Grills are a wonderful place to sit together, drink beer and enjoy a nice meal with friends. But after that always comes the moment where the cleanup starts. Dirty grill grates can be an unpleasant sight, but luckily it isn’t hard to clean them. These guidelines will show you how to clean your outdoor gourmet griddle and get it looking like new.
Cleaning your outdoor gourmet griddle should be done now and then. You can find many ways to clean it. However, not all of them will get the job done. Using dish soap is one way to clean your cooking grates. This can help you remove any grease or oil that has been left behind, but this may not do the trick in certain cases.
Forgetting to clean it regularly may result in a large build-up of food scraps and grease, which will lead to frequent use of chemicals and toxic materials for cleaning. To help you avoid this process, this article offers a detailed guide on how to clean outdoor gourmet griddle effectively.
How to clean outdoor gourmet griddle
Outdoor grills are the perfect accessory for any outdoor kitchen. They offer an even cooking surface and can be used to cook many different types of food. The main problem with outdoor grills is that they can be difficult to clean. However, here are some tips on how you can clean your outdoor gourmet griddle without damaging it:
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Scrub the Surface
Use a brush or sponge to scrub away any stuck-on food particles. After, rinse the surface using warm water and soap, or use a stainless steel cleaner if there is a heavier build-up of grease and dirt.
Don’t use abrasive pads or metal scrubbers because they can scratch the surface of the gourmet griddle. Instead, use a soft sponge or cloth with warm water and mild soap.
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Remove the Burner Caps
The burner caps on your outdoor gourmet grill need to be removed before cleaning to get underneath them and remove any debris that has collected there over time. This is especially important if you have an older unit with exposed burners, as dust and other debris have likely gathered around them, making it harder for grease to drain properly into your grease trap when cooking.
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Clean Out the Grease Trap
If your grill has a grease trap attached to it, this should be cleaned out regularly. First, remove the grill grates and give everything underneath a thorough cleaning with warm water and soap or another degreasing agent.
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Clean under the warming tray
Clean under the warming tray by removing the griddle from the grill and placing it on a clean, dry, and flat surface. Using a 2% solution of either water and white vinegar or 3-in-1 oil, dip a paper towel into the solution and apply it to all surfaces. After 5-10 minutes, wipe with a clean towel. If required, repeat the process.
Related: Can you a pallet grill under a covered patio
Alternatively
- Clear space on top of the grill.
- Plug in the grill and turn it on for 10 to 15 minutes to preheat it. The heat will help with cleaning.
- Scrape debris away from the surface.
- Use a metal scraper to clear away any excess gunk left after the grill brush has been rinsed off.
- Clean burners using a stiff wire brush.
- Take care of hard-to-remove stains with vinegar, baking soda, or this chemical solution.
- Clean off the shelf on the side if you have one.
- Make sure to clean under the warming tray.
- Spray the entire surface with a chemical degreaser or soap mixture, including your grill brush, if it’s not dirty enough to need replacement.
- Scrub along the grain of the griddle with your grill brush or sponge until it’s clean again. You may have to repeat this process multiple times to get a fully clean griddle.
How to clean a flat top grill that has rust
Rust is a natural part of the aging process for any metal surface, including your flat top grill. It can be unsightly, but there’s no need to panic: rust is easy to remove from your grill and will not affect its functionality.
Before you begin, make sure that you have all of these supplies handy: a wire brush, a scrubbing pad; white vinegar; a towel; and steel wool (optional).
- Take apart your grill and clean it with soap and water. Then dry it thoroughly using paper towels or a dry cloth.
- Next, pour some white vinegar onto the wire brush and scrub away any rust spots you see until they are gone. After cleaning with vinegar, rinse off the grill with water again to ensure no residue remains behind.
- Finally, if any rust remains after trying this method, consider using steel wool or another fine abrasive material like sandpaper instead of just plain wire brush alone.
How to keep an outdoor griddle from rusting
Rust can be a big problem for grills, so you need to take care of your grill so that rust doesn’t get a chance to form. You can keep your outdoor grill from rusting by following some simple steps.
- The first step is to clean it regularly. When you use it, ensure to clean it immediately after use and then again after each use. You can use soap and water or baking soda mixed with water to clean the grill.
- Next, coat the griddle with oil. You can use vegetable oil or olive oil, but be sure not to over-saturate it, or you’ll end up with sticky residue on your grill that won’t come off easily.
- Afterward, store your grill where there’s plenty of air circulation, such as outside in a shed or garage. This will help reduce moisture build-up and prevent rust from forming on the surface of your griddle.
- Avoid storing your grill outside during the winter months; this will help prevent any moisture from accumulating inside cracks or crevices that might turn into rust spots over time. Or Use a water-proof cover for your grill. This will keep rain and snow off of the grill and prevent rust.
