3 Simple Steps To Keep Your Grill Looking New

A clean, shiny grill can be an attractive element of your patio. On the other hand, an old, rusty grill is an eyesore. Ever wished you could keep your grill looking new? Well, so have we. That's why we've come up with 3 simple steps to keep your new grill looking new.

1. Clean The Inside

This part isn't complicated – it'll just take some elbow grease. It's worth the effort in the end. And the more often you clean it, the easier your job will be.

• Before cleaning the inside of your grill, remove the grates, flame tamers, burners, and other removable parts. Just make sure to keep track of where they came from. You want to be able to put the grill back together again!
• Use your stainless steel grill brush to scrape the grime off your grates, then wipe them clean with a warm, soapy rag.
• Next, inspect and wipe clean the burners and tubes, making sure there's nothing in there. You can also shoot water into them to flush out spiders or other insects that have made your new grill their home.
• You may see some peeling when cleaning your grill. Don't worry. It's not paint. It's actually grease and smoke deposits – easy enough to remove. Take that stainless steel brush and remove the crud before washing surfaces with soapy water, rinsing and drying when you're done.
• Now you're ready to scrape food and grease clumps from the bottom of the tray with a putty knife. Scrub, wash with a soapy rag and dry with a clean cloth before putting your grill back together. Remember to dry all parts with clean cloth to keep the rust away.

2. Clean the Outside

This is important: close the grill first. The inside is clean and you don't want to get it wet or dirty again.

For stainless steel parts, your best bet is to use a mild stainless steel cleaner and terrycloth towel. You don't want to scratch your new grill! If you're ambitious, you can use steel polish to put a shine on the grill.

For powder-coated metal parts and plastic pieces, use a damp rag and water. Give it a good wipedown and call it a day.

We recommend giving your grill a good deep cleaning every 6 to 12 months (depending on how often you use it). The rest of the year, all you need to do is clean the grate after each grilling session.

3. Practice Grill Safety

Nothing ruins the look of a new grill like an out-of-control fire.

Kidding aside, grill fires are fairly common. No, not the kind of fire that makes food tasty. We're talking about dangerous blazes here. The National Fire Protection Association states that almost 7,200 gas grills were involved in home fires in the US last year. (link source)

Here's how you can make sure your new grill doesn't add to that statistic:

• Turn off the gas every time you finish cooking, both at the source and control knobs
• Protect electrical parts from water
• Don't grill beneath overhanging areas of your house

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We know how much time and thought goes into choosing the right grill. If you want it to enjoy it for a long time, put the same amount of time and thought into cleaning it! The more work you put into keeping your grill looking new, the better it'll treat you when it's grilling time.

For help choosing the right grill, come on in to The Great Backyard! It's our pleasure to help you turn your yard into your favorite vacation spot.