Video Tutorials: How to Clean All Types of Grills

Cover Your Grill, Always

It's often a pain, because you have to let the grill cool down before hand, but you should ALWAYS cover your outdoor grill or barbecue when you're done using it for the day or night.

This will prevent dirt buildup, hardware issues, and rusting -- and extend the life of your grilling investment for years to come.

Keep the Outside Clean, Too

Of course, everyone knows that you should clean the inside of your grill to prevent caking, buildup, germs and bacteria. But, the outside of your grill shouldn't be neglected, either!

Germs and bacteria on the outside of your grill can -- and will -- affect the taste of everything you cook on the inside. Be sure to clean the outside of the kettle or grill every few weeks, if not more often. Remember not to use hazardous cleaning solutions! Try lemon juice, a non-flammable grill cleaner, or utilize the time-tested method of 2/3 parts baking soda to 1 part water and scrub away.

Clean With Heat

Heat kills all! The same way heating your griddle and cleaning with lemon juice and a scraper works, so goes for your grill grates.

It doesn't take much: While preheating up your grill the next time you barbecue, after ~10 minutes, scrape your grates clean with a grill brush before grilling on them!

If the buildup doesn't come off from the heat alone, try spraying non-flammable cleaning solution on the grates and working it into the buildup with your brush until you're able to free it with your scraper.

Cover the Ground Around Your Grill

Yes we all drop stuff when we are in the groove. Lay down some plastic or a rubber mat to make clean up around you grill easier.

Use Cooking Spray on Grates

Like your meat sticking to the grill? No one does. Invest in some non stick spray and give your grates a coat before you put any burgers or meat on the grill. Makes sure your food doesn’t stick and makes it helps those grill marks look magnificent.

Dump Out The Junk

Ever forget to clean out the excess in your grill and get ash all over your meat? It's happened to even the most experienced Grill Master.

To prevent this and the nasty, ashy flavors that come along with it, dump your ash and used charcoal each time you're done grilling (after it has cooled down, of course).

Your best move is to simply make it a part of your grilling clean-up routine (this includes the ash catcher). Once the grill is empty, clean it out with a wire brush as noted above.

Build a Charcoal Pyramid

"Grill like an Egpytian" and always build your charcoal briquettes into a pyramid. This maximizes airflow and helps you control temperatures more effectively. It also reduces the amount of unnecessary smoke.