As the warmer months approach, it should become more and more evident that your backyard or patio is the place to be with friends and family. As you look forward to showcasing your grilling skills, you'll want to make sure that your grill is cleaned up, dusted off and ready for everything you plan on throwing on it during the summer season. Whether you've been grilling all year long or are taking your grill out of hibernation, here are some tips and tricks to getting your grill ready for the season.
Take It Apart and Scrub It Down
If you haven't used your grill in a while, chances are the dust and cobwebs have settled in during the dormant months. You'll want to take your grill apart and give it a thorough cleaning before you're ready to cook again. For a gas or charcoal grill, this means removing grates, bar burners, covers - anything that isn't the main heat source. This also gives you a chance to inspect any parts and determine if it's time to replace anything that's rusted through or has a high level of wear and tear. Most grill companies offer parts through their warranty or customer service programs to help you get back on track.
Once the pieces are removed, scrape any excess debris of the sides of the inside of your grill. You can use a cleaning solution if needed in most cases. For most grills, this means scraping and pushing everything out through the bottom grease trap. Sometimes it's helpful to have a shop vac on hand to remove any additional debris that tends to stick around. Removing as much debris as possible helps to maintain the cooking performance of your grill as well as prevent any flare-ups or grease fires that might occur from buildups.
To clean your grill grates, there are a few different ways you can go about cleaning. Read our post on How to Clean Grill Grates for more information.
To clean the surfaces of your grill, a handy all-natural grill cleaner is the way to go. These food-safe solutions are safe to use on both the interior and exterior of your grill and won't do any damage to any of the surface materials. Spray down the inside of your grill and give it a few minutes to loosen any sticky debris. Wipe down the surfaces and go back over any spots as needed.
You can do the same for the parts you removed earlier. Simply place them on a safe surface and spray them down. You can use towels to clean but be prepared to toss them as they remove any excess debris. Having a grill-safe cleaning brush goes a long way here and helps to aid in the cleaning process. Once you're done, give everything a post wash and let the parts dry before putting back in your grill.
Check for Updates
If you have a grill with integrated smart technology, such as a Masterbuilt Gravity Series® Grill, you'll want to plug it in and check for any software updates. Most companies push app updates every few months, so if it's been a while since you've fired up your grill, now is the time to check. Thankfully, most apps are easy to update. Simply turn on your grill and open the grilling app on your phone. If there's a software update, you'll either get an in-app notification or you can check your app's settings for more information on updating the software. Trust us, nothing is worse than starting your grill and not being able to monitor a brisket during an overnight cook.
Clean After Use
You may not think to clean your grill after every burger night, but a quick cleaning will help prevent any grease fires or heavy build-ups throughout the season. While the grill is still warm but not hot, clean the grates with a grill-safe brush and use a solution of warm water and mild dish soap to wipe down any surfaces.
Following these tips will help keep your grill at peak performance all season long. For more articles on keeping your grill clean and more, check out our blog.
