If you love socializing, a backyard BBQ party is ideal for a hearty, fun evening with friends and family.
However, post-party cleaning is pretty stressful. A greasy BBQ is quite tough to clean.
If you fail to clean the grease, it may make you sick or lead to grill fires. It’s known that around 9,500 people get burned from grill fires every year!
So, to enjoy a safe BBQ party and easy cleaning, here are some tips!
1. Dishwasher
You can easily fit the hotplates into your dishwasher if you have a medium-sized BBQ. Try to clean it using the dishwasher while it’s still hot to ensure best cleaning. Select the pot wash or heavy-duty cycle option, and you’re all set!
2. Steam cleaner
Steam cleaning is a great way to disinfect your BBQ without using chemicals. This is a great long-term investment as it works as multipurpose equipment to clean almost all surfaces of your house, upholstery, and bedding.
Switch the grill off and let it cool. Remove the grates from the grill and steam the grill’s interior with a steam cleaner from a reputable brand. The grime will slowly start coming off. Use a damp cloth to wipe off the tar puddle in the bottom.
Steam clean the grill grates one at a time and then wipe off.
3. BBQ steaming
Some people also use the BBQ itself for clean-ups after simple uses. For this, let the equipment begin cooling. Then, cover the grill with newspaper soaked in water. Close its lid and let it be for 30 minutes.
This will create a nice steam inside and break down the grime. You can then manually scrub with non-abrasive sponges to get the job done.
4. Cleaning brush
Avoid investing in an all-purpose cleaning brush or scourers. They need you to apply extra manual pressure on the object and aren’t heavy-duty either.
Instead, you can buy a grill cleaning brush. It has a long handle and a scourer with just enough roughness to attack the stubborn dirt but not scratch the metal.
5. Pressure washer
This works well with charcoal grates. Empty the ash and replace the charcoal grates. Take the equipment away from places and things you don’t want to get splashed.
Use the pressure washer on a medium setting and angle the stream downwards to minimize mess.
6. Onion
Chop a brown or yellow onion into half and stick a fork into the onion. While the grill is still hot, rub the forked onion all over your BBQ bars.
The water and chemicals in the onion are known to loosen up sticky BBQ messes and eliminate impurities.
7. Baking soda
Baking soda, though potent, has non-abrasive crystals, so it’s a great cleaner to avoid scratching your BBQ.
Sprinkle baking soda on the damp and grimy grill and let it sit. Meanwhile, dissolve some more baking soda in warm water and soak a sponge in it. With a scourer sponge, scrub the grill. Continue until all the soda gets removed from it and the grill sparkles.
8. Vinegar spray
Make a solution with equal vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Shake it well to homogenize the solution. Spray it on the cool grill and let it sit for 10-30 minutes.
In another spray bottle, fill with raw vinegar and spray all over your grill. Don’t wipe the previous spray solution. Let both solutions sit for another 30 minutes.
After that, start wiping your grill, grates, and the interior. The acid will gently yet effectively remove all the food particles and dirt.
If wiping with a regular cloth or sponge doesn’t help, use an aluminum foil ball and a bristle brush. This duo will surely get rid of the grime.
If your BBQ is rusty, mix the table soft and vinegar and coat the rusty areas. Let it sit overnight, and wipe it on the next morning. Your equipment will look brand new in no time!
9. Coffee
Soak the grill and BBQ utensils in filter coffee if there are stubborn stains on your BBQ. Its acid will loosen up the cakey and crusty food and dirt.
10. Beer
Pour half a can of beer on the warm grill. Scrub with old newspaper or a bristle brush. However, be careful as the wire bristles are known to fall off and later get introduced into your food.
So, clean diligently so no fallen bristles stay. Or choose a high-quality bristle brush that doesn’t shed the wire bristle.
11. Ketchup
It may get rusty if you often let your BBQ out in your backyard in the evening to cool off. A great hack to prevent rusting and speed up cleaning is to apply ketchup and let it sit for some time. Wipe it off once it cools, and your BBQ will turn shiny!
Conclusion
With these tips and tricks, your BBQ cleaning session will be much more relaxing. So, identify the best solution for you and enjoy a gala time!
