Grilling season is upon us, but before you take out your tongs and basting brushes, make sure your grill is safe and ready to fire up. Whether it’s gas or charcoal, you can prepare your BBQ for grilling season with these following steps:
Check the hose
If you have a gas grill, check the hose from the propane to the burners — it should always be clean and intact. If it’s not taken care of properly, it could light on fire. If it’s worn out or damaged, it’s better to replace it than attempt to bandage it. One good way to check for hose leaks is similar to a tire; simply rub on a combination of soap and water and watch for bubbles after turning on the propane.
Clean the bowl, grates, and flavorizer bars
Use a sponge, warm water, and soap to clean the lid and bowl of the grill. If you have trouble removing grease or smoke stains, use a cloth and glass cleaner to remove them. If your grill has a stainless-steel table, wipe it down with a microfiber towel and stainless-steel cleaner.
Next, remove the grates and flavorizer bars from your grill and scrub them with warm water, soap, and a sponge. Put them back after they dry.
Wipe down the grease tray
We tend to forget about the grease tray since it sits at the bottom of the grill. If you notice any leftover remnants from last summer, dump them in a trash can. Use a paint scraper to remove any leftover debris.
High-heat cleaning
Once you close the lid of the grill, turn it on high for 20 minutes to burn off leftover debris that the paint scraper couldn’t remove. According to Martha Stewart, it’ll help reduce the number of flare-ups.
Give it a test run
Before you start flipping burgers for the fam, give it a test run! Turn it on and let it burn for about 5 minutes. Check to see that all the burners are working and that the hose isn’t leaking.
It’s already fired up so get those tongs and basting brushes. Happy grilling!