Today we’re going to teach you How to Clean Your Grill the right way, regardless of whether it’s gas, charcoal, pellet, or flat-top. All you’ll need are a few basic tools and cleaners and a little bit of elbow grease. With summer and prime grilling season right around the corner, there’s no better time to do a bit of maintenance. Let’s get started!

How Often to Clean Your Grill

If you keep up with regular maintenance, you should only need to deep clean your grill once or twice a year. Since spring cleaning is top of mind these days, we figured this was as good a time as any to show our favorite cooking implement some TLC.

Why Clean Your Grill

Aside from looking good, there are plenty of reasons to keep your grill in squeaky-clean shape:

• Food debris and grease can build up, creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. While the high heat from the grill will help kill some of them off, you don’t want to take any risks.
• Burnt fat deposits are carcinogenic, so if they stick to your food, you’re introducing both an unpleasant flavor and ashy consistency, as well as a real health risk.
• Grill performance can also take a hit if you let it get too dirty. Over time, things like your gas lines or air vents get clogged and built-in thermometers get coated in ashy gunk that prevents them from doing their job well.

The Best Tools for Cleaning Your Grill

You don’t need all of the equipment on this list—it will depend on whether your grates are ceramic/porcelain or metal, and how dirty they have become.

• Gloves – if you’re going to deep-clean your grill, make sure to protect your hands!
• Grill brush – make sure to reach for high-quality ones—the bristles on cheap brushes can dislodge and get stuck, which can be dangerous—nobody wants metal bristles in their food! If you have porcelain grates, opt for a heavy-duty nylon brush instead.
• Grill brick – made from pumice, these are useful as a rough abrasive for stuck-on bits. Pumice is safe for both metal porcelain grates.
• Grill scraper or metal putty knife – for heavy stuck-on bits. Don’t use metal abrasives on porcelain grates!
• Long grilling tongs – this is helpful for rubbing the grates with oil.
• Sturdy sponge – look for the most abrasive surface possible.
• 5-gallon bucket or large container – the most important thing is to ensure that your grates will fit. For round charcoal grills, the bucket might not work. You may also be able to use the dishwasher if your grates are stainless steel and can break down small enough to fit.
• Dish soap & water – these basics are typically enough to keep your grill in shape.
• Stainless steel or window cleaner – if you want the exterior of your grill to be sparkly and streak free, these are your best options.
• Degreasing solution – if you’ve neglected to clean your grill for a while, this can be a useful partner. For a more natural solution, try baking soda and vinegar.
• Neutral, high smoke point oil – these will help your grates become non-stick, so you don’t have to scrub too hard. Good options include vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil.
• Hose – this is only needed for charcoal and gas grills, not pellet or flat-tops. You can also just use a big bucket of water, but the hose can help you get into trickier spots.
• Rags or heavy-duty paper towels – we’ll use these for rubbing oil on the grates and for thoroughly drying any implements when deep cleaning. There will be lots of black carbon that will transfer to the towels, so make sure they’re not favorites that you like to hang in the kitchen.
• Microfiber towels – these are designed to pick up dirt particles, which makes them a favorite for cleaning. If you’re using a spray-on cleaner or degreaser, microfiber is your best bet for getting your grates and grill spick and span.

How to Clean a Charcoal Grill

Daily/After Use (10-15 minutes):

1. While the grates are still warm, use your brush to scrape off any leftover bits.
2. Empty the ash trap and make sure the air vents are clear.
3. Clean the grease trap every third time or so.
4. Add a layer of neutral oil with a high smoke point.

Deep Clean (45 mins – 1 hr):

1. With gloves on, brush and/or use a metal putty knife to remove burnt-on bits on the grate. If your grill has one, repeat this process with the charcoal grate.  If you see pieces of the actual grates flaking off as you do this, it’s time to replace the grates entirely. 
2. Fill a large container with warm water and dish soap, then place the grate(s) in to soak.
3. While the grates soak, clean the interior walls of the grill using a brush and/or putty knife.
4. Wash down the interior of the grill with warm soapy water and a sponge, then gently rinse out with a hose.
5. Scrub the soaked grates with a sponge and soapy water to remove any stuck-on bits. Rinse with clean water and towel dry, taking care to get all the nooks and crannies—you don’t want rust to take hold! Once dry, rub with neutral oil.
6. Reassemble the grill, then clean the exterior with either a sponge soaked in soapy water or stainless steel/glass cleaner. Make sure everything is nice and dry.

How to Clean a Propane Gas Grill

Daily/After Use (10-15 minutes):

1. Crank the heat to high for a few minutes, or clean directly after cooking and removing your food.
2. Scrape the grates down with a brush. 
3. Add a layer of neutral oil using paper towel or rag. 
4. Clean out the grease trap every few times to prevent flare-ups.

