Cleaning a Gas Grill

Gas barbecues are extremely useful cooking implements, and are particularly popular during the summer months. However, just because something is popular doesn't mean that most people know how to take care of that item like they should. One of the best, and easiest, methods for taking care of a gas grill is by cleaning it properly. Cleaning a gas grill is actually fairly easy, though you can be pretty sure that you will be getting more than a little dirty yourself depending on how long it has been since the last time you did any cleaning.

1. Get the right tools. Cleaning a gas grill requires that you use certain tools. Most of these tools you should already possess, but others you may need to purchase from your local department store, home improvement store, or even grocery store. The tools that you need are a grill brush (typically one of those that have metallic bristles on one side, and scouring pad on the other), a few green scrubbie pads, some rubber gloves (to keep the dirt and grime off your hands), a good degreasing dish soap, hot water, and a bucket. For particularly difficult or dirty grills you may want to purchase some oven cleaner and a few large trash bags.
2. Start with the grates. Remove the grates from the grill, and get started on cleaning them with the grill brush. This should remove most of the nasty junk from the grates, but won't get them perfectly clean. While you could the cleaning in the house, considering how nasty most gas grills can be you may want to do this outside. Fill up a large bucket with some hot, soapy water, and then dunk the grates into the bucket. Remove one, and begin scrubbing away at the grates. Simply wash and scrub them like you would most dishes or cooking implements. In the event that you cannot get it as clean as you would like, spray the grates with some oven cleaner and set them into a trash bag for 24 hours. Remove them after that time has elapsed and wash them as you normally would. They should be perfectly clean now.
3. Work on the heat shields. Most gas grills have some kind of a heat shield that covers the burners, and as such helps protect them from most of the dirt and grime that can get into a grill through normal wear and tear. Remove these heat shields and then wash and clean them as you did with the grates. Keep in mind that you may want to change the water before you begin working on the heat shields. If you run into stains that you can't really remove that easily then you can use the same methods with the heat shields that you did with the grates.
4. Clean the cover and bottom. Once you have either finished cleaning the grates and shields, or set them aside for the day to soak in the oven cleaner, you can begin cleaning the rest of the grill. Typically all you will need to do is wash down the inside of the cover with some warm soapy water and a green scrubbie, as well as the bottom. You may need to use a bit of elbow grease to really cut through anything that is caked on, but you shouldn't have too much trouble. If you can't get it as clean as you would like by simply washing it, then spray some oven cleaner on the interior of the grill, allow it to sit overnight, and then wash out the interior the next day.
5. Put it all together. After you have finished cleaning, all you need to do is simply put it all together. Once you have replaced the heat shields and the grates, your gas grill is now ready to be used again.

Before you begin cleaning a gas grill, there is one thing that you need to remember. Cleaning a grill regularly isn't just about allowing it to look nice, and keeping it in good working order for as long as possible. There is another reason that you need to consider, and that is the health of everyone that will end up eating any food that is cooked on it. By keeping your gas grill as clean as possible you will be removing one potential hazard that you really don't need to face.