How to Clean a BBQ: The Complete Guide

The BBQ gets all the glory during summer. The cleaning, less so. But a dirty grill is more than just unpleasant – old grease and food residue harbour bacteria, cause flare-ups, and make everything you cook taste faintly of the last thing you cooked. A clean BBQ is a safer, better-performing, longer-lasting BBQ.

The good news is that it’s not as much work as it sounds, especially if you keep on top of it rather than leaving it until the end of the summer. This guide covers everything: how often to clean, the right method for gas and charcoal grills, how to tackle specific parts, and what to do when rust appears.

How Often Should You Clean a BBQ?

Treat your BBQ the same way you’d treat your kitchen hob; give it a basic clean after every use. That means scraping the grates while they’re still warm and wiping down the surfaces before grease has a chance to bake on. It takes a few minutes and saves you hours of scrubbing later.

Beyond that, a more thorough clean – removing and washing all the parts – should happen every few sessions, or at the start and end of summer. The frequency depends on how often you cook:

The Food Standards Agency recommends cleaning BBQs by hand rather than using dishwashers or high-pressure hoses, which can force water into components and cause corrosion.

The Quick BBQ Cleaning Method

For everyday maintenance – the clean you do after most cooks – follow these four steps:

While the grill is still hot, use a long-handled wire brush to scrape away food residue. Don’t touch the metal; let the brush do the work. Our BBQ Toolsets are designed for this. Once the grill has cooled, wash the grates with warm soapy water.

Rinse thoroughly and dry immediately – this is the most important step for preventing rust. Rub a light coat of vegetable oil over the grates using a folded piece of kitchen paper. This protects the surface and maintains the seasoning.

How to Clean a BBQ Before First Use

A new barbecue needs a clean and a season before its first cook. Protective coatings and manufacturing residue on the surfaces aren’t harmful, but they’ll affect the taste of your food if you don’t remove them first.

1. Remove all packaging and any protective film or coating from the BBQ surfaces.
2. Clean the body and all cooking surfaces with warm soapy water. Focus on any areas that will be exposed to direct heat. Buff dry with a cloth.
3. Remove the hot plates or grates and wash separately. Rinse thoroughly – no soap residue – and dry completely.
4. Coat all cooking surfaces with a neutral cooking oil or BBQ spray.
5. Heat the BBQ to a moderate temperature and leave it running for around an hour. Turn it off and let it cool completely.
6. Repeat the heating process for 45 minutes to fully cure the surface.
7. Scrub the cooking surface gently with a brush and warm water, dry thoroughly, apply a fresh coat of oil, and preheat before your first cook.

How to Clean a Gas BBQ

Gas BBQs have more components to deal with than charcoal – grates, heat plates, flame diffusers, burners, drip trays, and the body itself. The key is to work through them methodically, and always disconnect the gas first.

Step by step

1. Disconnect the propane tank. This is non-negotiable; don’t start cleaning until the gas is off and disconnected.
2. Wearing work gloves, remove the grates, heat plates, flame diffusers, and any warming racks.
3. Scrub both sides of the grates to remove fat and food residue. The underside catches as much grease as the cooking surface.
4. Place all removable parts in a bucket of warm soapy water and clean each piece with a sponge.
5. Clean the main body of the BBQ with hot soapy water and a soft scourer. You won’t need to do this every time – a quick wipe with a cloth handles most sessions.
6. Leave all parts to dry completely before reassembling.
7. Spray both sides of the grates with cooking oil to protect against rust, then line the drip tray with foil and add a fat absorber before sliding it back into place.
8. Reassemble the BBQ, reconnect the gas, season the plates, and run the BBQ for 15–20 minutes to burn off any residue before cooking.

How to Clean a Charcoal BBQ

Charcoal BBQs accumulate ash and carbon quickly, and both cause problems if left to build up. Ash blocks the vents, which makes temperature control difficult. Carbon deposits add a bitter flavour to food. Clean the grates after every cook; give the whole BBQ a deep clean at least once a season, or more often if you use it regularly.

Step by step

1. Take the BBQ outside – cleaning a charcoal grill is messy. Remove the grill grate and set it aside.
2. Clean the grate with a long-handled wire brush to remove food residue and carbon deposits.
3. Once clean, wipe the grate with a cloth dipped in vegetable oil. This prevents food sticking and protects against rust.
4. Remove the charcoal grate and dispose of the ash. Ash blocks the vents and affects airflow, so don’t skip this step.
5. Clean the inside of the cook box and lid with a brush and mild soap. Those dark flakes on the inside of the lid aren’t peeling paint; they’re carbonised grease and smoke deposits. A hard wire brush deals with them.
6. Scrunch aluminium foil into a ball and use it to scrub the charcoal grate clean. It’s abrasive enough to lift residue without scratching the surface.
7. Return the charcoal grate and add fresh charcoal ready for the next cook.
8. Clean the outside of the cook box and lid with soapy water. For stubborn grease, use a grill cleaning spray.
9. Dry thoroughly with a towel and fit a cover. A waterproof BBQ cover protects against rust and extends the life of the grill significantly. Our BBQ covers come in sizes to fit any BBQ.

How to Clean Specific BBQ Parts

The overall clean handles most of the work. But some parts need their own approach. Here’s how to tackle each one.

How to Clean BBQ Heat Plates

The overall clean handles most of the work. But some parts need their own approach. Here’s how to tackle each one.

Heat plates sit above the burners in a gas BBQ. They deflect dripping grease away from the flame (reducing flare-ups) and distribute heat more evenly. But they accumulate baked-on fat, which can contaminate food and cause problems if left.

