How To Clean Your Outdoor Grill In 8 Simple Steps

Whether you have a gas or charcoal grill, follow these steps to keep it sparkling.

If you have a gas grill, make sure that all of the dials are in the "off" position and that the propane tank is disconnected. If you have a charcoal grill, remove any old ashes and dispose of them.

Using a long-handled grill brush or a ball of crumpled aluminum foil (which you can hold with a long-handled set of tongs), scrub the grates to loosen any debris. 

Though you don't need to do this each time you clean your grill, occasionally removing the grates and soaking them in a large bucket of hot soapy water can help remove built-up grime and grease. Just fill a large bucket with dish soap and hot water and let the grates soak for 10 to 15 minutes. 

While the grill grates soak, cover any exposed heating elements on the inside of your grill with aluminum foil to protect them, then use a grill brush or steel wool pad to remove the built-up grease and grime from the interior of your grill. Then, wipe the inside of the grill with a damp paper towel.

While your grates continue to soak, wipe the outside of your grill down with hot soapy water. If you have a stainless-steel gas grill you can also use stainless-steel wipes.

If your grill has a drip pan, remove it, empty it into the trash can, and then drop it into the bucket of soapy water along with the grill grates, allowing it to soak for a few minutes.

Take the grill grates and drip pan out of the soapy water and scrub them with the grill brush (or aluminum foil) one more time. Then, rinse them thoroughly; you can even use a hose to rinse them off.

Reassemble your grill and use a clean towel to dry it off inside and out. Then, reconnect the propane tank (if you have a gas grill) or restock the grill's charcoal.