How to Clean Your Grill, According to an Expert

Blissful summer days spent in the pool are best followed by a meal fresh off the flames like spicy grilled chicken thighs with sweet chili sauce or a delicious burger. Any grill master knows that the act is more than just making a meal, it’s a summertime necessity. However, after the food is served and plates have been wiped clean, the real danger can occur when it is time to clean the grill.

Using a sharp wire grill cleaning brush increases the possibility of those wire bristles breaking off the brush and accumulating in your grilling space. Cross-contamination can even occur when the unknown wire brush residue contaminates other food.

But this shouldn’t deter you from grilling or cleaning your grill afterward. “Grill cleaning tools are your best friend. They remove bits of burnt food and greasy debris from the grates that can affect food taste and quality,” says Justin Elkins, associate merchant of grill accessories at Home Depot.

Elkins shares a few insightful tips to guide you through safely cleaning all types of grills while enjoying the best of outdoor grilling season.

How to clean your grill, according to an expert

Just as cleaning the top and inside of your stove is important, the same theory is applied to keeping a clean grill. A clean grill is not only safer for food preparation, but for cooking, as well. “A grill can quickly build up grease and smoke residue. This can cause it to not keep a consistent temperature or can affect the flavor of food,” shares Elkins.

Before getting into the nitty gritty, you can start prepping your grill for summer by restocking your grill caddy (or whatever you use that holds your cooking tools). A few things you’ll want to keep on hand include tin foil, a fire extinguisher, a soft rag with a cleaning bucket, mild dish soap, paper towels and nonstick cooking spray. Once you’ve got all your supplies loaded up, it’s time to get cleaning.

Charcoal grills

As its name implies, a charcoal grill uses charcoal as the fuel source. This type of grill heats higher than gas grills and can infuse more flavors into your foods. While they are often more cost-effective than gas grills, they can also be harder to clean.

Elkins recommends using the following process:

Allow your grill to completely cool before starting the cleaning process.
Once the charcoal has cooled, remove the bricks and brush out the ash. Elkins says cleaning grill gates is “best done with a long-handled, stiff-wire brush,” but if you don’t have one, a ball of aluminum foil will do.
After cleaning your grill gates, use a rag or folded paper towels to apply vegetable oil to them in order to prevent rust and potential food buildup.
The inside of the grilling bowl and lid can be cleaned using mild dish soap and a brush.

Gas grills

A gas grill uses either liquid propane or a connection to your home’s natural gas line as its fuel to grill.

“Natural gas or propane-powered gas grills don’t require the level of cleaning required of charcoal grills,” Elkins says.

The cleaning tips for gas grills are pretty much identical to that of charcoal grills, with the added note that cleaning them properly also extends their lifespan.

Flat-top grills

A flat-top grill looks like a large griddle with circular heating elements beneath its surface. Its flat plane gives you a nice, even cooking effect.

For flat-top grills, the cleaning process differs. “It’s important to start cleaning the surface while the burner is still hot. Spray a cleaning solution along the top and let it sit for about one minute,” says Elkins.

The cleaning agent can be dish soap, a degreaser or a simple homemade baking soda mixture (1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of water combined until it has a paste-like consistency), he tells us.

Once the time is up, use a grill brush to scrub away any stuck-on food and debris, wipe it down with a dry cloth and repeat the process as needed.

Pellet grills

Pellet grills are fueled by small pieces of hardwood which infuse more of a smoky essence into food as opposed to the char flavor you’d expect from a gas or charcoal grill.

Unlike flat-top grills, you’ll want to clean pellet grills once they have cooled, according to Elkins.

After it’s cooled, you’ll want to “remove the grill grates and place them in a bucket of warm, soapy water,” suggests Elkins. Then use a wet-dry vacuum to clear out the ash and debris from the grill’s interior.

He suggests using a scrub brush or abrasive sponge to clean the drip pan and don’t forget to remove the chimney cap and give it a scrub, too!

More grill cleaning tips

Outside of cleaning tips for specific types of grills, Elkins shares a few more tips you’ll want to keep in mind.

Invest in a good brush. “By adding a good grill brush to your setup, you can make delicious food every time you fire up your grill,” he notes.
Wipe down your grill surface after cleaning. No matter what type of brush you use, it’s always smart grilling practice to wipe down your grill surface afterward. “This will remove any bristles that may have come off during the cleaning process and get stuck to the grill,” Elkins says.
Read the manual to determine the best cleaning products. While Elkins says soap and water are generally fine for most ceramic, porcelain and painted steel surfaces, you’ll want to consult your specific grill’s manual to find out which cleaning products are most compatible.

How we chose the best products for cleaning your grill

TODAY.com spoke to experts about the best practices for cleaning your grill. Based on the guidance they provided, we found affordable and fan-favorite products to help you get the job done.