How to Clean An Outdoor Grill

This outdoor grill cleaning post contains affiliate links.

Summer is on its way {or has fully arrived, depending where you live} and grilling season is upon us.    While cleaning my grill this spring {a long overdue task}, I decided to take photos and write a very imperfect amateur’s guide on how to clean an outdoor grill.  This guide is amateur and imperfect because my grill is far from spotless, but considering where it started, it’s much improved.  Let me show you the easy steps I use to clean my grill but before you tackle yours, be sure you check to make sure none of these products will damage your grill.

My grill, which is used at least a couple of times a week all year long, started out covered in burnt nastiness and was a complete mess.

I started by giving the grates a hard scrub with a wire brush, loosening anything that wasn’t completely cooked on.

Once the grates were scrubbed down, I removed them from the grill and placed them in a large garbage bag {I doubled the bags} then poured in about a cup of ammonia.  I tied the bag tightly and left it overnight.  The ammonia doesn’t have to cover the grates since it’s the fumes that will do the work.  {Before you use the ammonia, check to be sure it won’t damage the type of grates you have.} 

Any time you use ammonia, you should be in a well-ventilated area with minimal exposure to the fumes.  I used the ammonia outside and left the bags outdoors all night.

While the grates were soaking, I emptied the drip pans.  I scrubbed down the metal permanent pans then replaced the disposable foil pans with brand new ones.  {Disposable drip pans can be found online and at most stores that carry your brand of grill.}  I also washed all the nastiness out of the bottom cabinet of my grill.  It’s amazing how much dirt and debris storms blow into the grill throughout the year.  

The grilling tools all went into the dishwasher for a good cleaning.  If your tools aren’t dishwasher safe, wash them by hand with soap and water.

I wiped down the outside of my grill {I used Windex, but once again, be sure it’s safe for your grill} …

… and scrubbed the countertop areas on the side.

The flavorizer bars were removed and got a good scrubbing but they have some rust and will have to be replaced at some point.  In the meantime, they’re fairly clean.

{If your flavorizer bars also need replacing, check Amazon.  They carry quite a good selection.}

When the grates had been in the ammonia fumes for twenty-four hours, I took them out and washed them down well to remove all ammonia residue.

That’s it.  Definitely imperfect and very amateur but fairly clean and ready for a summer of delicious grilling.

How often do you clean your barbeque grill?

For another helpful household tip, be sure to check out this post: how to clean your dishwasher.