There are two kinds of people in this world. Fairweather grillers who force their barbecues into winter hibernation and those who are hardcore; allowing no snow, rain, hail or tornado warnings to get in the way of their grilling time. Whichever side you’re on, it’s still important to do a yearly inspection and spring cleaning on your gas barbecue.
And here's how to do it!
1. Grab a beer (for yourself) and the cleaning supplies
When cooking on the stove, do you use dirty pots and pans? Of course not. No matter what your neighbour says, cooking on dirty grills with a greasy interior does not add flavour. So, grab a good wire barbecue brush, barbecue cleaner/degreaser, a pail of hot water, dish soap, a soft scrubby sponge, paper towel, a venturi brush, a 1/16 drill bit, replacement grease cups, a spatula, stainless steel cleaner, and some fine sandpaper.
2. Give your grill a good scrubbing
Burners: Detach and remove to give them a thorough cleaning with the soapy water. Pass a venturi brush through the burners to grab any blockages. Brush the tops of the burners with your wire brush. Check that all burner ports are open. If some are blocked, use the drill bit to dislodge any food bits.
Sear plates: First, use the flat metal scraper on the end of your barbecue brush to scrape off the majority of the grease and debris. Then use your sponge, hot soapy water and some elbow grease. If need be, use some barbecue cleaner/degreaser -it can be your best friend!
Cooking grills: Use the wire brush to scrape off any burned on grease and carbon residue. Then clean up with a sponge and soapy water. Wipe dry with some paper towel while making sure no stray bristles or debris remain on the grills. Re-season with a little oil.
Base and sides of grill interior: A spatula can help scrape grease from the sides, the base and down into the drip tray. Hot soapy water works wonders to get rid of any residual grease. And don’t feel awkward calling again on your best friend; barbecue cleaner/degreaser -hey, what are best friends for!
Porcelain lids: A thorough washing with hot soapy water and a sponge should do the trick.
Stainless steel lids: Use a proper stainless steel cleaner for barbecues. Ask us, at Barbecue Country, which one will work best for your barbecue.
Drip tray: remove and wash with the sponge and hot soapy water. If things are really bad… well, you know who to call upon! If you use a tin foil grease catch, replace it with a new one.
3. Inspect all hoses and tubes
The hard part is over once you’ve got the cleaning done. Now, simply look for any crimps, punctures, and detachments. If you detect anything that seems out of sorts, Barbecue Country will help get the part you need.
4. Do a complete leak test
We recommend a full leak test whenever a grill has been stored (unused) for a few months, when you’ve replaced any components on the grill or at least once a year. There’s a great video here that shows how to perform this test.
5. Check all ignition parts
The last step – make sure that this sparkling baby lights up! Replace batteries if your grill uses a battery ignition. Check all electrodes to ensure they’re clean and free of grease. If the electrode leads or tips are caked in grease or a bit of rust, you can use the fine sandpaper to scrape it off gently.
We know the winter has been long, but spring is almost here. And when those plus temps hit Edmonton, hardcore and fairweather grillers alike will be so glad the grill is ready to go.
For parts or advice to get your barbecue set up for another year of grilling, visit the experts at Barbecue Country online or in-store! We look forward to helping you.
