How to Clean a BBQ
April 26, 2024

As the sun comes out for summer and al fresco dinners return, it’s time to dust off your BBQ and start grilling your barbecue favourites. But before you can start cooking up a storm, you should consider one crucial step: cleaning your BBQ. Keeping your grill clean will help maintain it for longer, and ensures your food will taste great all summer long. So get ready for al fresco season with our round-up of the best ways to clean a barbecue...

Choosing the Right BBQ Cleaning Tools

Being equipped with the right barbecue cleaners is essential in lifting baked-on grease and grime. A powerful BBQ cleaner such as the HG Oven Grill BBQ Cleaner is a must-have for the job at hand – it’s one of the best barbecue cleaners around. Pair it with the Norfolk Grills BBQ Cleaning Brush or Norfolk Grill Tools Triple Head Cleaning Brush to swiftly clean burnt food and oil from grills and BBQs, without having to spend hours on it. 

Or, for a natural cleaning alternative, soda crystals are a firm favourite for dissolving grease and grime from any type of BBQ. Having effective cleaning tools is the secret to halving the time of cleaning your barbecue! 

How to Clean a BBQ

Cleaning the BBQ can feel like a mammoth task, especially if you regretfully stored it in your shed the year before without so much as a scrub. But don’t despair: below you can find the best way to clean a BBQ grill in four simple steps, giving you more time to enjoy quality time with your family and friends in your outdoor space.

Before Cleaning, Allow Your Barbecue to Cool Completely

The best way to keep your barbecue in the best condition is to clean it after every use. Before scrubbing, we’d recommend allowing your BBQ to cool down completely for safety.

Step 1) Remove the Grill Plates & Soak Them in Warm Soapy Water

The grill plates will inevitably need the most cleaning as they hold the brunt of the mess. It’s important to remove the crusty carbon deposits left from grease and sugary sauces so as to not let them build up. This can lead to uneven cooking of your meats and can harbour unwanted bacteria.

First, remove the grills, fat tray and flame tamers (if necessary) and use a barbecue grill cleaning brush to scrub away any built-up grease, rust and food scraps on the grills. Once removed, soak them in warm soapy water to help lift away baked-on food. For tougher stains, we’d recommend using the HG Oven Grill BBQ Cleaner to lift unwanted grime with ease. Remember to always use rubber gloves when using abrasive cleaning solutions. 

For an eco-conscious alternative, place the grills in a large tray, sprinkle a generous layer of soda crystals over each barbecue tray, and then cover them with hot water. Leave to soak overnight to lift the baked-on grease and simply rinse the following day before returning them to your BBQ.

Step 2) Wipe Away Any Loose Debris

Once the barbecue trays are removed and soaked, it’s time to wipe away any debris. If you have a charcoal BBQ now is the time to dispose of coals and ash too. Use a coarse brush to loosen hard-to-remove food scraps from the grill – the tougher the brush, the less time you’ll have to spend attempting to lift the grease.

Step 3) Spray Your Cleaner of Choice & Scrub

With your specialised cleaner of choice or a bowl of warm soapy water, it’s time to clean the bottom of the grill. Simply allow the cleaning solution to soak the bottom of the grill for a few minutes and use the barbecue brush to lift away the caked-on grime. Use a wire brush or sponge scourer such as the popular, tough yet non-scratching Scrub Daddy sponge to thoroughly clean the base of the barbecue.

Step 4) Rinse & Reassemble

It’s time to see the gleaming results of your BBQ cleaning efforts. Thoroughly rinse your barbecue with water to wash away any soap suds and remaining grease. Finally, reassemble the grill – once it’s dry it’ll be ready to grill your barbecue favourites once again. 

To leave the exterior of your BBQ gleaming, wipe down the outside of your barbecue with a damp cloth and the Astonish Premium Stainless Steel & Shine for sparkling results. 

Explore our guide on BBQ cooking times to make cooking with your freshly cleaned barbecue even easier!

How to Clean Your BBQ From Last Season

The barbecue is the centrepiece when hosting a summer party – the perfect way to take al fresco meals to the next level. As much as you’re looking forward to the first grill of summer, we understand that cleaning your BBQ after winter, when it’s been stored away, can put a bit of a damper on things. But we have just the trick for easily getting your BBQ summer-ready once more.

Tackle caked-on dirt or mouldy areas by lighting the coals in your barbecue or turning it on to full heat – this will burn off the most stubborn remnants and destroy the mould. To clean a gas BBQ, heat it with the lid shut, allow it to reach full temperature and leave it for 30 minutes. Then, once your BBQ has cooled down, step in with the Norfolk Grills BBQ Cleaning Brush or Norfolk Grill Tools Triple Head Cleaning Brush to scrub away any dirt – it’ll be ready to use in no time!

If your barbecue is past the point of no return, we have an array of new BBQs to choose from, but before finding your new summer staple, discover the difference between gas and charcoal barbecues to help you make the right decision.

 

How to Clean Your Barbecue Accessories

Cleaning your trusted barbecue accessories is vital to ensure they can be used for many BBQ seasons to come. 

We’d recommend cleaning them after every use, but if they’ve started to rust, using a natural cleaner such as baking powder can restore them once more. Make a thin paste of baking powder with water, apply over the rusted areas and allow to sit for a few minutes. Once the paste has saturated, gently wipe it away with a sponge or cloth and rinse before using again. To clean away grease and grime, soak your BBQ utensils in a diluted washing-up liquid such as the Fairy-Max Power Original Washing Up Liquid, designed to cut through grease; allow to soak for 30 minutes to an hour; and use a scourer to wipe the grease away.

In just a handful of steps, your BBQ will be the ultimate cooking powerhouse once more – just in time to host garden parties and enjoy your grilled favourites. To protect it from harsh winters or to find an easy-to-clean barbecue, discover our barbecues and outdoor heating range, BBQ covers and more.