Let’s talk about cleaning stainless steel on your gas grill.

We’re beginning to see signs of summer coming to an end. Schools are getting ready. Supplies are going on sale. Your grill has probably already gotten a ton of use this year. How does it look; a little worse for the wear? If you’ve read much on this blog, you know we believe grills are for grilling – not beauty contests! However, there are a few simple things you can do to keep your grill looking nice out in your yard.

A simple chore that packs a visual punch is cleaning stainless steel wherever it might be on your grill.

Some grills have the entire body made of stainless steel. Others might only have a few stainless steel panels or a shelf. No matter how much you have, cleaning and shining it will make a big difference in the overall appearance of your grill.

Here’s the stainless steel shelf that needs cleaning. It’s been out all season and not covered (yikes!). Even considering that party foul, we can get it shined up with the right steps and tools.

When cleaning stainless steel on a gas grill, you have to remove any excess grease build-up. The first thing this shelf needs is a cleaning with soapy water. Use a little bit of dish detergent – whatever you use on your dishes will work. Use a gentle scrubber to clean, but not scratch, the stainless steel.

Once you get all the grease and grime off your stainless steel, inspect it for additional cleaning needs. This shelf cleaned up nicely, but still had a few rust spots.

You might see spots like this on your stainless steel, or discoloration, or tarnish. For that, you’ll need a specific stainless steel cleaning agent. You can get a bottle of it here. Use that non-scratch scrubber again to work the cleaner onto the surface.

This stuff works like a dream and especially impresses me with the removal of discoloration. There wasn’t a great deal of it on this shelf, but I’ve used this cleaner to remove discoloration from parts inside the grill. Internal parts withstand much higher temperatures and you’ll notice discoloration almost immediately.

It’s hardly recognizable! Now we just need to convince this owner to use a grill cover.

In two simple steps, you’ve got shine!

Keep in mind that not all stainless steel is created equally! Higher quality stainless steel will last longer and clean more easily. For more information about stainless steel, check out this blog: What’s the Deal with Stainless Steel?

Have any questions about cleaning stainless steel on your gas grill? Ask in the comments!