How Can I Clean Gunky Bits off My Stainless Steel BBQ Without Destroying It In the Process

August 20, 2007 4:57 PM

How do I deep clean my stainless steel BBQ grill without causing damage to the surface?

I already use a special stainless steel cleaner and a soft cloth/paper towels to get dirt off and make the grill nice and shiny. However, over time gunky bits of dried up sauce, grease, etc. have attached to the surface of the grill. Getting this off obviously requires more elbow grease than the normally recommend stainless steel cleaning procedure. What can I use on stainless steel that will both get all this disgusting stuff off of the surface without destroying said surface in the process?

posted by The Gooch to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

Any stainless steel piece that can be removed and is 100% stainless steel can be cleaned with oven cleaner with incredible effectiveness.
posted by saeculorum at 5:04 PM on August 20, 2007

Try wetting the grill and then using wadded-up aluminum foil.

Baking soda works well, too.
posted by action man bow-tie at 5:19 PM on August 20, 2007

Use the grill cover. Really.
posted by WaterSprite at 7:24 PM on August 20, 2007

OK, explaining. When you put the cover on at night, condensation will start to clean your grill. Then, you have to scrub it in the sink or bathtub, no getting around this. Also, after you use it, let the stuff burn off. Uncover, and an easy clean. If it's really bad, on with the Easy Off.
posted by WaterSprite at 7:29 PM on August 20, 2007

Don't clean it, at least not the way you're defining "clean"... The "disgusting" stuff adds flavor and makes your grill well-seasoned... Just scrape the chunks off every once in a while with a grill scraper. If you're worried about germs or bacteria, firing up the grill and letting it get nice and hot before putting food on it takes care of that.
posted by amyms at 8:09 PM on August 20, 2007

Response by poster: For clarification (and I apologize for any confusion in the way I worded my question), this question does not refer to the inside cooking grates of the grill. I'm actually talking about cleaning the outside of the grill, the stainless steel exterior.

Here is the model I'm referring to, if that helps. There's quite a bit of gunky build up on either side of the hood.
posted by The Gooch at 8:30 PM on August 20, 2007

For clarification (and I apologize for any confusion in the way I worded my question), this question does not refer to the inside cooking grates of the grill.

Oh, [Emily Littella voice] Nevermind.
posted by amyms at 9:08 PM on August 20, 2007

Oh, I've got one of those. Or rather, its slightly bigger brother. I haven't noticed gunk building up, but maybe I've not been using it enough. I know that Lowes sells some kind of pre-packaged "stainless steel cleaning wipes" in the BBQ accessories aisle, because my girlfriend mocked it. She was all "use oven cleaner, fools!" for all that's worth.
posted by mumkin at 10:09 PM on August 20, 2007

I have had great luck using Barkeepers Friend on my stainless steel sink and cookware; also recommended are Scotch-Brite pads; the two of them together is probably overkill, though.
posted by TedW at 7:40 AM on August 21, 2007