Winterize Your Outdoor Grill For Storage
Winterizing Your Outdoor Grill For Winter Storage
Living in the Southeast, we grill all year long. But in the northern climates, fall and winter signal the end of the grilling season as the days are shorter and the nights are a small more than crisp. But that doesn’t mean just walk away and let it sit through the winter. Whether it’s charcoal or gas, preparing your grill for winter storage will make it last longer and save you distress in the spring.
While some maintenance and cleaning is specific to the type of outdoor grill you own (gas, electric, charcoal or smoke barbecue grill), the majority of maintenance that should be carried on does not change from grill to grill. But, always refer to the instructions contained in the grill’s manual for more detailed instructions on how to clean your particular grill.
Items You’ll need for Proper Grill Winterizing
You will need some common household items on hand when it comes time to winterize your outdoor barbeque grill.
Hardwood Handle Grill Brush Steel wool pads, preferably that contains soap already. Bucket of mild dish soap and Hot Water Ammonia or oven cleaner Ancient sponge or dishcloth Non Aerosol Spritzer (for oil)or PAM Vegetable Oil Dry baking soda Aluminum foil Small paint scraper Heavy Duty plastic garbage bags Winterizing Instructions Step 1- Clean the Racks
Using the wire brush, scrub off any loose debris from the racks before removing them from the grill.
Step 2- Soak The Racks
Remove the racks from the grill. With the bucket of hot water and ammonia, (ammonia is fantastic for removing grease) start washing the racks, let them soak for awhile if possible. If the racks are really dirty, a clean trick is to spray the racks with ammonia or oven cleaner and place them in a plastic garbage bag, seal it and let soak in the sun for several hours. Then, scrub using the soapy steel wool pads. Be sure to completely rinse off all soap and residue before cooking on these racks again. Wipe or spray the grates with Vegetable Oil.
Step 3 – (Charcoal Grills Only) Clean Out Ash Pan
Empty out the ash pan under the coal grate. Scrub with hot water and dish soap, set aside to dry.
Step 4 – Clean out Drip pans
Remove and empty out all catch/drip pans. These small gems get full of grease and cause a real mess when they start to overflow from neglect. Dogs also like to drink this stuff. So it is a excellent thought to keep them clean. If it’s disposable, toss it out and replace. Otherwise, scrub it down with the hot water and dish soap.
Step 5 – Clean out the inside
Using the paint scraper, scrape out any debris and accumulated grease from inside the grill body. Wipe down the interior with th hot water and dish soap. Rinse and allow to dry. Use the steel wool pads on areas that are not sensitive to scratching (avoid using on stainless steel). If you have a gas grill, remove the burner shields and clean the same way you cleaned the racks. Use care around the burners and igniter, not to cause any hurt or clog the burners.
Step 6- Thoroughly clean the outside
Using the hot water and dish soap, wipe down all exterior surfaces and thoroughly dry. Be sure not to leave any soap residue that can be subjected to the high heat of your grill, causing discoloration. Use the steel wool pads on areas that are not sensitive to scratching (avoid using on stainless steel). Once you have removed any extra debris and buildup, lightly scrubbing your barbeque grill with baking soda will give it that extra shine, baking soda is a very nice cleaning and polishing agent. Aluminum foil can also be used to keep your grill looking nice. Gently rub the aluminum foil on your grill, and you will notice that it removes grime and buildup. This is a cheap and inexpensive way to clean your grill.
Step 7- Reassemble
Replace the ash pan, catch pans, burner shields and racks. If you have a propane tank on your gas grill, completely turn off the valve and remove the propane tank. A word of caution: Never store an LP tank indoors, in case there is ever a leak.
Step 8- Cover & Store
If possible, store your grill out of the elements, in a shed, garage or even the basement. This will at least keep any moisture out of it. Be sure to cover your grill. Without a doubt, a grill cover has to be the single most effective way to take care of your grill. If you don’t do anything else, buy a excellent quality, heat resistant grill cover to protect your investment.
A special note about caring for stainless steel
When it comes to cleaning stainless steel grills, remember that this material will scratch easily. So, never use steel wool or metal brushes to clean stainless. You also need to avoid using abrasive cleaning agents, such as cleanser. Clean your grill with a soft cloth and a excellent quality non-abrasive cleaner. I have found GrillPro Stainless steel cleaner works well, removes grease and is designed for high heat. Other stainless steel polishes can discolor under intense heat and make your grill look worse, not better. Anything that leaves behind a film or end will be subjected to the heat of your grill, including soap residue that is not washed off.
Anthony Robert is a contributing editor to How To Winterize Your Outdoor Grill in the GrillingGuide.net Online Articles Directory. He has written and published numerous how to grill articles for the beginner,casual and expert griller.
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