How do you maintain a BBQ? Grilling is great fun, but it stops being simple when your BBQ is in disrepair. If you don’t follow an outdoor grill maintenance schedule, then you may need to replace your grill early or it may become unsafe to use your grill. Here are BBQ maintenance tips to extend the life of your grill.
1. Choose the Right Tools
Grill maintenance cleaning can be made much simpler with the right tool. We prefer using steel wool that already has soap in it to clean the grill. Your choice of degreaser or BBQ cleaner is also important. Some break down the coated surfaces of BBQs. It is better to start good maintenance from the moment you have your grill rather than rely on degreasing products to rescue a poorly maintained grill.
2. Start and End It Hot
Barbeque maintenance is simpler when you use heat to your advantage. Before you begin to grill, turn the heat up high. Scrub the grills before you place any food on them to remove leftover debris. After you’re done cooking, turn the heat up full blast. Once the grill is hot, scrub it down again to clean it.
3. Use Cooking Oil Safely
You can spray cooking oil on a BBQ to help keep it clean and make it easy to remove food when you’re done. However, you should only spray the oil on the BBQ grills before you have lit it, and while it is cold. Spraying when things are hot is dangerous and may cause the oil to ignite.
4. Use Aluminum Foil
Are there any foods that you grill that tend to create a mess on the grill? Protect it by wrapping the food in aluminum foil before you set it on the grill. Not only is this great for grill maintenance, but it can give you some exciting recipe options, with sauces and foods that you might otherwise hesitate to place on the grill.
Want to extend the life of your grill? At Ultimate Home Comfort we have more tips to help you maintain your grill all season long. Just give us a call today to learn more!
5. Cover the Grill
After your grill has cooled down you can recover it. It is a myth that putting on the grill cover will contribute to rust. Instead, taking the risk of exposing your grill to rain is worse for your odds of developing rust than simply covering the grill after each use.
6. Store the Grill
Over winter, it is wise to store the grill somewhere that it can’t get snowed on, like inside the garage. Some quality covers are a great idea to protect the barbeque from snow, but placing it indoors is the best option for all.
7. Clean Out the Burners
More than just the grill surface needs to be cleaned. The burners should be cleaned too, ideally once per year, before you put the barbecue away for the winter. Using a pipe cleaner or small wire brush, you can clean the ports or holes of the BBQ, when it is off and cold.
8. Work With a Professional to Maintain Your BBQ
Curious about extending the life of your grill with more BBQ maintenance tips? Talk to our experts at Ultimate Home Comfort today. We are happy to help!