Maintain Your Barbeque Grill by Keeping It Clean

A common reason why BBQ grills don't last as long as expected is because many people aren't aware of how to clean their grill properly. In a lot of cases, it's a matter of sheer laziness when you neglect to clean your barbeque grill after your backyard cookout.

Rather than taking a brush to the baked on mess, a lot of people check out the situation and figure that they can leave it to the next day. You might have the best of intentions, but not all of us do a good job of keeping such promises. And the dirty BBQ grill just gets covered up or put away out of sight, along with all the nasty bits of burned food and the greasy interior.

And before you know it, your barbeque gas grill simply isn't working. And the real downside to these circumstances is the ultimate effect on the taste of your next piece of meat if the grill remains dirty.

Buying a new BBQ grill can be a costly purchase, so it's important that you properly maintain the one you have so it lasts as long as possible. It's actually not that difficult to clean the grill after each use. Really, you only need to scrub it down for a couple of minutes, leave it to dry, and then put it back.

Check out these simple ways to keep your barbeque clean and in top working order.

The first thing you have to do is remove those food particles that have burned to a crisp and stuck to the grill during cooking. Wait until the grill has completely cooled down and then scrub the inside with a stiff wire brush, preferably one made for this purpose. The inside of the grill needs to be cleaned carefully. Avoid chemicals and even plain old soap, because the residue will remain and contaminate your nice juicy steak the next time around.

When cleaning the grate, first detach it from the BBQ and then give it a good wash with warm water and mild detergent. Don't use bleaching agents or harsh chemicals to remove any food substances that may be clinging to the grate.

If there are particularly resistant bits of food, try soaking the grate in water for a while, then use a good stiff brush to get rid of the stuck on particles. Use clean water to rinse it off well and get rid of any remaining cleaning agents. Next, let the grate dry naturally, then place it back in the BBQ.

Make a habit of covering up your BBQ grill or putting it in a sheltered location so it doesn't begin to rust.