How To Keep Your Gas Or Charcoal Grill Gleaming

Whether you use gas or charcoal, here’s a primer on how to keep your grill fresh and pristine.

How to clean a charcoal grill

1. Remove and discard any leftover charcoal and ash in the grill pit.
2. Use a stainless steel brush and warm soapy water to clean out the inside bowl and grill grates, and let them dry completely.

Kitchen tip: If you use a wire brush to clean your grill, it’s imperative to replace it as soon as it starts losing its bristles, as they can be a major health hazard if ingested. Or switch to an alternative cleaning tool entirely: A round metal-mesh scour pad, wooden scraper or stone cleaning block can all be used to keep your grill grates clean.

How to clean a gas grill

1. Remove grill grates and scrub in hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry.
2. Disconnect the gas line and remove any hardware from the firebox to sweep out debris.
3. Pull out the burner and clean the tubes that attach the burner to the gas controls with a pipe cleaner or spider brush.
4. Replace the burner, reattach the gas, and light the barbecue to make sure everything is reconnected properly.
5. Turn off the barbecue, and replace hardware and grill grates. Heat barbecue on high for five to 10 minutes. Turn off; wipe grates with a clean rag dipped in canola oil.
6. Maintain the grill by cleaning it every time after you cook. Heat it on high for 10 minutes after cooking, scrape off any remaining bits of food with a brush or scraper while the grill is still hot, and re-wipe the grates with a clean, canola-soaked rag.