Life hacks for cleaning a barbecue

bbq cleaning tips

There is nothing better than a good ol’ barbecue.  Bring together good friends, good food, and a strong fire, and you have yourself a delicious celebration of the upcoming spring and summer months.  The joy of barbecuing is not only that it is a wonderful experience, but it can also be done anywhere – in your garden, in the park, or even on your balcony!

The only problem with a barbecue is the task of scrubbing the grill.  Burnt fat will often be caked on along with all types of grime from unknown origins – it can take a while to get the barbecue back into a good shape.  Fortunately, we have some top tips on how to make your BBQ sparkle even after you have cooked a whole lamb or pig!

1. Coffee And Grime

The first tip is to brew some coffee, and not the expensive stuff just some cheap no-name brand.  Pour it into the sink and allow the grill (with utensils) to soak in the coffee mixture.  You will probably need several liters for this, but it is worth the work.  After an hour or so, give the barbecue a quick scrub and hose down using hot water – the grime should fall away.

How does this work?  The acid in the coffee is what helps loosen up any caked on grease and residue sticking to the BBQ.

2. Onions For The Win!

Divide an onion into two halves and then stick it with a fork or some prongs onto the hot grill.  Remember, the side placed on the grill should be the moist half of the onion.  If the grill is a typical barbecue and the meat is not too intensive, this should do the job effectively!

3. Aluminum Foil

Are there no onions available?  Then try spraying vinegar on the grill plate.  After doing this and once you can breathe in the area again, use a ball of aluminum foil to remove all dirt from the BBQ.

4. Natural Cleaning

Take one tablespoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of vinegar, and mix this with a liter of hot water; then give the grill a soak in the solution for an hour or two.  After a good soak, the grime and filth should fall off the grill when cleaning as normal.

5. Sterilize The Cutting Board – BONUS TIP

A bonus tip to cleaning a barbecue is to sterilize your cutting board.  According to connectcleaners.com.au you can do this by rubbing lemon and salt on any tainted areas where raw meat is being prepared and there is the chance of bacteria spreading.  It is, however, essential that the salt and lemon is wiped off as you do not want it to ruin any nice marble work surfaces.

6. No More Smoky House Clothing

Are you tired of tainted clothing and drapes after having a barbecue?  Try leaving a sponge soaked in vinegar in these areas to reduce the problem.  This will help combat any invasive smells, such as fat and smoke from the barbecue.  If this does not work, try diluting some vinegar into the water and spray the affected areas.  The vinegar should absorb the smell and assist in removing fat.

7. Removing Rust

Do you have an iron barbecue?  Try giving it a speedy wipe over using olive oil after cleaning it.  This will stop any rust on the BBQ and keep it looking good.

8. Steam It Off

Filling a shallow tin with boiling hot water and sticking it in a lit barbecue will help steam away any dirt.