3 Easy Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Grill + Delicious Grill Recipes to Get the BBQ Season Started

Grilling season is quickly approaching, and if your grill is still buried in the ashes of last summer's Buffalo wings, steaks, and burgers, now is the time to give it some much-needed attention by including it in your spring cleaning routine. Whether you're using a charcoal or gas grill, our simple clean-up and grill guide is sure to equip you with all the right steps to becoming the ultimate grill-master this season!

Why It’s Important to Clean Your Grill

When you leave the remnants of your last meal on the grates, it will char and burn the next time you fire up the BBQ. Not only will this impact the taste and quality of your barbecue, but the burnt pieces are also harmful for your health. Burning those charred bits at high temperatures produce harmful chemical compounds to form that can potentially increase your risk of cancer. So you definitely don’t want to keep that stuff around!

Steps to Cleaning Your Gas or Charcoal Grill

1. Grill gate removal and cleaning

Grates must be maintained clean because they are in direct contact with food. Remove the cool grates first, then use a brush to remove any large debris. Next you'll want to immerse the grates in hot water and dish soap. Let them soak in a sink or large bucket to make it easier to scrub later. Lastly, clean the grill with a firm grill brush, rinse and dry!

2. Internal cleaning of the grill

Brush the grates' interior to remove any gunk that's gathered at the bottom and around the sides. If you have a charcoal barbecue, you'll want to scrape away any large peeling flakes of carbon/grease from the ash catcher and empty it. To make cleaning easier the next time, wash the drip pan and grease cup in warm soapy water and line with aluminium foil.

3. External cleaning of the grill

Using a sponge or towel soaked in warm soapy water, wipe off the exterior, handles, side trays, and any bottom doors. Thoroughly rinse and dry before firing up the grill.

5 Mouthwatering Grill Recipes to Kickstart the BBQ Season

Now that you've given your grill a total-body-scrubdown, it's time to get grilling! So, pull out all your favourite gear and get ready to be inspired to try out some of these recipe ideas!