Your Grill - Step by Step Guide to Proper Care and Maintenance

Caring for your grill.


Keep your grill clean. 
I understand, no one wants to clean the grill, after eating a huge steak dinner, however, making time to do frequently is very important, if you want to prevent potential grill  fires. Safety should always come first.

You may be one of those people who think to themselves that it will never happen to you, but it does happen all the time.It happened to my Uncle when I was younger and he was very badly burned and was lucky to have survived.  Another reason is simple. You want your food to be the most flavorful it can be.


Clean the grates
You should clean your grill grates before you cookout on the grill but also after you cook on the grill as well.  Try to clean both sides of the grates.  The best tool to use when doing this would be a stiff wire brush.   On the other hand if your grates are cast iron and they have been coated with porcelain,  this requires using a nylon brush to protect the coating.   Never use soap on the grill grates or you will be sorry.  If any soap gets into your food and you digest it, it can make you very nauseated and you will be in the restroom for a very long time.  One handy tip is just before you cook, make a square our of a couple of paper towels and pour some vegetable oil  on to the paper towels and spread the oil onto the grates.


Check the Drip Pan and Firebox
Clean the drip pan and remove the grates and burners to clean the firebox, the reason for this is food and leftover grease usually falls right through the grates directly on top of the firebox.  You may want to check the owners manual to find out if there are specific methods of cleaning your brand of grill.


Be on guard for potential gas leaks
Mixing a small amount of dish washing liquid and water  together in a spray bottle is a common method for determining leaks of all kinds in many things, and in this case it can help prevent gas leaks.  By spraying the sudsy spray over the connection ports and the along the hoses that lead to your grill, you can turn on the tank and check for bubbling.  If you see bubbling , then there is a part that needs to be replaced or there is a loose connection.  


Propane hazard check
Make sure you are on the lookout for the signs that tell you, you need a new tank.  Corrosion, heavy rust, and dents are not something you should just ignore. If your grill does not have a fuel gage, disconnect your tank and stand it upright.  Pour some hot water around the tank and feel the surface of the tank. The cool area will let you know how much gas is left in the tank.  Pretty cool tip, huh?


Exterior condition
For a painted, exterior surface, all you need is soapy water and a soft sponge to wipe the grease from the surfaces then rinse off with a hose.  You can eliminate stains on the lid by using a nylon pad that has a little soapy water on it.    For a stainless surface apply a grease cutting solution. Many people like to use exclusive stainless steel cleaning products, but it is really not necessary, however, if you use a product like Grease lightening de-greaser, then make sure you use a follow-up product to get the film up from the Grease Lightning.