If you have no idea how to clean your barbecue, we invite you to know this guide in which we share the step-by-step to achieve it. In this way, you will be able to have a BBQ always ready for a meeting or celebration that includes an outdoor barbecue.
It is important that you spend time cleaning your barbecue after use and, regardless of this, before using it again. The reason? The accumulation of carbon on the grilles, the hood, and the rest of the parts of this element, also mixes traces of fat and sauces that could evolve into bacteria that affect the food that continues to be cooked there.
On the other hand, the burning of this type of waste has a bad smell, you will have noticed it if at any time you forgot to clean it before starting a new barbecue.
How to clean the barbecue? Follow this guide!
Clean the barbecue following the steps that we are going to give you in this guide. You will notice that it is nothing special, although it requires dedication on your part. Here we go!
1. Gather the necessary elements and products
To clean the barbecue you need good brushes, they are used to remove the remains of stuck food.
When you go to a specialized store, you will find a number of special elements and products to clean your barbecue. However, there are some basic and inevitable ones that you cannot leave out, among them, the long-handled wire brush, the wire brush for bottles, a 20-liter container, and some grease.
You will notice that in this section there are several products of chemical origin, which it is better that you leave aside. If you do not rinse with good water, these can be transferred to food, and are contaminants for the environment. Thus, it is best to opt for more natural or homemade alternatives such as white vinegar and baking soda.
To take care of your hands, get some rubber gloves ready, and also add some scouring pads and cotton cloths to the list.
2. Let the heat be your ally
If your barbecue is gas, light it with the lid closed until it reaches a fairly high temperature. After half an hour, the time during which the fire should burn any remaining food, sauce, or fat, turn it off.
While the fire does its thing, prepare a mixture of liquid soap with hot water in the bucket. After turning off the barbecue, dip the wire brush into the bowl and scrub against the grates to remove any burnt debris.
3. Soak the racks
After the previous step, and only when the racks are very cold, take them and submerge them in a bathtub or large container with hot soapy water. Leave them there for 30 minutes to soften any adhesions you have.
You can do the same with the other parts that can be removed from the BBQ, such as burners, trays and burner tubes. The latter are usually removable, you only need to loosen a screw that they have at the ends.
After half an hour, take a brush and clean each of the pieces. For extremely stubborn dirt, create a paste of vinegar with baking soda and water, which you should apply to any debris that hasn’t gone away after soaking and brushing.
Use a wire bottle brush to clean inside the tubes between the burner ports to unblock them for proper gas flow during BBQ operation.
4. Vacuum the barbecue inside to clean this part as well
After removing the aforementioned parts, the combustion chamber of the barbecue is uncovered, making it easier to clean. In this case, what should be done is to place an empty container under the chamber, just where the trays are located to collect the fat.
Immediately afterward, with the help of a plastic spatula, you will begin to scrape the remains that are attached to the walls of the chamber. Use a vacuum to pick up any accumulated debris, mostly black greasy particles. After this, use soap and water to complete the cleaning, this dirty water will accumulate in the bucket that you have placed below.
5. Don’t forget the exterior of the barbecue
The exterior of the barbecue should also be cleaned, avoiding abrasive sponges.
After putting all the pieces in place, empty the bucket with the dirty water, fill it with clean liquid, and don’t forget to add some dish soap. Use a large, soft kitchen sponge to clean the exterior.
It is important that you do not use an abrasive sponge, especially when the surface is stainless steel. Otherwise, you will have a very clean but scratched BBQ. Finish with microfiber towels to clean and dry. If you’ve noticed grease and grime stains sticking to the surface too much, use white vinegar, which acts as a natural degreaser.
Test your barbecue and dazzle your guests
After finishing cleaning the barbecue and assembling all the pieces, it is time to test it. Connect the gas tank, close the lid, and turn on your BBQ, wait 15 minutes and turn it off. In this way, the water residues and the products that you have used will be burned.
