We all absolutely love barbecues and amidst all the tasty cooking, we might forget to clean the grills or smokers.
Cleaning a grill can come off as a difficult task. But, we plan to make it easy for you by providing a list of steps you need to follow. So, here is a complete guide to clean the grill or smoker.
1. Put A Tarp In Your Workplace
You need to understand that the workplace will get dirty with ash, grease, stains etc. So, to avoid another round of cleaning the floor, place a tarp and keep the grill over it.
2. Disconnect The Gas
It’s as simple as it sounds. Disconnecting the gas is more of a safety precaution while cleaning. It ensures the safety of the outdoor kitchen when you are cleaning the grills.
3. Fill A Tub With Cleaning Liquid
Fill in a tub with hot water and cleaning detergent. Mix and lathe the mixture well and pour it over the grill grates.
4. Clean the Grill Grates
Let the cleaning liquid rest over the grates for sometime. The burnt food particles will moisten and loosen within sometime. Once it softens, use a sturdy grill brush to scrape off the dirt. After the first scraping session, pour water over the grates 3-4 times until it is clean. Wipe off the water with a clean cloth and let the grates dry.
5. Clean Under The Hood
Pour some detergent water over the hood. Let it rest for longer than the grill grates. A while later, scrap and scrub off the grease, ash etc. from under the hood.
6. Clean the Inner Walls
Repeat the process of pouring hot detergent mix, resting it and then scrubbing for the inner walls of the grill. Actually, you can rest the detergent mix on the walls while you clean and scrub under the hood. This way you can optimize your work and save time.
7. Clean The Gas Line
Next, clean the gas line. An easy way is to use a pipe cleaner. There are several pipe cleaners in the market. You can buy a cleaner according to your needs.
8. Clean Out The Lower Cabinet
The lower cabinet can contain dried leaves or smaller broken branches. So, use a broom to remove the leaves and wipe off the lower cabinet with a clean cloth.
9. Change The Ignitor Battery
Just check the ignitor battery. If it seems old or worn down, replace it with a new one as soon as possible. You don’t want a faulty ignitor the next time you are all ready to grill the beautiful meat and burger.
10. Lubricate The Vents
Take some oil and apply on the vents. The grill vents will function smoothly after the application of lubricating fluid. As a result, you will not hear any clunk, crack or screech sounds from the vents.
11. Clean The Exterior
Cleaning the exterior of the grill is an easy task. If you want, apply the detergent and let it rest. Scrub off all the debris or grease stains over the exterior of the grill. This keeps the exterior brand new and shiny.
Grill brush, scour sponge, scraper tool, dish soap and dish gloves are some of the essential tools to clean the grill. If you clean the grills regularly, it will only take 10-15 minutes for you to clean them. However, if you clean rather rarely, it will take almost an hour. So, it is always good to clean the grill (and smokers) on a regular basis.