It’s Summertime!
Warm weather has arrived, and in many regions, it already feels like summer. If you enjoy to barbecue and host parties at your home, you are probably already thinking about your grill. Maybe you’ve already brought it out of the garage and completed some test runs. Before you have that big Memorial Day BBQ you should make sure the grill is properly cleaned so that you don’t have an embarrassing grease fire or foul tasting meats.
At The Cozy Flame, we love to sell our favorite products. The Big Green Egg and MHP Grills rival others on the market by leaps and bounds. Besides having the best product around, you need to understand how to keep this product in its’ prime condition. You also have to properly maintain your products to get the best use out of them.
Grill Tips
- Clean it from the grates to the ground.You should be sure to clean it properly for the type of fuel it burns. Charcoal grills will have more residue to remove and often have more grates to clean. The peeling residue at the bottom of your charcoal grill is not peeling paint. It’s carbonized grease, and it needs to be scraped and brushed away. Once you have cleaned the inside of the grill, rub the grate down with olive oil, and then clean the exterior of debris, dust, and grease.Required Tools: stainless steel grill brush, rubber gloves, paint scraper, soap, water, bucket, cloth
- Cover the heating elements with aluminum foil (gas grills).Before you begin cleaning, use aluminum foil to tightly cover the heat elements. When you’re finished with the scrubbing and cleaning, you can remove this aluminum foil and discard it. All of the debris that falls onto the elements will be contained.Extra Tip: Using aluminum foil while grilling helps reduce the amount of residue left behind on the grill.
- Fire it up.Once the cleaning is complete, turn on your gas grill, or light your charcoal grill and let it burn for an hour to simulate the amount of time you would grill a small meal. This tests the grill to ensure it’s safe before you use it with guests and family nearby. It also will burn off any residue left behind by your cleaning solution. A natural cleaner that works well and isn’t toxic however, is vinegar.Extra Tip: Place a thin layer of vinegar on a cookie sheet, stainless steel pan, or aluminum foil on the grate and cook on high heat with grill closed to help remove stubborn residue.
Come To Us!
Remember, even if you purchased the best grill on the market, it won’t continue to work for you if it’s not properly maintained. The best way to maintain it is to clean it before you start grilling for the summer, and again before storing it for winter. When you clean it you can check your gas grill for safety (fuel connections, valves, and burners), and check hinges and fasteners on your charcoal grill.
It’s our goal at The Cozy Flame that all of our customers get the best products and service as well as the best experience possible. For questions regarding cleaning, operating, repairing your grill, and more, call one of our experts today!