

There's Only One Right Way to Clean a Grill

It'll take you like 10 minutes.

Man seasoning burgers on grill at tailgating party
Thomas Barwick

Grilling is awesome. This is a fact proven by centuries of practice and witnessed on the face of any man, woman, or child-under-strict-parental-supervision as they tend to sizzling food over open flame.

Cleaning is not awesome. This is a fact proven by anyone who has ever existed who is not Marie Kondo.

And despite the joy that grilling sparks, this joy does not make cleaning your grill any more awesome. Think about it: Have you ever even seen Marie Kondo clean a grill?


And unlike not Kondo-ing your sock drawer, not cleaning your grill has severe repercussions.

Not cleaning your grill can lead to gunky grill grates, which can lead to piss-poor searing and a build-up of nasty bacteria. Not cleaning your grill can lead to sub-optimal heat performance, meaning meals take longer to hit the table. Not cleaning your grill can invite in all sorts of insects and rodentia to feast upon the crud.

Man seasoning burgers and hot dogs on barbecue
Thomas Barwick

So instead of cooking in a filth pit, suck it up and clean your grill. Do a deep clean if you haven't used the thing all winter. Do a maintenance clean whenever it starts to look grubby. It's not complicated—honestly. The tactic is the same for each instance.

Jamie Purviance, a longtime brand ambassador for Weber and the author of so many grilling books that all spark joy, taught me this technique years ago. I've used it ever since.

Step 1: Burn off the Gunk

Barbecue with flames
Brett Holmes Photography

Crank the heat (or light some coals), close the grill lid, and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. The high temperature will char food residue so it's easier to scrape off.

Step 2: Scrub the Grates

Remove the charred residue from the grates with a semi-flexible, stainless-steel brush.

Barbecue Grill Brush and Scraper
$19.99 (29% off)

You could also use a balled-up orb of aluminum foil, in a pinch, but you should probably plop down $20 for a good grill brush. It's just easier. And less wasteful.

Now if the undersides of the grill grates are super greasy, this can cause flare ups and flare ups burn your food (or, worse yet, singe your eyebrows). If your grill grates are slick with grease, remove them and wipe them down with a wet, soapy sponge. Then rinse them with a hose and towel-dry.

Step 3: Attack the Burners

Midsection Of Man Cleaning Barbecue Grill With Wire Brush
Sabine Kriesch / EyeEm

Pricier gas grills often have burner protectors—V-shaped pieces of metal guarding the gas jets from food drips. Remove them, and use a putty knife to scrape grease off. If necessary, scrub them with soapy water, hose them off, and towel-dry them.

Charcoal grillers, you don't have to worry about this problem.

Step 4: Hit the Walls

Scrape the walls of the cook box with the putty knife; you want to remove carbonized grease so it doesn't affect the flavor of your food. Very filthy grills may warrant a round of dish soap and water.

Step 5: Give it a Rubdown (Optional)

If you're feeling particularly motivated, you can clean the outside of your grill. If it has a stainless-steel finish, wipe the grease away with a dedicated stainless cleaner and a semisoft sponge. Warm water works fine for other finishes.

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