How to Clean Grill Grates Without a Wire Brush

Step by step

1. 1

   Start with a hot grill

   Do this right after you take the food off, while the grill is still hot. If you are starting cold, heat it on high for 15 minutes with the lid closed, which is how Weber says to get ready to brush.

2. 2

   Make a loose foil ball

   Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil and crumple it loosely into a ball. Lodge says loosely crumpled, so it still has plenty of folds and edges to scrape with.

3. 3

   Scrub with the ball held in tongs

   Grab the foil ball with long tongs, never your fingers, and rub it back and forth along each bar of the grate. Work from one side of the grill to the other, and turn the ball when one side gets black.

   What it looks like: the foil turns dark and greasy, and burnt crumbs drop down through the grates.

1. 4

   Oil cast iron grates while they are warm

   Skip this step for stainless steel and porcelain-coated grates. For bare cast iron, lightly coat a folded paper towel with cooking oil and rub it over the warm grate, holding the towel with your tongs.

   What it looks like: a thin, even sheen on the bars, with no drips or puddles.

2. 5

   For a deep clean, let the grates cool and lift them out

   When the foil stops making a difference, turn the grill off and let the grates cool all the way. Lift them out and set them in a plastic tub, a large bucket or a utility sink.

3. 6

   Wash stainless steel grates in a washing soda soak

   Put on rubber gloves. Stir 1/2 cup of washing soda into each gallon of warm water, using enough water to cover the grates. Let them soak, then scrub with a stiff nylon brush and rinse well with plain water.

   What it looks like: stuck-on grease goes soft and comes off when you brush.

4. 7

   Wash coated or bare cast iron by hand instead

   Soak porcelain-coated cast iron in hot water to loosen stubborn bits, then scrub gently with a little mild dish soap and a nylon brush or soft pad. Bare cast iron does not soak at all. Wash it with warm soapy water and a stiff brush, then rinse.

   What it looks like: the black or glossy surface shows through again, with no gray film of old grease.

5. 8

   Dry every grate right away

   Wipe each grate completely dry with a soft cloth or paper towels, and do not leave it to air dry. Bare cast iron then gets the thin coat of oil from Step 4 before it goes back on the grill.

   What it looks like: no beads of water in the corners or along the bottoms of the bars.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

Foil and a good wash handle most grills, but a few situations need a different move.

• Thick, crusty buildup that foil barely touches. That is your sign it is time for the deep clean in Steps 5 to 8. Foil is for keeping up, and the soak is for catching up.
• Your grates are aluminum. Skip the washing soda, because its label says not to use it on aluminum. Follow the cleaning steps in your grill’s manual.
• Porcelain-coated grates. Put away any metal scraper. Weber says metal tools can damage the porcelain, so stay with foil, nylon and soft pads.
• You still want to use your wire brush. Then look it over closely before every use and throw away any loose or dangling bristles. Check the grates before food goes on and the food after, which is what the ear, nose and throat doctors’ group advises.

Why it works

Heat does a lot of the work for you. That is why Weber has you heat the grill on high before you brush, and why Lodge runs its foil scrub while the grill is still hot.

A loosely crumpled ball of foil has lots of folds and edges to scrape with. You throw it away when you finish, so there are no wire bristles left to break off into your food.

Arm & Hammer lists washing soda for hardened grease on grills. Cast iron is the exception to soaking, because Lodge says soaking cast iron is a recipe for rust. That is why it gets a quick wash, a full dry and a thin coat of oil instead.

Picture the first warm Saturday of the year. The burgers are ready, the family is hungry, and you lift the lid to find last fall’s dinner still stuck to the grates.