Guide to Grill Cleaning

When your outdoor grill is so covered with gunk that it is hard to figure out whether the racks were originally black or chrome, it is time to start thinking seriously about grill cleaning. Grill cleaning will not only be more sanitary for your food, it will help to lengthen the grill's usable life.

Why Grill Cleaning Is Important
When grease and burned food build up on the grill racks over time, it can change the flavor of what you are barbecuing. In addition, a dirty grill may even be a host for potential carcinogens. However, the most important reason to clean your grill is that all of those food particles sitting on the grill could grow bacteria, especially if they aren't charred to bits.

Of course, even if all of these things weren't true, you'd still need to clean your grill. The grill's burners could become clogged and other parts of it could wear out more quickly if it isn't properly maintained.

Grill Cleaning as You Go
Like any other household task, grill cleaning is easier if it is done regularly. Letting months or even years of build-up form on the grill racks means a lot more scrubbing and soaking. To clean your grill, you should:

• Allow the grill to partially cool down after you are done using it. While a grill doesn't need to be cold to be cleaned, you don't want to handle the grill racks while they are still hot enough to give you serious burns. However, since a slightly warm grill is actually easier to clean than a cold one, you don't want to wait too long to start on the project either.
• Fill a large bucket with warm, soapy water. If you don't mind scrubbing your bathtub when you are done cleaning the grill, you could put a few inches of warm, soapy water in the tub instead. Just be sure you don't let a lot of grease and food particles go down the drain or you will have clean grill racks at the expense of your newly clogged pipes.
• Place the grill racks in the soapy water and let them sit for awhile. Be prepared to wait at least a half hour.
• Check to see if the gunk on the racks is loosening up. If it is, lift out one of the racks and use a rag or paper towel to clean it off. If some of the debris doesn't wipe off, you will need to use your grill brush to remove it.
• Repeat this process with any other grill racks.
• Dip a rag in warm, soapy water and wring out all the excess water. Wipe up any spills around the grill's burners, clean the inside of the hood and wipe down the outside of the grill.
• Allow the racks to dry and place them back in the grill.

Using Chemicals to Scrub Racks
Getting that baked on grime off a grill rack can be a real challenge, especially when you are just using soap, hot water and elbow grease. Some people use strong chemicals, like ammonia, to cut through the grease and food particles. Before you decide to whip out your household cleaners, take a look at your grill's instruction manual to be sure they are okay to use. Some manufacturers suggest that you use special chemicals designed for grill cleaning on their products instead.

Burning Grills Clean
Gas grills can be cleaned most easily by burning off the grease and particles. Turn the grill on and let it heat up for about 15 minutes. Then turn off the grill and open the lid. Use your grill brush to clean off any leftover particles. Remember, the grill racks are now very hot, so use caution. After you remove as much of the grime as possible with the grill brush, allow the grill to cool down. Then finish the cleaning job by wiping the whole thing down with a damp cloth.

Some people prefer to lift the grill racks out of the grill and then use a propane torch to burn the racks clean instead of heating up the entire grill to do the job. If you opt to do this, be sure you do not accidentally burn yourself and be sure that you do not have anything flammable nearby.