- If possible, store your griddle in a dry place, for example, under an overhang if you have one outside your house or garage, to keep moisture off of it so it doesn’t rust as quickly when exposed to the elements (rain).
How do you clean a built-in griddle?
The best way to clean a built-in grill is to use warm, soapy water and a sponge or soft cloth. If there are stuck-on bits of food, you can use a little bit of baking soda mixed with the soap and water to help loosen the grime.
Use non-abrasive cleaners such as vinegar or lemon juice if there are hard water stains that won’t come off with soap and water. When using these cleaners, it is important to rinse them off thoroughly because they are acidic and could cause damage if left on for too long.
It’s also important to remember that these methods should be used with caution when cleaning the griddle itself because they may scratch the surface.
- Turn the oven off and let it cool down for a few minutes before removing the grill from the oven.
- Remove all food particles, grease, and oil with paper towels or a sponge.
- Wash the grill with warm soapy water and then rinse it with clean water to remove any soap residue.
- Dry the cleaned griddle with a clean towel or paper towels before returning it to the oven.
Griddle cleaning kit
This griddle cleaning kit is essential to keeping your flat top looking its best. By using the scraper and brass bristled brush, grease, and fat will be removed with ease.
The quality and care with which you prepare your food will be enhanced by the quality and care you take while cleaning your griddle. We recommend utilizing this cleaning kit any time there is excess food residue left on the griddle.
The kit includes:
- 2 stainless steel spatulas
- 2 cleaning bricks
- 1 flipper tong
- 2 BPA-free 8oz squeeze bottles
- 2 stainless steel scrapers
- 1 griddle recipe book.
- 2 scour pads with handles
- 2 egg rings
Cleaning Flat Top Grill with Vinegar
Cleaning a flat-top grill with vinegar is a simple and inexpensive way to keep your grill in great condition. Vinegar is acidic, which means it can help neutralize any grease or food residue left on the surface of your grill.
It also cuts through grease and grime better than soap and water, so you’ll need less elbow grease to get your grill looking new.
All you need to clean your grill with vinegar are:
- A sponge or cloth
- A spray bottle of vinegar (you can get this at most grocery stores)
- Water
- A little bit of dish soap (optional)
The first step in cleaning your flat top grill with vinegar is to remove any food from the grill.
Next, turn on the gas or electric burners on medium heat. Once the burner has heated up, place a few tablespoons of vinegar onto a clean rag and wipe down all grill grate surfaces until they are clean.
After you have wiped down the grate surfaces with vinegar, turn off the burner and let it cool down for about 10 minutes before wiping down again with a dry rag to remove any excess moisture left behind.
Or mix white vinegar and water, about 50/50, in a bowl or spray bottle. Use a clean rag or sponge to apply the solution to your grill, scrubbing away any grease or debris built up over time. Once the surface is clean, let it sit for five minutes before drying it off with another clean rag or paper towel.
How to Clean a Griddle with Baking Soda
Cleaning your griddle can be tedious, especially if you have a large surface area to cover. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to clean your grill without using expensive cleaning products. One of the most effective ways to clean a grill is with baking soda.
Step 1: Mix Water and Baking Soda
First, mix two cups of water with one cup of baking soda in a large bowl until it makes a thick paste. This will be your cleaning solution for the entire griddle surface.
Step 2: Apply the Solution and Scrub
Apply the mixture onto your grill with a sponge or scrubber, then scrub the mixture into the griddle surface using circular motions. This helps loosen any stuck-on food particles so they can be wiped away easier later on in this process.
Step 3: Let It Sit for 30 Minutes before Wiping Away Food Stains
After applying this solution onto your griddle surface, let it sit for 30 minutes before wiping away any food stains that may still be present on it afterward (which should now be much easier since this first step has loosened up these stains).
step 4: Rinse
Rinse off any remaining residue using warm water and dry completely before putting it away for storage.
How to clean flat top grill with lemon juice
If you’re looking for a simple way to clean your flat-top grill, try this method:
1. Put the lemon juice in a spray bottle and fill it with water.
2. Spray the grill with the mixture, then wipe it down with a paper towel.
3. Let it sit for five minutes or more, then wipe it down again with a dry paper towel.
Conclusion
Knowing how to clean your outdoor gourmet griddle will keep your grill in good shape and keep germs ad bacteria away. It is always good to clean your grill grates after every use.
After having the outdoor grill clean and dry, add in a good quality cooking oil. Use an old rag or paper towel to spread the cooking oil over the entire surface of the unit.
The amount of work required will depend on how much build-up and grease is on your unit. If you haven’t used it in a while, this may be the time to clean it thoroughly, inspect it and replace parts that may need attention before future use.
