Cleaning your BBQ

Across the winter season, we tend to neglect our outdoor equipment and furniture. We usually wait patiently for the warmer months to come back around before stepping back into our garden, which tends to result in our outdoor equipment becoming unusable, due to the build-up of unwanted residue.

The harsh weather the winter brings in can cause chaos to any outdoor item, especially our BBQs. If you want to make sure you can continue to flip those burgers and sizzle those sausages, keeping on top of the upkeep of your barbecue is essential. Here, we will look at the best ways to clean your cooking utensil so that it is fit and ready for action when the weather picks up.

Fire up the grill
When we think about cleaning our BBQs, what usually springs to mind is cleaning the equipment we use. While it’s recommended to regularly keep our tongs and spatulas clean by band, let’s not forget the grill itself.

Dirt tends to stagnate over months and can become tough to get off. With that, the best place to start when cleaning your BBQ would be to turn the grill on, which would help burn off a lot of the most stubborn lingering food pieces and makes it easier to clean those clinging on.

Cleaning the grill
Once the grill has cooled down, you may notice that it’s burnt off or loosened any residue, so it’s time to wipe the grill clean. With a wire-bristled brush, scrub over your grill, just as you would with your oven’s version. To avoid any damage to your equipment, it’s recommended that you use a brass-bristled brush. However, don’t fear if you don’t have one of these to hand. Simply screw up a ball of aluminum foil and use this instead.

After that, fill a bucket of hot soapy water ready to use. Again, just as you would with your kitchen utensils, clean it with a dishcloth. If you find that the grime is too stubborn, it may be worth investing in some household cleaning products. Just make sure it’s specially designed for the job, otherwise you may find it’s too abrasive and toxic.

Grill Burners and Lids
Once you have a sparkling grill, next comes the rest of the equipment which shouldn’t take as much cleaning. However, you still need to dust down inside your BBQ, using soapy water where necessary.

If you have a gas BBQ which has food caught in the burners, you should check the manufacturer’s guide you got with it. Make sure that no matter what is recommended, you’ve turned off your barbecue before you make an attempt.

My BBQ has a cleaning setting
Many Gas BBQs have a build-in self-cleaning setting. While this is a good place to start, it certainly shouldn’t replace a manual clean. Yes, it does burn off certain particles, but it’s not a substitute for regular cleaning.

It’s recommended to clean every cooking compartment after using it as well as cleaning the heat deflectors after every couple of uses. You should also plan in an annual clean and disassemble each part to give it a thorough clean. Before putting your utensil back together, allow each component the time to thoroughly dry so that dampness doesn’t affect your product when left to sit.

Cover up your BBQ
Once you finally have your BBQ sparkling, next would be to cover it up. Doing so will keep it in the best possible condition until you want to use it again. While it may seem like a fiddly job and is often overlooked, this will help to protect your barbecue from all the elements Mother Nature may throw at it.

Every BBQ model tends to have its own cover available, and even though they’re added cost they can prolong the life of your BBQ for years. This is because it will help you to avoid any unnecessary rust from occurring.

We appreciate that every BBQ is different, so it’s important that you follow the instructions best suited to yours. However, by following these steps, you will be well on the way to ensuring the cleanliness of your piece and your barbecue will be ready for use when the sun makes its next appearance.