Few things are as satisfying as backyard grilling: The deliciously charred sausages, the camaraderie, the joy of watching a normally chill friend turn to panic when they realize that the burgers are done 30 minutes before everything else. It’s pure magic.
But nobody—absolutely nobody—enjoys the cleaning their grill. Heck, many don't even know how to clean a grill. That's why the ghosts of cookouts past loom large on a neglected grill as sticky marinades, incinerated meat, and vegetables lost through the grates reveal horrors under the hood. What once sparkled becomes a grimy shadow of its former self. Worse still, a gross grill makes food taste, well, gross.
But before you banish your grill to backyard purgatory, know this: Getting it sparkling clean again isn't some daunting process reserved for professional pitmasters. In fact, it’s the ideal Saturday project. Beyond the usual wire-brush routine, here are some surprisingly effective techniques that'll have your grates right and ready for your next culinary masterpiece.
First, Though: What You’ll Need to Clean Your Grill
Before you get scrubbing, gather the right tools. At minimum, you’ll want a sturdy grill brush, warm water, dish soap, and either a foil pan or bucket for soaking. A pumice stone can be a game-changer for metal grates, while a nylon brush is a safer bet for porcelain-coated grates. And if you’re really going for that showroom shine, a stainless-steel cleaner can help bring your grill back to life.
Prefer to go green? Skip harsh cleaners and go with vinegar, baking soda, and good old-fashioned elbow grease—same as you might for a cast-iron pan. Got it? Good. Let’s get to work.
Burn Off Grill Residue and Scrub, Scrub, Scrub
It’s a classic for a reason. Helpful for both gas and charcoal grills, all you need to do is return your grill to high heat for 10 to 15 minutes after using it. The fire will incinerate most food residue, turning it into ash. Once it's nice and hot, grab your grill brush and scrape away the charred remnants. And if you’re staring down some seriously cemented-on grit, taking a pumice stone to the grates can be a game-changer. (For gas grills, just make sure to turn the burners off before hopping in… for hopefully very obvious reasons.)
Pro tip: If you’re using a wire brush, inspect your grates for stray bristles before cooking—those things have a bad habit of ending up in food, with painful results.
Steam Clean Your Way to Success
Water and fire might not seem like the perfect couple (even though there’s an entire Pixar movie about it!), but if you’re dealing with a dirty grill lid, it can be a life-saving combo. Start by filling a foil pan with water and popping it directly on your grates. Then close the lid and let the pan simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The concentrated steam will loosen baked-on residue throughout the grill, making it much easier to wipe away with a cloth or brush once it cools down. Don’t have the time? Try carefully spraying some water onto the warm grates while you’re scrubbing away with a wire brush, making sure to avoid direct contact with the flame or burners—the steam will do some serious heavy lifting so you don’t have to.
Let the Grates Soak
If your grates are starting to look like a background prop from a horror movie, a good, long soak is the way to go. Just take the grates off your fully cooled grill and drop them in a large tub or sink full of hot water and dish soap. (To tackle a stubborn mess, mix in a cup of white vinegar or a scoop of OxiClean.) Leave them immersed for at least a few hours before scrubbing them down with an abrasive brush and watch all that nastiness float away. Then take them out, dry them, and—since you're a pro—rub them with cooking oil (high smoke point, always!). If you're still concerned about rust, you can also blast them with heat in the grill to ensure they're extra dry.
Test Out the Onion Hack
You might have heard about rubbing an onion on hot grates to undo some leftover mess. But does it work? Yes! At least to a degree. To see for yourself, cut a large onion in half, spear it with a fork, and rub the flat side vigorously over preheated grill grates. The natural acids and steam released by the onion can help lift off some grime while leaving behind a pleasantly savory aroma. It's not exactly a cure for truly caked-on gunk, but it’s an easy, all-natural fix for light degreasing.
Don’t Forget to Clean the Outside of Your Grill
Just as you wouldn’t wash out the inside of a glass and leave the rest covered in fingerprint smudges, you shouldn’t ignore your grill’s likely dulled and pollen-dusted exterior. Wiping down the shell with warm soapy water can rid the surface of grease build-up, and make sure to use stainless steel cleaning solution if you’re working with stainless. Speaking of: TikTokers swear by a hack involving vinegar and olive oil for gunk that makes you question whoever came up with the name "stainless steel." We can't personally confirm it works, but given the low stakes involved it's worth a shot!
Don't Forget to Clean Below the Surface
Don’t ignore what’s below the grates. The cavity of your grill—whether gas or charcoal—can become a truly disgusting Jackson Pollock situation over time. Grease, ash, and burnt food bits accumulate fast, so it’s worth scraping things down regularly. (A paint scraper works wonders if things get especially crusty.)
And don’t sleep on the undercarriage. If your grill has a grease tray, empty it after each use unless you want a biology experiment growing in there. Same goes for your ash catcher, which often collects way more than just ash—think dripping fat, lost onions, and other grill gremlins. And if you’re cooking with gas, take a moment to scrape off any charred residue from the heat deflectors or flavorizer bars beneath the grates… unless you want your former cookouts to flavorize today's.
How Often Should You Clean Your Grill?
Finally, it’s good to know when to actually clean your grill. Nobody’s suggesting you give it the deep-clean treatment every time you cook a sausage. This is a hobby, not a job! For most people, a quick clean after each use and a deep clean every 4–5 cookouts is a good rule of thumb. But if you’re cooking high-fat meats or using sugary marinades, you’ll want to clean more frequently to prevent flare-ups and buildup—which will make all the stuff you just read about way more difficult than it needs to be.