What are the most important things to do on a weekly basis to clean and maintain a gas grill keep it in good shape?
Rusting is the most common way, especially in grills, that metal deteriorates. You can’t avoid it. The reason is because when you add moisture, high levels of heat, and metal, you’re going to get deterioration – usually in the form of rust. And what does grilling always entail? – Metal, moisture and heat.
In addition to that, there are many different qualities of material available in grills on the market today. If you’d like to know the difference in a $300 grill you can buy on sale at a big box store and a $1200 grill you can buy in a grill specialty store, it’s how it’s made and with what material. Something like cast aluminum doesn’t rust. The only deterioration you’ll see with aluminum is oxidation which occurs over decades instead of months, like rust. It’s more expensive than the stainless steel sheet metal that’s bent into a grill shape. Even among stainless grills, not all stainless steel is created equal. You can read more about the deal with stainless steel in this post.
No matter the material or quality of your grill, there are steps you can take to clean and maintain a gas grill to minimize rust, clean away rust, and help your grill, and grill parts, work for you as long as possible.
- Use a BRASS-bristled brush to clean your cooking grid surfaces after you cook your food – while your grill is still warm.
-Brass is important because it is softer than the coatings on your grid surface. Even if your grid says it’s stainless steel, that could just be a coating! The only time I suggest using a steel bristled brush is when you’re cleaning the inside molding or casting of your grill.
-Always check for pieces of the brush that might have broken off your brush while you were cleaning. You don’t want to eat that! - Moisture is NOT your friend!
-Use a cover to protect your grill from rain. If you have an especially fragile (read here cheap) grill, moving it under an awning while it’s not in use is not a bad idea.
-I’m a big believer in quality so I don’t like the idea of a grill you have to give so much special attention to – but that’s the reality with most grills under the $300 price point if you want them to last more than 2-3 years. - Notice some rust? Don’t panic!
-Use your grid brush to remove most of the rust and then rub oil into the area that was rusting. This will seal out the moisture and delay further rusting.
-It’s a good idea to do this whenever you notice rust in your grill, but also reapply oil before you preheat for cooking. - Preheat before cooking.
-Preheating your grill not only gets it to the right temperature for cooking your food, it also sanitizes your cooking area! Use your grill’s highest setting for about 15 minutes to preheat and then adjust the temperature when you’re ready to cook.
Make sure the brush you use has brass bristles and check that no broken off pieces of the brush are left on your cooking surface when you’re ready to grill!
You should get into the habit of taking these steps every time you grill, or at least once a week if you grill often.
There are also some more in depth steps to take when you put your grill away for the season and again when you take it out for the first time each season. Thankfully, here in Georgia, we’re still months away from the end of grilling season!
-GG
