HOW TO CHOOSE A GRILL CLEANER

We merry and party with food, drinks and meats. The men help with the meat grilling and the women with the food

Family reunion is one event I always look forward to. This get together in my family is always fun, all my relatives from different parts of the states and even outside the country come together, usually in my grandpa’s house. We merry and party with food, drinks and meats. The men help with the meat grilling and the women with the food. After the whole event, I and my other cousins help in the washing and cleaning. I in particular help in the grill cleaning section. Therefore, with my experience, I hope this piece on grill cleaner would be of great benefit to you.

Various Types of Grill Cleaner

All-rounders: These are standard products that can be used on pretty much any type of surface. But if your grill grates are coated, this might not be the one to choose.

Stainless steel cleaners: Specially formulated to clean grills that have a stainless-steel finish. They are softer than others so won’t damage the surface.

Soft cleaners: For “lighter” cleaning, where you only need to wipe down with a damp cloth.

Heavy duty: As their name suggests, heavy-duty cleaners are for when there’s a stubborn buildup of grime and grease. These usually require you to wear gloves, and perhaps even a mask, to keep yourself protected.

Here are the best selection of grill cleaning tools from Amazon.com

  

What to Look when purchasing a Grill Cleaner

We all have different needs when it comes to cleaning products for our grill. This includes the type of grill we have, how often it’s cleaned, and the surface material. But we also have personal preferences, so we should keep some other points in mind.

Ingredients of a grill cleaner

Some products contain chemicals that are strong enough to scratch surfaces. Others are mild and may even be biodegradable.

Here are a few examples:

Surfactants: These ingredients are foaming or cleaning agents that help to remove dirt or grease from grates. Contrary to popular belief, a study has revealed that these aren’t as harmful as we previously thought.

pH adjuster: This is important, especially when it comes to degreasers. Some products may even contain two — sodium hydroxide and ethanolamine.

Food Safe

There are heavy-duty cleaning products that require you to stay in a well-ventilated room, wear gloves and perhaps a mask. If you don’t follow these safety precautions, you could end up with breathing difficulties or a swollen throat.

It’s fair to say that these types of products should be kept far away from your food. If you use these on your grill, you’ll need to rinse the grates thoroughly with clean water afterward.

If you want to stay safe, look for products containing natural ingredients, such as d-limonene. These have very low toxicity and are relatively safe to consume if small amounts come in contact with the food.

User-Friendly

Depending on how much time you have, you might want to look for something that is user-friendly. Some products require advance prep, time to work once applied, and perhaps extra equipment. These are not for the busy griller, who prefers something fast and easy.

Different Uses

Some people prefer to have one product that you can use on several different surfaces. A multi-use product is one you can bring out to the grill, but will also keep your kitchen appliances looking clean and fresh.

Odorless

Some grill cleaners are scented to leave a fresh aroma after cleaning. Lemon scent seems to be a popular choice for many. Personally, I stay away from scented products. Once again, it’s a case of personal preference.

Effectiveness

This is perhaps the most important point. Of course, you want something that’s going to succeed in getting the job done.

Some grill enthusiasts don’t like to apply cleaning products after every use. If you use cleaning tools regularly, you may only choose to use a grill cleaner occasionally. Although, at that point, you might need something tougher to clear the buildup.

Size and Price

Depending on which product you buy, the value is likely to vary. Don’t be fooled into thinking the bigger it is, the longer it will last. Some smaller products are more concentrated and therefore could last longer than larger sprays.

Cost is also variable, cheaper doesn’t always mean a poor product. The price may be high because it’s from the grill manufacturer. Generally, though, if there are two size options of a single product, the larger will be better value for money.

Here are the best selection of grill cleaning agents from Amazon.com

  

How to clean the grill

First, brush your grill grates after every use (inspect for wire brush bristles before cooking), and thoroughly clean them every couple of months, depending on grill usage. And twice a year, you should give your grill a thorough cleaning, which helps it cook better and last longer. The basic process is the same for gas or charcoal grills; charcoal grills just have fewer parts.

There are a ton of different grill cleaning gizmos to choose from, but nothing can beat a long-handled wire brush, a wire bottle-style brush, a five-gallon bucket, and some elbow grease. Avoid toxic cleaning formulas. They can impart an off taste to foods, and aren’t necessary: warm water and dish soap and a paste of vinegar and baking soda are all the cleaning power you need. If your grill has stainless steel exterior surfaces, a good stainless-steel cleaner impact an extra shine. You’ll also need some durable gloves and a few disposable sponges and rags. Pick an overcast day; hot sun can make it hard to remove streaks from cleaners.

Next, for gas grills, start by turning the grill on and letting it come to full temperature. Dip the wire brush in a bucket of soapy water and scrub all the carbon you can from the grates, then turn it off, disconnect the propane tank and set it aside and let the grill cool completely. For charcoal grills, simply dump the old burned coals.

When the grill is cool, remove the grates and flavor bars and put them into a full bucket of soapy water. Let them soak for at least 15 minutes. Remove anything else from the grill that you can take off without tools, like burner control knobs and the grease tray. This will make it easier to clean. Most gas grill burner tubes are removable as well (look for simple cotter pins on one end, although some models use screws).

After the grates and panels have soaked, take them out and scrub them thoroughly. A long-handled grill brush offers added leverage. For really stubborn gunk, a paste of vinegar and baking soda helps the brush scrub off the worst bits. Rinse them clean. Take care to thoroughly dry cast-iron grates. Now’s a great time to inspect porcelain grates for chips that may lead to rust later on.

Inspect your burners for signs of corrosion or anything blocking the row of flame holes. Burner tubes are inviting spots for spiders to lay eggs if your grill goes unused for a while. Use a wire brush and clean them by brushing back and forth over the holes, not down the length of the tube. The wire bottle brush can clean out the inside of each tube.

Replace the soapy water in the bucket and scrub down the entire outside of the grill with a household sponge. Steel wool, metal sponges, and even some coarse sponge pads can leave scratch marks, so avoid them. Microfiber towels are great for wiping down and drying the outside

Stainless steel cleaner works great as a final touch, but it shouldn’t be used for any heavy cleaning. Spray it on, and let it sit for a couple minutes before wiping away with a clean dry cloth. Vinegar can also be used to effectively clean and wipe down stainless steel.

Re-assemble all the parts you removed, taking care to fix the burner tubes back in place in proper position with the cotter pins or screws. Rub cast-iron grill grates with a light coating of vegetable oil. Finally, re-connect your propane tank and fire up the grill; let it heat for at least 15 minutes, then turn it off again. This will help burn off any residues from cleaning, season cast-iron grill grates, and serve as a check that you re-assembled everything properly.

And with that, your grill is sparkling clean.

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