How to Clean a Charcoal Grill
Locate a suitable area to clean your grill., Brush dirtiness from the grate., Remove buildup from the grill lid and bottom., Throw away any leftover ashes from the ash catcher, if necessary., Reassemble the grill.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate a suitable area to clean your grill.
This area should be away from your campsite or off to the side of your yard.
You'll be brushing ash and encrusted char off the grill at this location, so it should be far from walking paths.
Choosing a cleaning location far from walking paths will prevent ash and char from being tracked around your campsite or home. -
Step 2: Brush dirtiness from the grate.
Take the grate out of the grill.
The grate may stain your hands with ash and char.
Prevent this from transferring to your skin with gloves.
Brush the grate with a wire grill brush to remove buildup from the grate.
In most cases, you should be able to lift the grate out of the grill.
Some grills may have slots the grate fits into or catches.
Release the catches, if necessary, and slide the grill free.
Use moderate force when brushing your grate and grill.
Using excessive force may chip the coating on your grill, which could negatively impact its performance or void its warranty., Use your brush to clear out any encrusted bits on the bottom of the grill and its lid.
If you notice peeling paint, remove this with a stiff bristle brush or putty knife.
Wipe the exterior of the lid and body of the grill with a rag wet with soapy water.
If you’re using a public grill, you may want to place your hand in a plastic bag and sweep loose buildup into a separate plastic bag to be thrown away., The ash catcher is a receptacle on the bottom of the grill where ashes collect over time.
Some public grills may not be equipped with an ash catcher.
Brush ashes into a plastic bag and throw these away.
Some ash catchers may detach from the grill for easy disposal.
Slide the ash catcher out of grill, dump the ashes in a bag to be thrown away or directly into the garbage. , If you’ve removed the ash catcher, replace this before anything else.
Then slide the grate into place.
Press the grate with your hand to ensure it is sturdy and firmly in place.
Your grill is now clean.
You’re ready to grill.
For the cleanest grilling, line the grate of your grill with aluminum foil.
Poke some holes in the foil before lighting the grill.
Using aluminum foil is highly recommended for public grills.
You never know what’s been grilled previously. -
Step 3: Remove buildup from the grill lid and bottom.
-
Step 4: Throw away any leftover ashes from the ash catcher
-
Step 5: if necessary.
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Step 6: Reassemble the grill.
Detailed Guide
This area should be away from your campsite or off to the side of your yard.
You'll be brushing ash and encrusted char off the grill at this location, so it should be far from walking paths.
Choosing a cleaning location far from walking paths will prevent ash and char from being tracked around your campsite or home.
Take the grate out of the grill.
The grate may stain your hands with ash and char.
Prevent this from transferring to your skin with gloves.
Brush the grate with a wire grill brush to remove buildup from the grate.
In most cases, you should be able to lift the grate out of the grill.
Some grills may have slots the grate fits into or catches.
Release the catches, if necessary, and slide the grill free.
Use moderate force when brushing your grate and grill.
Using excessive force may chip the coating on your grill, which could negatively impact its performance or void its warranty., Use your brush to clear out any encrusted bits on the bottom of the grill and its lid.
If you notice peeling paint, remove this with a stiff bristle brush or putty knife.
Wipe the exterior of the lid and body of the grill with a rag wet with soapy water.
If you’re using a public grill, you may want to place your hand in a plastic bag and sweep loose buildup into a separate plastic bag to be thrown away., The ash catcher is a receptacle on the bottom of the grill where ashes collect over time.
Some public grills may not be equipped with an ash catcher.
Brush ashes into a plastic bag and throw these away.
Some ash catchers may detach from the grill for easy disposal.
Slide the ash catcher out of grill, dump the ashes in a bag to be thrown away or directly into the garbage. , If you’ve removed the ash catcher, replace this before anything else.
Then slide the grate into place.
Press the grate with your hand to ensure it is sturdy and firmly in place.
Your grill is now clean.
You’re ready to grill.
For the cleanest grilling, line the grate of your grill with aluminum foil.
Poke some holes in the foil before lighting the grill.
Using aluminum foil is highly recommended for public grills.
You never know what’s been grilled previously.
About the Author
Timothy Richardson
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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