Gas grills are considered by many to be essential in the world of outdoor cooking due to their ability to create exceptional flavors that can only come from over-the-flame cooking. These grills are more accessible and affordable than many other types, yet they still require periodic maintenance to maintain their performance and safety. Not only will proper gas grill maintenance prevent your grill from becoming gross and unhygienic, but it will also ensure improved cooking performance and a longer lifespan. All in all, this means better food for a longer time.
Cleaning your gas grill is crucial for several reasons.
- Regular maintenance ensures that the grill remains in good condition, preventing it from becoming unsanitary or deteriorating over time.
- The ease of use of gas grills means you’ll probably be using them a lot, developing an enviable set of skills and cooking habits. This frequent use necessitates regular cleaning to prevent issues like uneven heating or dangerous flare-ups, which can affect the quality of your cooking.
- A well-maintained grill ensures that you continue to enjoy the exceptional flavors that come from cooking over a flame
In short, proper gas grill maintenance leads to better food and a longer lifespan for your grill, making it a practice that enhances both safety and culinary enjoyment.
Now that we’ve discussed the importance of keeping your gas grill clean, let’s get into the details! Just here for the highlights? No problem! You can find a concise summary and some useful tips for thorough gas grill cleaning at the bottom of this page.
Pre-cleaning Prep & Supplies
Before we dive into it, here are some safety tips — most of these are intuitive, but it’s not a bad idea to have a reminder:
Of course, ensure the grill is cool first. This hopefully is a given, but since you should be preheating it to a very high temperature first (more on that in a moment), this could be something you forget if your brain is running on autopilot.
Similarly, here are things that are probably a bit obvious, but can be easy to forget. First and foremost, make sure to check for gas leaks and disconnect your fuel source. In a similar vein, avoid flammable cleaners and be sure you’re in a well-ventilated space.
After that’s settled, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Grill brush or abrasive cleaning pad
- Sponges and rags
- Rubber or nitrile gloves
- Degreaser or grill cleaner
- Dish soap
- Bucket
- Aluminum foil
- Putty knife or scraper
- Canned compressed air (or an air compressor if available)
And, if you have harder-to-release spots, you may need:
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
Dealing with chemicals (even household ones) can be a very caustic process, so we’d like to take a second to emphasize safety here. Keep the grates in a large tub or bag and wear safety gloves to keep yourself protected while cleaning.
Once those are all on-hand, you’re good to go.
Cleaning the Interior
There are many parts to consider during a deep clean, but the grates are usually the main event—they're not only the most satisfying to clean but also where most of the magic happens. Let’s kick things off there.
Cleaning the Grates
Just like with a pellet grill, you’ll first want to heat the interior up to an extra high, we recommend 15 minutes at 500 to 550+ degrees Fahrenheit — that’s about 260 to 290 Celsius. The reasoning for this is that an uncleaned grill has stuck-on food and grease; heating to high temperature carbonizes this debris so that it can be more easily scrubbed and scraped off.
Once the grates have cooled down from this, scrub them with either a grill brush or a heavy-duty scrubbing pad. If you find that, even with a little muscle, there is some residue that remains difficult to get off, you can make a paste of baking soda and vinegar and spread some of that over the affected areas. It's a good idea to soak the grates in a tub or bag to protect your lungs and eyes from harsh vapors and chemicals, and to keep any vulnerable individuals or pets in the area safe.
Once that has soaked for 20 to 30 minutes, scrub the grates once more with your tool of choice, wash with soap and water, and rinse off.
When dry, do a light seasoning, similar to what we do for a cast-iron skillet, by spraying the grate bars with a light coat of high-temperature cooking oil. After this, you’ll once again turn the grill back on, albeit at a slightly lower (but still high) temperature of around 400 to 450 degrees for about 15 minutes to integrate the oil.
Depending on how dirty your grill is, you may want to use some more heavy duty products. This is for when your grill is extra dirty or neglected, needing a more intense deep cleaning, or if there’s significant rust buildup.
After getting the grates, it’s time for...
The Burners & Flavorizer Bars
For an extra deep clean, professional cleaners will take out the burners to flush them thoroughly. In most grills, this is a straightforward process involving the removal of just one fastener per burner. They also cover the burner ports and the igniters with tape to prevent water from getting in.
Then, unlike the grates, which require a harder grill brush or scrubbing pad, you’ll want a softer brush for the burners. A softer brush allows you to scrub firmly to remove grime without damaging the burners, unlike wire brushes.
Also, don’t forget to unclog the burner ports; you can do this with a tip cleaner, needle or paper clip, but avoid anything larger as it could enlarge the ports.
