Introduction: Prevent a Fire! Spring Clean Your Grill!

By www.facebook.com/mikeywalnut

It's finally starting to get nice out here in New England and that means it's grilling weather! Unfortunately though, my parents don't understand that you need to clean out the grease buildup in your grill occasionally. After watching their gas grill erupt in an inferno of grease flames last night (I wish I had thought to take a picture, but I was more concerned with putting out the flames. I'll have to be quicker with my camera next time. I mean, YOLO, right?) I decided I would help them out and clean it for them.

So break out your cleaning supplies and a cold drink and let's get to work!

Step 1: Supplies

For this project you will need:

Degreaser of some sorts
A scraper
Wire brush
Hose
Shop Vac (optional)
A cloth
Cold drink (preferably Narragansett Lager for that summer in RI feeling)

Step 2: Disconnect Propane

You'll want to begin by taking out the propane tank. You're going to be doing a little bit of scraping so might as well take the extra precaution. Make sure to turn the valve all the way off and then go ahead and turn the connector until it is disconnected.

Take a sip of your drink.

Step 3: Remove Grates and Burner Covers

Lift out your grates and take out your burner covers (if your grill has them of course). Mine simply lift right out, so that was easy. 

Look at them and think about how nasty all that build up is. Take another sip of your drink and move onto the next step.

Step 4: Scrape and Suck

Now you'll be able to reach all of the nasty, heavily accumulated stuff at the bottom of your grill. Go ahead and take your scraper and break everything free while also sucking everything up with your Shop Vac. If your grill went up in a blaze of glory like this one you'll probably have some burnt paint. Go ahead and scrape that stuff away too. Burnt paint doesn't taste all that great in your grilled chicken.

Take another sip of your drink and think about how nice it is today. Move onto the next step.

Step 5: Spray and Scrub

Now we'll take care of all that greasy stuff. Spray down the inside of your grill and the hood with your degreaser. Take your wire brush and scrape until you think you got mostly everything. Rinse out everything with your hose. Repeat if necessary. Once you're satisfied with how clean it is, go ahead and leave the hood up and let it drip dry.

Take another sip of your drink. Think about how you're getting a little hungry and maybe, it's time for a turkey sandwich.

Step 6: Make a Turkey Sandwich

You couldn't get that darn turkey sandwich out of your mind could ya? Okay well, eat that sandwich, grab another cold drink and head back outside.

Step 7: Clean Your Grates and Burner Covers

My grates were already pretty clean so I left those alone. The burner covers on the other hand needed some help. Go about it the same way you did the inside of the grill; scrape, spray, scrub, rinse, let dry.

Take another sip and think about how great a bicycle ride would be today.

Step 8: Clean the Outside of the Grill

The control panel of this grill was pretty grimey so I went ahead and gave it a quick scrub. Simply spray it down, wipe your cloth, repeat as necessary, rinse down, let dry. Pretty simple huh?

Take another sip of your drink and think about how darn handy you can be.

Step 9: Put Everything Back Together

Now that everything is all pretty dry go ahead and start putting everything back together. In go the burner covers and then the grates. Hook up the propane and try it out. It starts up? Great! You're done! You could go ahead and grill up some chicken now, but you're probably still full from that turkey sandwich. You couldn't have waited, huh?

Now you just need to finish that cold drink. Maybe grab another one for good measure.