Deep clean (1.5-2 hours): 

1. With gloves on, brush and/or use a metal putty knife to remove burnt-on bits on the grates. If you see pieces of the actual grates flaking off as you do this, it’s time to replace the grates entirely. 
2. Do the same with the triangular “flavorizer” bars, letting all the debris fall into the removable tray/grease trap below. 
3. Fill a bucket with warm water and dish soap, then let the grates and bars soak. As the grates soak, clean off the debris on the inside sides of the grill using your brush and scraper. 
4. Gently brush the gas tubes, but be careful not to clog the holes—this is a good spot to use a smaller detail brush or an old toothbrush and a toothpick. 
5. Remove the bottom tray and grease trap, scraping out any solids, then wash with warm water and dish soap.
6. Use your sponge and soapy water to clean the insides of the grill and scraped-out grease trap. With the hose on low, gently rinse out the inside of the grill to get all the soap out. Use the sponge to push out any standing water at the bottom, then leave it open to finish air drying.
7. Scrub the soaked grates and bars with soapy water till clean, then towel them very dry. You may want to use a rag soaked in a degreasing solution to give them one more once-over and remove all remaining bits, but make sure to use a damp microfiber towel to wipe off any chemicals. Return the bars and grates to their places and rub down with neutral oil.
8. Clean the outside of the grill with soapy water and a hose. Depending on the finish of your grill, you may want to use stainless steel or window cleaner to remove any streaks. Make sure everything is well-dried before covering—you can flip on the heat to help evaporate any dampness.

How to Clean a Pellet Grill

Daily (5-15 minutes):

1. While the grates are still warm, use your brush to scrape off any leftover bits.
2. Lightly brush the grates with neutral oil.
3. Scrape out the grease trap every third time or so.

Deep Clean (30-45 minutes):

1. Scrape down the grates and scrape out the grease trap. 
2. Fill a bucket with warm soapy water, then soak the grates and grease trap.
3. Remove the chimney lid and clean the inside with a dry scrub brush.
4. Clean the grease chute with a sturdy brush and metal scraper.
5. Use a Shop-Vac to vacuum out any ash and debris.
6. Clean the interior walls, drip pan, and grease chute with warm soapy water and a sturdy sponge, then wipe clean with a damp, soap-free sponge.
7. Gently clean the thermometer with soapy water and towel it dry.
8. Scrub down the soaked grill grates with soapy water, then dry thoroughly with a clean rag. Rub lightly with neutral oil.
9. Reassemble the grill, then gently clean the exterior with a microfiber cloth and the cleaner of your choice (degreaser and/or stainless steel/window cleaner).

How to Clean a Flat-Top Grill

Daily (10-15 minutes):

1. Use a metal spatula, metal scraper, or putty knife to push any leftover bits into the grease trap. If there are any stubborn bits, pour on a bit of boiling water and scrape again.
2. Towel off the surface using long grilling tongs and a rag or heavy-duty paper towels. 
3. Using a fresh towel, spread a thin layer of neutral oil over the surface (like seasoning a cast iron skillet), then briefly heat the grill to medium to help the oil set.
4. Scrape out the grease tray.

Deep Clean (30-45 minutes):

1. If you’re good about keeping up with regular maintenance, you shouldn’t have to put in too much effort here. Warm the flat top to medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, then scrape off any bits using a metal scraper/putty knife and, if needed, some boiling water. Push all the bits into the grease trap.
2. Let it cool a bit, then use a sponge and soapy water to gently scrub the surface of the flat-top, scraped-out grease tray, and the interior walls (if needed), then wipe it off with a damp, non-soapy sponge. Towel everything dry.
3. Apply a thin layer of neutral oil across the flat-top and rub it in with a clean towel.
4. Clean the outside of the grill using soapy water and a sponge or stainless steel/glass cleaner and microfiber towel. Dry well.

How to Deep Clean Grill Grates

• Stainless steel and cast iron grates are easier to clean than porcelain, which are more brittle and prone to breakage. If you have porcelain grates, don’t use any metal cleaning implements!
• Generally speaking, metal grates will be easier to clean when they are still warm.
• If hot water and dish soap isn’t cutting it, try making a thick paste of baking soda and water, then brush it on the grates. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes, then spray with white vinegar—this will activate the baking soda and make it bubble. It should help to loosen any remaining gunk. 
• Finally, you are welcome to use a heavy-duty degreaser, but you’ll want to use soap and water afterwards to remove any chemical residues before putting food on there.
• If you use any water to clean your grates, make sure they are dried very well—use a dry towel and/or turn the heat back on. This will help prevent rusting. 

Ongoing Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Grill Clean

• Invest in a grill cover and keep your grill covered when not in use. This will protect your grill from the elements—especially water, which can cause rust.
• Oil your grates before and after every use! This makes them more non-stick, so you shouldn’t have to scrub as hard to prevent buildup, and also helps ward off rust.
• Replace your cleaning brushes yearly—they’ll start to break down and the bristles will start falling out, which can then get stuck on the grates and/or your food.
• If you don’t have a grill brush, you can wad up a piece of aluminum foil and use it as a scrubber. Just don’t use metal on porcelain grates!
• If any metal starts flaking off the grates while you are cleaning them, it’s time to replace them. Don’t mess around here—you don’t want to ingest sharp pieces of metal if they flake off onto your food.

Now that you know all the ins and outs of getting your grill in tip-top shape, all that’s left to do is decide what yumminess you want to cook up! If you need some inspiration, here are some of our favorite recipes:

• French Onion Burger
• Cacio e Pepe Burger
• Gochujang Crunch Sliders
• Roasted Poblano Burger

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