The words “stainless steel” have become synonymous with “maintenance-free”, but that’s not the case when you’re dealing with high temperatures, grease and the outdoors. Stainless steel is a great choice and a favourite among grill manufacturers because of its quality, durability and attractive appearance. However, over time anything, even stainless steel becomes stained, dull, dirty and greasy. Stainless steel will always hold the title of being low maintenance but, sorry, not entirely maintenance-free. 

Here are our tips on how to keep your grill as good as new for as long as possible:

Regularly clean your entire grill with a mild detergent solution and a soft cloth. This is the easiest method for keeping stainless steel looking great. Always use a soft cloth (not an abrasive one) and always wipe with the grain.

Use grapeseed oil for grilling as it has a high burn temperature and a neutral flavour preventing black grime from building up inside the grill. Peanut oil works well too but has an overpowering flavour and the risk of allergic reactions.  Canola and vegetable can be used as an alternative but avoid olive oil.

Wash and season with oil. If you do cook with a lot of marinades, rubs, and seasonings, you may notice a rust-like residue. This residue can be washed away with a mild detergent plus seasoning your cooking grates with grapeseed oil can prevent the residue from building up. 

Use a pumice grill stone. You’ve probably heard about these for your feet, but there’s a version for the barbecue too and can restore your grill to almost new! Always clean the cooking grates outside of the grill so that the fine pumice stone fragments do not go into the grill. Wash the grill well after using the pumice grill stone.

Avoid discolouration from grease which is a common grill problem. Barbecue smoke contains grease particles that leave a deposit everywhere they can. Discolouration is usually noticeable close to the lip where it contacts the bottom of the grill when closed. However, it will bake onto any hot surface as a golden brown, rusty sheen resistant to most cleaners you use to attack it. 

NOTE: Actual heat discolouration of stainless steel does not occur until the temperature has exceeded 454˚C or 850˚F. The internal components of a grill can approach and sometimes exceed these temperatures without affecting the temperature of the lid.

Presoak dirty components such as shelves and frames in a hot water ammonia solution -remember to wear a good pair of dishwashing gloves! Baked grease will soften which can then be washed away with a warm, mild detergent solution, rinsed thoroughly with clean water and dried completely using a soft cloth.

Restore original luster of the stainless steel in most cases with a mild household detergent. But, if you see an area that looks like it has been affected by heat, follow the instructions mentioned earlier for baked on grease.

Now that you know what to do to maintain a stainless steel grill, here’s what NOT to do:

1. Never use bleach or cleaners containing bleach.
   
   
2. Never use metal or steel wool to scour stainless steel. The residue left behind by the metal or steel wool will show as rust. 
   
   
3. Never use harsh abrasives on cosmetic areas such as lids, doors, shelves, etc. They scratch the surface. 
   
   
4. Never go against the grain of the stainless steel when using mild abrasives or synthetic scouring pads.

Do you have a stainless steel barbecue and can’t quite get it looking clean and shiny? We’re here to help. Contact us or Visit our Edmonton store located at 5682 – 75 Street NW. and our experts would be happy to offer cleaning products, more tips and advice.