Spring is in the air and now is a great time to start getting your BBQ grill ready for another cooking season.  To ensure that your grill is as ready as you are for spring, it is important to make sure it’s clean, safe, and ready to use. Pull off that grill cover and let’s get to work!

Cleaning the Grates

The first step is cleaning your grill.  This usually involves removing the grates and scrubbing them down with a wire brush to get anything left over from last year off. (Make sure you replace your grill brush at the first signs of wear to prevent bristles from ending up in the food/someone’s tum!). This will not only ensure that the grates are safe to cook on, it will also make your food taste better. After the initial scrubbing you should soak your grates in hot soapy water for 15 to 30 minutes before hitting them with the wire brush a second time and then finally rinsing them in clean water.   

Cleaning the Inside of Your Grill and Checking for Damage

While you have the grates off, it’s a great time to clean and inspect the inside of your grill.  You will be looking at the grill body for rust and dents that could affect the safety and operation of the grill. You should also be checking the gas lines, ignition system, and burner tubes to make sure they are safe to use. When inspecting and cleaning the internal components it’s best to follow the instructions in the owner’s manual from the manufacturer of your grill.  Not sure where your owner’s manual is?  Not a problem, below are the links to online manuals for several of our most common brands. 

Napoleon Grill Manuals

https://www.napoleon.com/en/us/grills/support/support-search

Bull Grill Manuals

https://bullbbq.com/support-warranty/

FireMagic Grill Manuals

https://www.firemagicstore.com/fire-magic-owner-manuals.html

 If you have a different brand and are struggling to locate an owner’s manual, please feel free to give us a call and we will look into it with you!

Final Steps

Once you have your grates and grill are clean, it’s time to season your grates.  To do this, take your cleaned grates and coat them with good quality canola or vegetable oil.  Reinstall the grates in your grill and heat them at a high temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.  Once they have cooled, wipe them down with a clean cloth and you are ready to cook.

Grilling Supplies and Accessories

With your grill clean and ready to cook on, this is a great time to replace or add to your grilling accessories: grill brushes, meat thermometers, tongs, or spatulas – just to name a few!  It might also be a great time to pick up that griddle you had your eye on last year.  Last but not least, don’t forget the seasonings and spices!  Whatever your grilling needs.  Housewarmings is your best place to shop. 

Here’s to a fabulous grilling season!