After clearing out any clogging debris, blow compressed air into the burner tubes with canned compressed air to remove any remaining debris, an air compressor machine is even better. You should spray from the back end, opposite the flame holes.
Then comes the flavorizer bars.
If necessary, wash with soap and water, reassemble your grill, and the burners are all good to go!
Due to the intense environment they endure, flavorizer bars will quickly lose their shiny original look. Visually inspect them to be sure that they aren't rusted through and that they still have enough substance to properly diffuse the heat. If you find excessive corrosion or damage, you will need to replace the flavorizer bars.
If they’re in good working condition, remove debris with a putty knife or scraper. Afterwards, soak them in soapy water to loosen up grease and other debris before scrubbing with a brush. Unlike the burners, use a heavy-duty brush here (unless your flavorizer bars are porcelain-coated). A wire brush or coarse cleaning pad will work well.
From there, rinse them off, dry, and reinstall.
Grease Management: Parts & Proper Disposal
As a reminder before we begin — although hopefully this isn’t necessary — when you dispose of grease here, do not pour it down the drain or onto the ground. This can cause a whole host of problems. Please dispose of grease properly by putting it in a sealable container and throwing it in the trash.
Cleaning your gas grill’s grease management system requires access to the grease tray and catch pan, located under the burners.
To clean this, put on some gloves and remove debris and excess grease with a putty knife or scraper. If you encounter any grime that’s extra thick or difficult to remove, you can soak it in warm, soapy water for about half an hour before scrubbing as much off as possible and then rinsing and drying.
Afterward, we recommend inspecting your liners if you have them and replacing them if necessary. Some grill models even have liners available for the drip tray and catch tray, which will make future cleanups even easier. If you don’t have a liner, lining the catch pan with aluminum foil will make future cleaning much easier.
Cleaning the Exterior
Last but not least, give the exterior a good wash. You’ll likely get some drippings from cleaning the interior on it, so you’ll want to give it a nice wipe to keep it looking sharp and shiny.
First, have a bucket handy with warm water and dish soap, and wipe down your grill’s exterior surface — a rag or two will do, but avoid anything abrasive that can damage it. If your grill’s surface is stainless steel, there are stainless steel-specific cleaners available.
As for the method of cleaning, two things to note:
1) Take note of the direction of the metal grain and wipe with the grain, not across it.
And:
2) Whether rinsing with warm soapy water or stainless steel cleaner, don’t use so much that it’s sopping. Doing so can leave residue that dries on.
After this wipe-down, rinse with clean water and dry with a microfiber cloth.
Some extra tips:
- If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned, or you use your grill extra often, you might find some spots of rust or extra tricky grease to remove. In the case of grease, scrubbing with a paste of baking soda and water can help free it up, or, for extra tough spots, soaking it in degreaser for five to ten minutes.
- Rust can also be softened up with a baking soda paste, but in this case, made of baking soda and vinegar instead of water. There are also rust remover products, but obviously, make sure they’re food safe. For preventative maintenance, use an anti-corrosion spray.
Storing Your Grill to Protect Its Longevity & Performance
One of the most important things you can do for your grill is simply preventative — protecting your grill from the elements with proper storage and covering. This will not only make cleaning much easier but will also help your grill perform at its peak for years to come.
For coverings, you’ll regret skimping by not getting one or just getting something cheap. A high-quality grill cover should be durable, waterproof-yet-breathable, and, also important but easy to overlook, it should fit snugly. This will help prevent moisture buildup that could damage your grill over time.
At the same time, proper storage will help prevent the buildup of moisture and other damaging elements. When you’re not using it, the grill should be kept in a dry space that’s as protected from the elements as possible. A shed, garage, or well-covered area will suffice as long as these locations aren’t damp or poorly ventilated.
The gas tank should also be stored vertically, away from direct sunlight. And never store propane tanks indoors!
Being proactive about keeping your grill clean might require a bit more effort now, but it will save you headaches and ensure top performance for many years. Regular cleaning prevents grease buildup, extends the grill's life, and improves food quality. Plus, you’re more likely to cook on a clean grill—it’s always a joy to come back to, ready to deliver delicious meals every time.
A regular cleaning schedule — especially during your peak grilling season — will go a long way. If you have any other tips, thoughts, or questions, reach out to us on social! We’re always ready to talk BBQ.
TL;DR?
If you’re looking for a guide with just the bare bone essentials to gas grill cleaning, we have you covered. See this handy chart for some quick tips and tricks on each stage of the cleaning process.
