assembly guide. If you can’t find your manual, check your grill manufacturer’s site or contact them to get one. You can also take pictures as you remove the parts to document the order and placement of parts.
When your grates are completely cool, scrub them with a nylon-bristle grill brush to remove any food residue. Use a combo grill brush with a wood scraper if you want to clean your grates when they’re hot.
HOT TIP: If you don’t have a brush, you can scrub them with balled-up aluminum foil using tongs as a handle.
Remove the grates and emitters from the grill and submerge in warm soapy water. Soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, wash thoroughly using your grill brush or a sponge.
Rinse well using your garden hose. Dry thoroughly with a soft cloth or paper towels.
Apply a light coating of high-temp cooking oil and place the clean, oiled grates and emitters back on the grill.
If your grill grates are still dirty after scrubbing, soak them in a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to break down any stuck-on food.
When you have stubborn grease stains on surfaces surrounding the firebox, resist the urge to use a steel wool pad or other abrasive cleaner that could scratch the finish. Here’s what we recommend:
Generously sprinkle baking soda on grease stains.
Using a spray bottle filled with water, lightly wet the baking soda to form a paste.
Wait 20 minutes. Then wipe clean with a sponge. Reapply baking soda paste, if necessary.
Rinse and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth or paper towels.
Can you wash the inside of a gas grill?
Deep cleaning the inside of your gas grill is when you will remove and replace various parts to clean them.
Lift the heat tents from over the burners. Wash with dish soap and water.
Pull the locking pin and remove burners from the gas supply line. Using a dry, bottle brush, remove any blockages to the burners’ gas ports.
Clean the burner valve with soapy water, running water through the inside of the valve.
Clean the inside surfaces of the grill using a nylon-bristle brush dipped in warm soapy water. Rinse with clean water, using a spray bottle and dry with a soft cloth or paper towels.
When all surfaces are dry, reinstall the burner valves, burners and heat tents.
WARNING: To protect your gas grill from rusting, it’s very important to thoroughly dry the inside surfaces as well as each and every part that’s washed or rinsed with water before you reinstall them.
Do you have to re-season your grates after cleaning?
Washing your grill grates with soap and water removes oils from the surface. You will need to re-season them each and every time to protect them from rusting and food build-up.
Using a clean rag or paper towel, apply a light coating of high-temp cooking oil to your clean grill grates and emitters. Turn all burners to medium-high heat.
Close the lid and wait 30 minutes to complete the seasoning process.
How do you clean a grill fast?
After each grilling session, heat the grill for 10 to 15 minutes on high heat before turning off the grill to burn off any stuck-on bits of food.
When your grates are completely cool, scrub the grates with a nylon bristle grill brush to remove any food residue. Use a combo grill brush with a wood scraper if you want to clean your grates when they’re hot.
HOT TIP: If you don’t have a grill brush, you can scrub them with balled-up aluminum foil using tongs as a handle.
Using grill grate cleaner, spray the grates and warming rack, holding the spray 8 to 12 inches from the surface of the grates. Allow 3 to 5 minutes for the cleaner to penetrate.
Scrub the grates again and wipe them thoroughly using a soft, dry cloth or paper towel. Remove grates from grill and set aside.
Use the emitter tool to scrape food debris from the emitter plates into a trash can and run your grill brush over the emitters.
Apply a light coating of high-temp cooking oil and place the clean, oiled grates and emitters back on the grill.
Protect Your Investment
After spending your precious time to keep your grill looking good, be sure to protect it from the elements with a grill cover.