Can I use my BBQ after spraying it with a fire extinguisher?

October 15, 2005 4:38 PM

Can I use my barbeque after spraying the inside with a fire extinguisher? Or are the chemicals involved too toxic? If I can use it again, how do I clean the barbeque?

Contents of the extinguisher are listed as: monoammonium phosphate, mica, ammonium sulfate, and talc. On a related note, what do you have nearby for barbeque emergencies? From now on I'll have a large box of baking soda.

posted by dvadr to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

1) set bbq grill on ground (in gutter, on driveway, whatever)

2) rinse with water until clean.

When my car's engine caught fire in a parking lot, the local F.D. just rinsed all the residue down the gutters/storm drains, so if it's good enough for them it ought to be good enough for you.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:04 PM on October 15, 2005

what do you have nearby for barbeque emergencies?

I located my barbeque away from the house, on brick pavers. Because of the location, I can safely ignore it if it goes up.

In the kitchen, we have a "Kitchen" fire extinguisher, which is rated for class A, B, C and K fires. If you're really concerned about barbeque-based conflagrations, one of these would be fantastically reassuring overkill.
posted by I Love Tacos at 5:34 PM on October 15, 2005

fire extinguisher toxicity

From the second result, "Toxicity

Toxicity Data

* No toxic effects are known."
posted by 517 at 6:44 PM on October 15, 2005

You might consider running it for a while with no food on it, in case any residues are left that will (non-toxically) affect the flavor of your next burgers.

For future emergencies - I admit I don't barbecue much, and am pretty clueless about their anatomy, but couldn't you just cut the oxygen off from the fire by closing the lid?
posted by whatzit at 6:51 PM on October 15, 2005

Basically, both of the main ingredients are fertilizer, the mica and talc are there to keep them from clumping. I wouldn't eat the stuff directly, but if you wash it off the grill, it won't hurt you or anything else. Mr_C_D's perscription is exactly correct.

Next time, use beer to keep the fire under control. ;)

Note -- if you want to use baking soda, just get a BC or BCK rated dry-chemical extinguisher. Look for the magic words "sodium bicarbonate." Avoid Purple-K, not because of harm, but it is messy.
posted by eriko at 7:02 PM on October 15, 2005

Ammonium Sulfate

Ingestion: causes irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It presents little toxicity unless large amounts are ingested, in which case, vomiting and diarrhea are likely.

Hose everything down very well with water and you should be good to go. I'd definitely avoid "burning it off."
posted by PurplePorpoise at 2:38 PM on October 16, 2005

If PurplePorpoise is referring to my earlier comment as "burning it off" - yeah, I meant run the grill *after* it's been hosed. Should have been more specific, I guess. But seriously, you don't want to clean it, grill, and find it's still a little funny because there are non-toxic residues.
posted by whatzit at 3:00 PM on October 16, 2005

Solubility: Appreciable in water. 41.22 g/100 g water - Hosing it down should be sufficient, but yeah whatzit you have a point that burning off any other non-fire-extinguisher residue can help remove the last vestiges.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 3:06 PM on October 16, 2005

Thank you all. I'm so very happy that A) I didn't burn my house down, B) can still use my bbq, and C) learned a lesson. Tomorrow I am going to hose it down, scrub it clean, and then let it run for a bit to burn off what may be left.

whatzit - The lid was closed and the flames were shooting out from under it. Not fun. Spraying into the bbq with the fire extinguisher did slow it down, but not put it out. I will be getting a K rated (kitchen) fire extinguisher to put out by the bbq.
posted by dvadr at 5:39 PM on October 16, 2005