How To Clean Your BBQ

Keep your BBQ looking and performing fantastic, learn how to clean your BBQ inside and out with some tips and tricks!

How To Clean Your BBQ

Keep your BBQ looking and performing fantastic, learn How To Clean Your BBQ inside and out with some tips and tricks! Stainless steel BBQ’s are fantastic as they don’t require extra finishing or harsh chemicals to ensure longevity or cleanliness of the unit. The elements that make up stainless steel also contain no other chemicals that will leach into the food you are cooking, this makes it especially great for cooking, grilling, roasting and barbecuing

 

What Is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is an environmentally friendly 100% recyclable material. Stainless steel is an alloy made from iron, has at up to 18% chromium, and 8% nickel with a little carbon mixed in. It is this combination of elements melded together that form a material that is ideal for use outside, for barbecues and grills, and so much more.

Stainless steel is a low-carbon steel material and is easy to work with when it comes to manufacturing stainless steel products. Stainless steel is particularly resistant to rusting, which is a fantastic for BBQ’s as they require minimal cleaning to maintain a clean look. This rusting process is inhibited as chromium will bind oxygen to the surface of the stainless steel, preventing it from oxidising the iron. However, this does not mean that all stainless steel BBQ’s are completely indestructible, this is largely dependant on the environment that it’s used in. Sometimes there will be discolouration on a BBQ and looks like rust, however this is only dust, sand, chlorine (especially if there is a pool within the local environment).

 

Cleaning The Exterior Of Your BBQ

Cleaning the outside of your stainless steel BBQ is fairly simple and easy to do. It is recommended to clean your stainless steel BBQ for both aesthetic reasons and to make sure that your grill continues to resist corrosion as intended. Warm water and mild dish soap will easily wash your grill off!

1. Use a soft, clean, cloth to gently wipe any grease and food spatter from your grill.
2. Dry the grill, following the grain, with a soft dry cloth.
3. Once the grill is clean and dry, polish in the direction of the grain with stainless steel polish/protector.

If your grill is located in a hot or humid environment, like near a pool or hot tub, or you live in a costal area, your grill may require more frequent cleaning; there are many different covers available for all BBQ’s, this is recommended to maintain the cosmetic and structural integrity of a stainless steel BBQ. The more you use your grill, the more often it will need to be cleaned.

 

Cleaning The Interior Of Your BBQ

Cleaning the interior of a grill is a little more involved than cleaning the exterior.

1. After cooking on the BBQ, crank it up to high heat for about five minutes
2. Use a grill brush to remove loose debris from the cooking grids and warming rack (this should be done after every grilling session)
3. Once your grill is safely cool, remove the cooking grids (you can wash these in the kitchen sink with dish soap, same with the sear plates)
4. Gently scrape the stainless steel sear plates with a putty knife to remove any debris.
5. Remove the sear plates and brush any debris and ash off the stainless steel burners, into the drip pan.
6. Use a putty knife (or simply a blunt knife) to push the debris and grease down into the disposable grease tray.
7. Exchange the old grease tray for a new one (HOT TIP: Place cat litter, paper towel sheets or sand in the new drip tray; this will allow the tray to last longer)

 

To view Woodpeckers range of BBQ’s visit our Mornington and Oakleigh East showrooms! Our staff provide expert product, design and installation advice!

Read Napoleon’s guide to cleaning Stainless Steel BBQ’s here.