How to clean a BBQ

Based on a practical BBQ cleaning guide. This walk-through draws on "How to clean your BBQ", which covers both charcoal and gas BBQs and shows the process clearly. Useful before you put it away for winter or bring it out in spring.

1. Clean after it is still slightly warm

Grease and food residue comes off far more easily when the BBQ is still warm rather than cold and hardened. After cooking, once the fire is out and the grill has cooled to a safe temperature, brush the grates down while there is still some warmth in them. A long-handled stiff wire brush works well here.

That said, a proper deep clean - the kind worth doing once or twice a year - is easier with everything cold and the BBQ fully disassembled on a surface you can scrub.

2. Remove and soak the grill grates

Take out the grill grates and put them in a bucket or bin bag with hot water and washing-up liquid, or a dedicated BBQ degreaser. Leave them to soak for at least thirty minutes - longer if the carbonised grease is really built up.

Alternatively, wrap the grates in damp newspaper, put them in a bin bag overnight, and scrub them in the morning. The moisture softens the grease and the newspaper absorbs it as it lifts.

3. Empty and clean the ash pan or firebox

On a charcoal BBQ, scoop out cold ash with a dustpan - never with a hoover unless it is specifically rated for ash, as fine ash can clog or damage a standard vacuum. Tip the ash in the bin (in a sealed bag - ash gets everywhere). Wipe the inside of the kettle and lid with a damp cloth.

On a gas BBQ, remove the flavouriser bars or lava rocks and brush them down. The inside of the hood builds up a dark carbon residue that can look alarming but is mainly carbon, not mould. Scrape and wipe it out.

4. Clean the burners on a gas BBQ

This is the bit most people skip. Gas burner ports clog with grease and debris, which causes uneven heat and yellow flames rather than blue. Turn the gas off at the bottle and disconnect the regulator before touching the burners.

Lift out the burners and use a wire brush to clean across the ports - brushing along the tube rather than across it, which can push debris further in. Check the venturi tubes (the air inlets) are clear. Spiders and insects are genuinely fond of building nests in there over winter, which blocks the air supply completely.

5. Scrub and rinse the grates

After soaking, scrub the grates with the wire brush or a scouring pad. Most of the carbonised grease will come away without too much force after a good soak. Rinse thoroughly - any soap residue left behind will taint the next cook.

Cast iron grates need to be dried immediately and oiled lightly before storage to prevent rust. Stainless or porcelain-coated grates are more forgiving but still worth drying and lightly oiling.

6. Wipe down the outside

The outside of a gas BBQ often has grease splatter around the side tables and control panel. Warm soapy water on a cloth handles most of it. On a stainless steel BBQ, wipe in the direction of the grain to avoid scratching. There are specific stainless steel polishes if you want to bring the shine back, though it is purely cosmetic.

7. Cover or store it properly

A fitted cover makes a significant difference to how long a BBQ lasts outdoors in a UK climate. If you are leaving a gas BBQ outside through winter, disconnect the gas bottle and store it upright in a ventilated space, not in an enclosed shed or garage.

Charcoal BBQs do fine covered outdoors, but keeping them in a shed over winter is better than leaving them in the rain. Even a waterproof cover lets some moisture in, and the vents are rarely fully sealed.

When to call a handyman

Cleaning a BBQ is solidly a DIY job. That said, if your garden is in need of a general tidy-up before or after the summer, Richard can take on the outdoor maintenance jobs that tend to stack up.