There's nothing quite like an Aussie barbecue. The smell of the charcoal, the sound of the sizzle, and the taste of grilled food all make for an enjoyable experience. But, if your grill is dirty, it can ruin the whole experience. So, if your grill is still covered in the remains of last year's steaks, sausages, cheeseburgers, and seafood, now is the time to give it a good scrubbing.

For all you backyard grillmasters out there, we have scoured (scoured… get it?) the internet for the best cleaning tips for a sparkling clean BBQ, so you can safely grill to your heart's content. Deep cleaning your BBQ can be time-consuming, but your future self will thank you if you follow these tips. So grab your scrapers and begin degreasing!​

Credits: Shutterstock​

1. Establish good habits from day one​

Credits: shutterstock
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If you just got a new BBQ grill, don’t even think about throwing a lamb chop on it without first preparing it. Before using your new grill, you should give it a thorough cleaning and seasoning. Wash the hotplates in warm, soapy water. Then, brush the grill and hotplates with neutral cooking oil and heat for about 10 minutes. Your barbeque will most likely come with instructions for preparing it for use, but this method works for most models.

If you're looking for a new barbeque, make your life easier by purchasing a model that is easy to clean.
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2. Do seasonal deep cleans​

If your barbeque isn’t brand new, there is a good chance it has carbon deposits, grease, and sugary sauces that harbour bacteria. Excessive carbon buildup affects the taste of your food. It can also cause the grill to heat unevenly, not reach full operating temperature, and cause gas-burner tubes to fail prematurely.

As a result, it’s important to perform seasonal deep cleans to keep your BBQ in good working condition. We know cleaning is the worst part of barbecuing, and you already know how much we hate elbow grease. So we were so glad when we discovered this Aussie mum’s fantastic trick for cleaning BBQ grills without scrubbing! All you need is a $4.35 cleaning product to do the cleaning.

However, if you prefer a more natural method of cleaning grills, you can follow these steps:
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Gas barbecue​

Soak gunky grills in a tub of warm soapy water for at least 30 minutes. While the grates are soaking, remove anything else from the grill that can be easily removed, such as the burner-control knobs, warming racks, and grease trays for those who have gas burners. Then scrape off the gunk in the firebox with a plastic putty knife. Place an empty bucket beneath the firebox to catch the soapy water and debris. It’s faster if you use a wet or dry vacuum to collect the remaining debris and gunk from the firebox. Once it’s clean, rinse it out with a garden hose.

Take the grates and panels you’ve soaked, then scrub them with a scouring pad or a nylon brush. If there’s stubborn gunk, make a paste of white vinegar and baking soda and apply it directly to the caked-on food bits. Then, rinse all surfaces thoroughly. Make sure you dry them thoroughly to avoid rusting.​

Credits: King Of Maids​

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Charcoal barbecue​

For those who own charcoal grills, you can keep them in good condition by cleaning them after each use and at the beginning and end of the grilling season. First, remove the bricks and brush away the ash. Built-up ash can clog vents and make controlling the cooking temperature difficult. After that, clean the grill grates. Do the same cleaning method described above for gas grill barbecues: soak, brush, and dry. Then, using a steel brush and mild dish soap, clean the inside of the bowl and lid. Wipe down all surfaces cleaned with the wire brush to remove any bristles that may have fallen off and become stuck to the barbeque.
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Aluminium hack​

Another method for cleaning the grills is to use aluminium foil. Turn on the grill and drape a sheet of aluminium foil over the grates. Allow the grill to heat up for a few minutes. Then crumple up an aluminium foil into a ball large enough to fit in your palm. Next, remove the foil sheet, and then scrape away the grime with the aluminium ball using a tong.

The foil traps the heat right around the grates, intensifying the heat and burning any leftover food stuck on the grates. Take note that aluminium foil can leave tiny bits and pieces behind, so use a wet cloth to wipe away the debris once you are finished.​

Credits: Food52
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3. Don’t forget to clean the outside ​

Credits: Shutterstock​

After you've thoroughly cleaned the inside of your grill, don’t forget to clean the outside. Make another batch of warm soapy water and use a sponge or cloth to clean the outside of the BBQ, the handle, the side trays, and any button doors. While a non-scratch sponge and soapy water are usually sufficient, we recommend using stainless-steel cleaner to remove baked-on oil from stainless-steel BBQ models.

Because it is unlikely that you will be able to restore a barbeque to like-new condition, you might want to consider opting for an enamel-coated model instead of a stainless steel model when purchasing a barbeque.
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4. Line the drip tray with foil ​

Credits: Grommet​

Because prevention is better than cure, line your drip tray with foil before grilling to make cleaning your BBQ a little easier. Remember to brush the meat with oil rather than the grill and hotplate when it's time to cook. Remember that marinades containing sugar or honey are more likely to burn, so try to keep the amount of these marinades on the grill plate to a minimum.​

5. Don’t delay cleaning the BBQ​

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Who here is guilty of leaving the grill as is after use? We will be the first to admit that after eating, talking, and yes, having a couple of drinks on a nice barbeque night, we tend to get lazy and leave the BBQ with all of the gunk inside. That’s a big no-no! The most important tip for keeping a clean barbeque is not to delay cleaning because the longer you leave the barbeque after cooking, the more difficult it will be to clean. Once the fat, meat, and marinades have cooled, they will be more difficult to remove from the grills.

