barbecue gas grill guide

Barbecue Gas Grill
Information & Maintenance

Since most barbecue gas grills are stored outside there is a tendency to get dirty even when the grill is not being used. First and foremost - you should have a cover for the grill that is placed over the grill when it is not being used. A cover will prevent rain (or snow in the north winter-lands) from reaching most parts of your charcoal grill. It is very easy to remove the grill cover when you are going to use the barbecue gas grill. Do not attempt to put the cover back on when the grill is hot Let the grill cool first. For more information on a barbecue grill cover, click here.

There are certain parts of your grill that need to be cleaned after each use. There are other parts which need to be cleaned on an as needed basis depending mostly upon usage. And if you are in a geographic area where the barbecue gas grill is put away for the winter, you will need the clean the grill before it is stored for the winter and again before it is used the next spring.

Clean the cooking grates every-time you use the barbecue gas grill. The best time is immediately after you have removed the food from the grates. Turn the grill burners to the highest heat setting and close the hood. After about 15 minutes, brush the cooking grates with a brass wire brush and shut off the grill. Brushing the grates will clean off any residue and make them ready for your next usage.

You should also wipe clean all exposed areas of the grill(working surfaces, shelves, hood, every-time before you replace the cover.

On an as needed basis or at least each season, change the grease pan liner and/or sand. Do not refill if you are storing the barbecue gas grill and will not use for a few months. Refill when the grill is brought out of storage.

Periodically, clean the warming racks using a fine steel wool pad with warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly as you do not want any soap to remain on the warming racks. Also remove any stains from the grill cover/hood using the fine steel wool pad with the warm soapy water. Again, rinse thoroughly.

Remove the cooking grates every 5 - 10 uses and depending upon the brand grill, brush the steel diffuser heat bars above the burners. If your barbecue gas grill has lava stone or ceramic briquettes, move and shake the stones or briquettes to remove any pockets of grease accumulation. The lava stone or ceramic briquettes should be replaced periodically. The lava stones tend to absorb the juices and grease. They will tend to flame more rather than create evenly distributed heat.

If you have a propane tank and you are storing the barbecue gas grill for the season, it is best to empty the tank before storing for safety reasons. The best way to empty the tank is to ignite the burners and burn off the gas. Do not disconnect the propane tank until the tank is empty and the flames are out on the grill.

There is no need to clean the burners. However, every few years the burners should be replaced.

By applying the maintenance cleaning tasks listed above regularly on your gas grill, your gas grill will perform better and last a long time. For more information on gas grills, click here.