How to Clean A Gas Grill

How to Clean A Gas Grill

How to Clean A Gas Grill

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Cleaning your gas grill may seem like a major hassle, but it’s well worth the effort. Keeping your grill clean, especially the grates, will give you better flavor. In addition, a clean grill performs better, lasts longer and looks good too. It’s really pretty easy when you know how to do it. Read on to learn exactly how to clean your gas grill.

WARNING: Before you begin, turn off and disconnect the propane tank. If your grill is connected to natural gas, close the shutoff valve between your grill and the natural gas supply line.

How often should you clean your propane grill?

Grill grates should be cleaned at the beginning and end of each grilling season to keep them in excellent grilling condition. 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. 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.

What is the best way to clean a gas grill?

Thoroughly cleaning your grill will require removing some of its parts. The best way to be sure you’re putting it back together correctly is to refer to the assembly guide that came with your grill. If you can’t find your manual, you can probably download it from the grill manufacturer’s site or contact them to obtain one. You can also take pictures of the order and placement of parts as you go.

Spread newspapers or a tarp over your work area to contain the mess. Start by cleaning the grates.

How do you clean the grill grates?

There are two ways to clean your grates, depending on whether you’re doing a light or deep cleaning.

HOT TIP: If you have a Amplifire grill, you will also need to clean your emitter plates using the emitter cleaning tool that came with your grill. Insert the pronged end 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.

The following procedures apply to both the grates and emitters.

Light Cleaning

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.

1

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. If you don’t have a brush, you can scrub them with balled-up aluminum foil using tongs as a handle.

2

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.

3

Scrub the grates again and wipe them thoroughly using a soft, dry cloth or paper towel.

4

Apply a light coating of high-temp cooking oil and place the clean, oiled grates and emitters back on the grill.

Deep Cleaning

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.

1

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. If you don’t have a brush, you can scrub them with balled-up aluminum foil using tongs as a handle.

2

Remove the grates and wash thoroughly in warm soapy water using your grill brush or a sponge. 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.

3

Rinse well using your garden hose and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth or paper towel.

4

Apply a light coating of high-temp cooking oil and place the clean, oiled grates and emitters back on the grill.

Grill grates are generally available with stainless steel, cast iron or porcelain-coated surfaces. Different grill grates have different cleaning requirements. For all of them, begin by heating the grill on high-heat for 10 to 15 minutes to burn off any bits of food stuck to the grates.

Stainless Steel Grates: Once the grates are completely cool, you should be able to simply wipe them with a soft cloth or paper towel.

Cast-Iron Grates: When the grates are completely cool, use a nylon-bristle brush to scrub.

Porcelain-Coated Grates: Allow the grates to cool completely and use a nylon bristle brush to scrub. Never use a brush with wire or metal bristles, which would damage the grates’ surface.

 WARNING: When cleaning grill grates with a wire-bristle brush, always thoroughly wipe down the area to remove any bristles that may have fallen out and stuck to the grate while cleaning.

How do you deep clean a propane grill?

Deep cleaning your gas grill is when you will need to remove and replace certain parts to clean them.

1

Lift the heat tents from over the burners. Wash with dish soap and water.

2

Pull the locking pin and remove burners from the gas supply line. Using a dry, wire brush, remove any blockages to the burners’ gas ports.

3

Clean the burner valve with soapy water, running water through the inside of the valve. 

4

Clean the inside surfaces of the grill using a nylon-bristle brush dipped in warm soapy water. Rinse with clean water.

5

When all surfaces are dry, reinstall the burner valves, burners and heat tents.

HOT TIP: 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. 

How do you clean the exterior of the grill?

Check your operating manual before cleaning the outside of your grill. Certain materials may be sensitive to harsh cleaning agents. For a stainless-steel exterior, use a specially-formulated stainless-steel grill cleaner and micro-fiber cloth. Ceramic, porcelain and painted steel surfaces can usually be cleaned with a sponge using a solution of mild dish soap and water. 

How do you remove stubborn grease stains?

When you have stubborn grease stains, resist the urge to use a steel wool pad or other abrasive cleaner that could scratch the finish. Here’s what we recommend:

1

Generously sprinkle baking soda on grease stains.

2

Using a spray bottle filled with water, lightly wet the baking soda to form a paste.

3

Wait 20 minutes. Then wipe clean with a sponge. Reapply baking soda paste, if necessary.

4

Rinse and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth or paper towel.

Do you need to season your grates & emitters every time you clean them?

Yes. 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. Cast-iron grates are especially sensitive to rust and require a little extra care.

1

Using a clean rag or paper towel, apply a light coating of high-temp cooking oil to your clean grill grates and emitters (Amplifire grills). Turn all burners to medium-high heat.

2

Close the lid and wait 30 minutes to complete the seasoning process.

After spending time to keep your grill looking good, be sure to protect it with a grill cover