Clean your Grill before Football Season Starts

A clean grill means good smells, good food and good tailgating experiences. A clean grill means no time lost to cook your meal and you’ll be ready for Kick-Off.

Proper maintenance of your grill saves you time and money since your grill’s life expectancy will increase. It’s also a security measure, as food and grease build-ups can cause fires.

With the tailgating season just around the corner, you must be eager to take your grill out and put your chef’s hat on, so here are a few step-by-step solutions to help you with your grill maintenance.

AFTER EVERY USE

To keep your grill in good shape and prevent food residue and grease build-up, it’s preferable that you clean it lightly after every use.

1. Turn off the gas and/or disconnect the tank (if applicable).
2. With the grill still warm, brush the grate with a grill brush right before you go back into the house with the food. Any grease left on the grids will help “coat” the cook grids between now and the next time you cook.
3. Wipe the exterior with soapy water, using only dish cleaning soap (some cleaners can remove labels or writing).
4. When the grill is not in use, keep it covered. This is especially true with battery operated spark ignitors!

FOR A MORE THOROUGH CLEAN

(SEMI-ANNUAL)

We recommend once in the spring and once in the fall that you give your grill a thorough cleaning.

1. Put on a pair of disposable gloves, trust us, you will appreciate it later.
2. Remove the grates and heat plates (beneath the grates but above the burners) to get any loose debris off. If they are exceptionally greasy you may need to soak them in a bucket of soapy water for at least 15 minutes.
3. Scrape any debris from inside the grill using a putty knife or painter’s knife. The debris will fall into the bottom.
4. Shop-Vac the inside bottom of your grill.
5. Light the grill and inspect the burner tubes to see if any are blocked.
   1.  An orange flame instead of blue and reduced flame size are both signs that the tubes are blocked.
   2. If they are, turn the grill off and gently scrub the tubes with a heavy-duty steel brush.
   3. Brush from the center of the tube outward, moving sideways, so as not to push the debris in the tube.
6. Remove the grates and panels from the bucket and place back into the grill.
7. Wipe the exterior of your grill with a soft, damp cloth.
   1. If there are persistent stains, gently use a non-scratch scrubber like a scotch-brite pad to remove stains.
   2. If the surface is stainless steel, lightly scrub with the grain!
8. Polish the exterior of the grill with microfiber towels and a stainless-steel polish to add a protective finishing touch.

SAFETY CHECK

At any time if the grill doesn’t light, you should perform the following checks to see if you have a faulty igniter or possibly a gas issue.

1. With the grill OFF, try the spark igniter.
2. If NO click, spark, or glow (depending on our system); check for power issues.
   1. For battery systems, replace battery and make sure you have the “+” and “-“ terminals aligned correctly.
   2. For “hot surface ignition” make sure you have power and/or no GFI that needs resetting.
3. Check the fuel lines for micro fissures with soapy water.
   1. Brush the mixture on the fuel lines with a paintbrush.
   2. Turn on the gas and brush more of the mixture on the lines. If bubbles form, there’s a gas leak from a micro fissure. Replace the part immediately.
4. If using a propane tank and no gas or very limited gas pressure exists:
   1. Disconnect and reconnect the hose to the tank.
   2. Make sure the QCC fitting (black wheel is tightened completely and not cracked).
   3. Slowly turn the tank on.
   4. Slowly turn on a single knob on the grill.
   5. Wait for one burner to light before slowly turning on additional knobs.

Now that grill maintenance holds no secrets for you, you’ll stay in mid-season form with a sparkling grill. Your food will taste great, and your friends and family will thank you for it.