TIPS ON MAINTAINING YOUR BBQ GRILL

    When you purchase a barbeque grill, think of it as an investment rather than just another lawn or deck ornament for your outdoor entertainment. You should expect this item to become a large part of your outdoor activities for many years to come. Just like any other investments, proper maintenance and care is needed to ensure that your barbeque grill will work for you for many years to follow.  While some maintenance and cleaning is specific to the type of barbeque grill your own (gas, electric, charcoal or smoke barbecue grill), the majority of maintenance that should be carried on does not change from grill to grill.  Here I will discuss a list of items needed, cleaning methods, and preventing problem issues.

First tip - Gathering The Necessary Items

All you will need is some common household items on hand when it comes time to clean your barbeque grill.  Nothing special, no need to run to the store and buy specialized grill cleaning agents. 

Brass wire grill brush

Steel wool pads, some of these come with soap in them already

Mild dish soap

Sponge or dishcloth

Spray cooking oil

Dry baking soda

Aluminum foil

Second tip – Brushing the Surfaces of your grill

The first thing that should always be done to your grill is a routine brushing. Using your brass wire grill brush (or other brush suitable to your type of grill) you should brush off all the surfaces that see heat from the inside of the grill. I usually start the charcoal with my Chimney  Charcoal Lighter and let the coals get real hot then put the rack on the grill to effectively burn off old food pieces and any remaining grease.  Once the grill is good and hot I then brush the rack.  By routinely brushing your barbeque grill, you will prevent any type of buildup. If buildup from food is left to long, it can become increasingly difficult to remove.

Third tip – Cooking Spray

After you are done cooking and you have repeated the first and second step, and you are sure that your grill is free of all buildup and debris, and that your grill is completely cooled off, you will want to spray it down with a light layer of cooking oil. Spraying it down with cooking oil will prevent your barbeque grill from rusting. It is especially important to make sure your barbeque grill is completely cold, as spraying cooking oil on a hot surface may cause the oil to heat up and ignite, or become very sticky and work the opposite, which could be potentially dangerous to you and your barbeque grill.

Fourth tip - Use Baking Soda and Aluminum Foil to clean your grill

Baking soda is a very nice mild abrasive, cleaning and polishing agent. Once you have removed any extra debris and buildup, lightly scrubbing your barbeque grill’s cooking surfaces with baking soda will give it that extra shine, similar to the day that you brought it home from the store. This can also be used on handles and knobs to remove any extra buildup that cannot be taken off with a wire brush.

Aluminum foil can also be used to keep your grill looking nice. Crumple up the aluminum foil into a ball and gently rub it on your grill and you will notice that it removes grim and buildup.

Fifth tip - Clean Your Racks

The racks in your grill are especially important as this is where the food touches when it is cooking. After you have used the wire brush to remove as much buildup as possible, it may be necessary to clean them even further.  Once you have removed as much as possible, start washing the racks with dish soap and a sponge. If the racks are really dirty, you may also want to use the steel wool pads. Be sure to completely rinse off all soap and residue before cooking on these racks again. Soap just does not taste good and it WILL leave a residue on the racks.

Sixth tip - Preventing Problem Issues

The majority of problems that arise from barbeque grills comes from lack of cleaning and maintenance. That means if you notice something does not seem quite right with your barbeque grill, chances are it can be fixed with just a simple cleaning. Even if you clean it, and still find that it is having problems, at least you saved yourself the potential embarrassment of talking to a professional only to find out all it needed was to be cleaned.

Seventh tip – Preventing Problem issues

One method of preventing problems with your barbeque grill is protecting it from the elements. If you have a shed, it is a great place to store your grill, after it has completely cooled down of course.  Covers are available for grills in all shapes and sizes, so chances are, you will be able to find one that fits your grill. If you have a cover for your barbeque grill, then all you will ever need to do is do the regular maintenance listed above.  PLEASE BE SURE YOUR GRILL IS COOLED BEFORE PUTTING ON THE COVER.  I know common sense right?  Well you would be surprised of the amount of e-mails I get because I forget a very simple step in my tutorials like that.

My last tip – Ask For Help If You need it

Many people think they cannot fix things on their own.  That may be true, but all you have to do is ask how-to.  There are many avenues to follow to learn how to repair anything – even your BBQ Grill. A broken handle, a loose leg, a vent came loose? I will be happy to help you with any issue you may have just click on my link to my forum on the right and ask away…

I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU 

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QUESTIONS?  - GO TO MY FORUM AND ASK!

OLOE