How To Clean Rusty Grill Grates

How To Clean Rusty Grill Grates? There are a few better things than enjoying grilled food on summer vacations. People love to grill food and enjoy their close one’s company, but as soon as the party ends, you are left with a messy grill and many kitchen items to wash.

But if we compare the most challenging thing to clean, grill grates would take the first place. With time, if the grill grates are not maintained appropriately, they become rusty and unsuitable to grill food on it unless they are rust-free. Grilling on rusty grill grates can be the worst idea one could ever think of because this way, they would be planning to land themselves in the hospital.

So, keeping the grill grates rust-free is essential for any household. But how would you do that? Because taking off the rust from anything is no less than a challenge, and when it’s about something that will be used to cook food, you have to be extra careful in choosing the material used to turn the grill grates rust-free. Here in this article, we have picked some of the best ways that are easy to do and could help you turn the grill grates rust-free in lesser time and effort. So read out his short but informative article.

Why Grill Grates Turn Rusty

Well, there are plenty of reasons for it. The grill grates are usually placed in the backyards open to taking rainwater, so the grill grates turn out to be rusty due to frequent rainwater. Although companies coat a protective layer on the grates to protect them from rust, that layer wears off due to the user over time. Another reason for losing the protective rust-free layer is the wrong cleaning of the grates after grilling the food. People usually rub the grates with hard elements that scratch the protective layer from the grates. Eventually, the grill grates become unprotected and rust after some time. 

Rusty Grill Grates – How To Clean

After leaving your grill out in the rain all winter, you’re wondering how to clean it. There are different methods you can use depending on the materials. The grates on grills are often made from stainless steel or another form of metal. When cleaning their grill grates, most people use a stiff wire brush.

It is effective for removing rust from most grill grates but may damage the finish of stainless steel grates. The following are a few ways to remove stubborn rust from grill grates. It may be wise to start with the mildest option and work your way down the list until all rust has been removed.

Ways To Clean The Grill Grates

Now when you have a rusty grill, the question arises how to clean them. Readout some of the ways explained below:

Use Baking Soda To Clean The Grates 

Baking soda is considered one of the best natural cleaning elements to remove thick substances like grease from the grills. All you have to do is make sure that you remove as much rust from the grates as possible with a brush. To clean the remaining rust, place the grill back on the flame and sprinkle the baking soda on it. The heating will make the baking soda bubble, eliminating its rust. Once all the bubbles are finished, turn off the flame and cool down the grill. Afterwards, use the brush again for rubbing the grills, which will remove the remaining rust. 

Use Vinegar And Salt To Remove Rust 

Another effective natural cleaner is vinegar that is used in various cleaning tasks. So you can also use it to clean the rusty grills. All you have to do is:

1. combine 2/3 of vinegar in 1/3 of salt and mix it properly. 
2. Then pour the liquid into a spray bottle
3. Spray the liquid on the grill grates thoroughly. 
4. Keep the grates covered in a plastic bag overnight.
5. Afterwards, wipe the grapes with a soft cloth, and it will take off all the rust. 

Use a wire brush to clean the grates. 

The fastest way to remove the rust is to rub a wire brush on the grates, apply this method, take out the grates from the Bar B q and place it on a flat surface like a driveway. Then rub the brush on the grates, and the rust will fall off. Make sure to wipe the grates afterwards using a soft wet cloth to ensure it’s completely rust-free and place it back on the BBQ.

Baking Soda

You can remove any rust from your grill grates by brushing them with a soft brush. Place the grate on your grill and sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on it. Turn on your grill and watch the baking soda bubble up and clear the rust. Turn off the grill and leave to cool down. Once again, brush the racks with a soft brush.

Wire Brush Method

The quickest way to remove rust from grill grates is with a wire brush. Place the grill grate flat on your concrete patio or driveway after removing it. Remove the rust using a strong wire brush. Turn it over and brush the rust away from the opposite side. Brush in between each metal rung of the grate while it is on its side. Wipe away any remaining rust with an old cloth.

Sandpaper

Rubbing forcefully with sandpaper each rung of the rusted grill grate will help remove the rust. While this will effectively remove the rust, proceed with caution because it will also damage the grate’s surface.

Conclusion 

There are plenty of ways to clean a rusty grill, but the above mentioned ones are the best. But if you keep the grills clean at all times, they won’t take any rust. Just make sure that you clean the grill grates after every session. Place the grill grates in a dry place so the moisture won’t rust. You can also coat a thin layer of vegetable oil on the grates, which repels water from getting in contact with the grates. Follow these simple precautions, and you won’t need to insert effort in cleaning the rusty grills.