Grills are America’s favorite way of cooking up delicious burgers, hot dog and veggies. Grills however require cleaning and maintenance to ensure that your food comes out perfect. Grills become un-clean and deteriorate from both natural elements and human use. There are typically two types of grills charcoal and propane both of which require different methods of cleaning. Charcoal grills are generally easier to clean because they don’t have as many components. Gas grills on the other hand need a little more attention to detail because they are not as simple in their design. Here are several grill cleaning tips to ensure your grill is being properly cleaned and maintained.

Grill Storage: Proper grill storage is very important and even more so if it is a gas grill. During the summer grills should protected with a grill cover and kept in a sheltered area. For gas grills it is extremely important to make sure your propane tank is turned off and if you don’t grill that often make sure the propane tank is detached from the grill.

Cleaning the Grate: The best time to clean the grate is right after use because stuck on food and grease hasn’t solidified yet.  You can use a the metal scraper on a stiff wire brush to scrape the surface of the grate then use the brush side like a tooth brush to clean around the grate. We however recommend recycling tin foil and using to clean your grill. Metal brushes rust and their bristles can stay on the grate which could be very dangerous to your health if one ends up in your food. Tin foil conforms to the grill and with a little bit of vinegar will do an excellent job at removing stuck on food and grease.

Cleaning the Barrier: Gas grills have barriers that cover the burner that are located underneath the grate. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some are metal plates and others are decorative and designed to look like charcoal. Either way they are designed to prevent grease from reaching the burner and igniting. You should wait for the grill to cool and make sure the propane is off before cleaning. Metal barriers can be cleaned with wire brush or tin foil just like the grate. To clean decorative barriers you can use a microfiber cloth to remove grease and food particles.

Removing Charcoal: Charcoal grills unlike gas grills do not have a barrier component, just the charcoal itself. Charcoal however if not removed can cause the inside of your grill to rust. To remove charcoal you can use a wire brush to push it into the ash catcher which you can than empty. To remove any remaining ashes from the inside of your grill use a microfiber cloth and a little bit of vinegar. Do not use too much vinegar or any other liquid when cleaning ash because it will clump up and make it more difficult to clean.