Don’t assume winter was kind to your grill
Can't you just hear a sizzling burger, and smell the delicious aroma? Before you head out to the patio to grill the first steak of the season, it will pay to set aside a few minutes to clean and inspect your gas grill.
- Disconnect the propane tank—never have any gas flowing when cleaning or repairing your grill
- Check your grill’s manual on how to remove the grates and burners
- The burners are the most important part, so use a burner cleaning rod or a small-diameter bottle brush to remove debris from inside the burner tube—spiders like to set up winter shop there.
- Use a nylon brush to scrub the outside of the burners. You may have to use a toothpick to remove any food debris, rust, or dirt from the emitter holes.
While the burners are out, it’s a good time to scrape or brush off any debris from the inside of your grill. If you have a grease trap on the bottom, clean that also; it may require scraping or even soaking in soapy hot water to remove grease.
- While the grates are out, hit them with a hose to loosen any food or debris. Place into a container of warm, soapy water to soak for up to 15 minutes. Take care to carefully remove debris with a stiff grill brush and rinse again. Let dry.
- Re-assemble all parts. Attach propane bottle and check for proper flow.
- Re-season your grates with plenty of vegetable oil or high-temp cooking oil before using. Turn grill on to medium heat. Close the lid for 30 minutes to complete seasoning. Turn off and cool
Remember, if you clean your cooled grill every time after using it—and reapply oil to the grates at this time—it will be ready to go for the next batch of steaks, burgers, brats, or wings.
A once-a-year deep clean isn’t so bad. Is it?