You don’t need to splurge on a commercial product to clean the grill. In fact, it can strip away too much residual fat, resulting in rust. To protect the grill from the elements, keep it coated in fat. After cooking, a good scrape and a wipe over while the plates are still warm will remove any excess fat buildup to keep the plates oiled and provide a nonstick surface.​

6. Remove the rust​

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For those who have rusted-out BBQs and are thinking of just purchasing a new one, think again. It turns out that you can resurrect a rusted grill as long as it is not corroded. You can restore it with some elbow grease, vinegar, and baking soda.

Make a paste with a cup of baking soda and a little vinegar. Apply it to the grill plates, then set aside for 30 minutes. Then scrub the grill plates using a wet non-scratch scourer. Rinse them with warm water and allow them to dry. After removing the rust from the plates, it is recommended that you rub neutral cooking oil on the grill, replace the plates, and preheat the barbeque on high for 10 minutes.​

7. Clean the burners​

Credits: KickAssGrills​

We understand that the burners on a gas grill are the most difficult to clean. However, it is necessary to give them a good scrubbing once in a while to keep them in good condition. If you ignore the burners when cleaning your barbeque, they can become clogged with grease and other muck over time and may even serve as a breeding ground for spiders and cockroaches. So cleaning these out regularly is a brilliant idea, especially if you’re not in the habit of cleaning your barbeque after each use.

So, how exactly do you clean the burner? First, scrub the burner protectors with a sponge or scouring pad dipped in soapy water. Then, using a toothpick, check the burner holes for clogs and dislodge any objects that are blocking the flow of gas. The burners on some grill models are easily detachable for cleaning. If your burners can be removed, you can simply clean the inside with a nylon brush. If yours don’t come out easily, simply scrub them with hot soapy water.​

8. Get rid of lingering odours using lemon​

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While you may have just prepared the most delectable-smelling shrimp and lobsters, strong-smelling foods like seafood can linger on your grill and become quite unpleasant. Rub half a lemon over the cooled grill and hotplates to avoid a stinky grill. To prevent burning yourself, hold the lemon with tongs.​

9. Do the white bread test​

Source: CBS2​

Barbecue grills don’t often deliver uniform temperatures. They have hot spots where the heat is more intense. If you don’t know where the hot and cool spots on your grill grates are, you might end up with undercooked or burnt meat stuck to the grills. So what you can do is test your barbecue grill’s hot spots by doing the "toast test.” All you need for this test is a loaf of bread.

To do this, divide your grill into quadrants, turn all of the burners to medium heat and close the grill cover. Wait about 15 minutes, then place the bread slices in rows on the grill grate. Close the lid, then wait for two minutes. After that, open the lid again. Start flipping each slice in its position. If the bread appears toasted or has burned areas, it was cooked on the hottest part of the grill. Now that you've identified the hotspots, you will be able to position your food on the maximum area for searing on your grill.

10. Keep a BBQ cleaning kit
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Regardless of how you clean your barbecue, it’s best to have the right tools for the job*. If you’re thinking of using wire cleaning brushes, let us stop you right there. As it turns out, a wire grill brush can be more dangerous than helpful. According to experts, the wires can break off and stick to the food cooked on the grill.

So, we recommend using a scraper* to remove the gunk from the grills. Also, get a good pair of long tongs to make cleaning your grill easier. You should also keep a mild detergent and a durable sponge in your BBQ cleaning kit. If you use a charcoal grill, we recommend getting a metal bucket to collect the ash right after finishing grilling. This will reduce cleaning time and allow the charcoal to cool before you throw it.

Members, keep in mind that a clean and well-maintained barbeque is a safe one. It lowers the risk of fire, prevents pest infestation, extends the life of your grill, and improves the smell and taste of your food. A barbecue grill is an investment so it’s important that you take care of it.

Do you have any tips for cleaning and maintaining your barbeque? Share them in the comments section below!​

 

[Ricci]

I know it's un-Australian but I don't use or even own a bbq. I was thinking of getting one but after reading all the do's and don'ts about keeping them clean I'm not sure I'll bother. With the latest kitchen gizmos we all have in our lives now plus the fact that we're not supposed to eat too much meat these days I'm not sure how much use a bbq would get.

 

[xmas]

I keep two spray bottles at the bbq.

One has oil in it to spray a light coating on hotplate and food while cooking. The other has water. Before turning off gas, Spray on hotplate and wipe down with paper towel. Spray on grill while still alight and all the fat on the burners and grill plate flares off and leaves clean. Easy peasy!

 

[DEL boy]

One of the important things is to make sure your gas bbq drip tray is emptied frequently as it doesn't take much for it to ignite when a high degree of heat is required, ie steaks. I've had two flare-ups, one cooking lamb chops to sear them, and one just getting a high temperature for steak on my Webber! The first one burnt the plastic frame the bowl sits on, all credit to Webber who replaced it free of charge. Regarding Webber family BBQs two burners would be better than one?