1. Turn on the BBQ and leave it running for a few minutes. The heat loosens stuck residue.
2. Turn off the BBQ and scrape away the loosened residue with a spatula.
3. Once cool, pour a small amount of cooking oil on the plate and spread it evenly with a brush. Wipe dry with a cloth.

For greasier plates, use this method:

1. Set the BBQ to a high temperature. Once hot, scrape the surface with a spatula.
2. Turn the BBQ off. While still warm, sprinkle salt over the plate to absorb excess grease.
3. Once cool, wipe the surface with kitchen paper.

How to Clean a Rusty BBQ

Surface rust on a BBQ grate or plate is common, especially at the end of a wet summer or after sitting unused over winter. But don’t worry, it looks worse than it is. You can restore a rusty grill surface without harsh chemicals, which matters because you’ll be cooking on it.

1. Turn the BBQ to a high heat and leave for 15–20 minutes. This loosens rust and burns off surface debris. Turn it off and allow it to cool.
2. Scrape away loosened rust and residue with a metal scraper or spatula. Wipe the surface with paper towels. Do this when the surface is completely dry – moisture is what causes rust.
3. For heavier rust, heat the BBQ again and apply baking soda directly to the affected areas. It will bubble and react with the rust. Once the reaction stops, turn the BBQ off.
4. Pour cooking oil onto the surface and work the rustiest spots with a grill stone in circular motions.
5. Add more oil and wipe with thick paper towels until the rust is gone. Repeat as needed. Once the surface is clean, season the BBQ before cooking.

• For a deeper dive on rust removal, see our full guide: How to clean a rusty BBQ → 

How to Clean a BBQ Drip Tray

The drip tray is one of the most overlooked parts of a BBQ, and one of the most important to maintain. Grease that builds up in the tray is a fire hazard, so be sure to clean it every three to four uses to keep the job manageable.

1. Line the tray with aluminium foil before each use. It catches most of the fat and means you’re mostly replacing foil rather than scrubbing the tray.
2. Add enough sand to cover the bottom of the tray. It absorbs grease while the foil protects the tray itself.
3. After cooking, remove and dispose of the sand and foil.
4. Wash the tray with warm soapy water, dry thoroughly, and refit with fresh foil and sand.

How to Clean the BBQ Body

The body of the BBQ is the easy part. For routine maintenance, a damp cloth followed by a dry one is enough. If the exterior is particularly dirty – fingerprints, grease splatter, general grime – wash it with warm water and a small amount of mild dish soap, scrubbing with a sponge where needed. Dry thoroughly. Avoid abrasive scourers on stainless steel; they cause fine scratches that trap grease over time.

How to Clean BBQ Burners

Blocked burner ports produce uneven heat and, in some cases, prevent the BBQ from lighting reliably. Clean the burners when you notice performance dropping, or as part of your annual deep clean.

1. Turn off the gas supply and disconnect the tank before doing anything else.
2. Remove all parts blocking access to the burners – grates, heat plates, trays. Keep the instruction manual to hand; you’ll need to refit them correctly.
3. Use a hardwire brush to remove food debris and dirt from the burner tubes.
4. Use a drill bit or toothpick to clear any clogged ports. Check each port is clear by sight.
5. If your BBQ has infrared ceramic burners, set the heat to full power after reassembly and let it run for a few minutes to burn off any remaining residue.

Learn how to light a BBQ in our step-by-step guide. 

BBQ Cleaning – FAQs

How do I clean a BBQ grill that is heavily burnt?

Heat is your starting point. Turn the BBQ to a high temperature and let it run for 15–20 minutes – this carbonises stubborn residue and makes it much easier to scrape off. Once it’s cooled slightly (hot, but not dangerously so), use a stiff wire brush to work through the grates. For anything remaining, a grill stone with a little cooking oil will deal with most burnt-on residue. Finish by washing the grates with warm soapy water and oiling them once dry.

Can I use a dishwasher to clean BBQ grates?

Most BBQ grates – particularly cast iron and porcelain-coated ones – should not go in the dishwasher. The high temperature, prolonged moisture, and harsh detergents strip the seasoning from cast iron and can damage coatings. Stainless steel grates are more tolerant, but hand washing is still the better long-term approach. The Food Standards Agency recommends hand cleaning for BBQ equipment.

How do I stop BBQ grates from rusting?

Two things prevent rust: drying and oiling. Dry the grates immediately after washing, never leave them wet. Once dry, apply a thin coat of vegetable oil with a paper towel. The oil creates a barrier against moisture. Fitting a waterproof cover when the BBQ isn’t in use makes a significant difference, particularly over winter. If rust does appear, it’s almost always surface-level and removable – see the rust cleaning section above.

What is the best thing to clean a BBQ with?

For everyday cleaning: a long-handled wire brush for the grates while hot, and warm soapy water with a sponge once cool. For stuck-on grease: a grill stone with a small amount of cooking oil is very effective. For rust: baking soda and a metal scraper. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners on cooking surfaces – they’re unnecessary and the residue can taint food. A quality BBQ toolset and a consistent routine deal with most cleaning jobs.

How do I clean a BBQ grate without a wire brush?

A ball of scrunched aluminium foil works well as an alternative to a wire brush because it’s abrasive enough to lift residue but less likely to shed bristles. A grill stone is another option. Some people use half an onion cut-side down on a hot grate, which loosens debris naturally. For a thorough clean without a brush, soaking the grates in hot soapy water for 30 minutes before scrubbing is the most effective approach.

Can I clean a BBQ with baking soda?

Yes, and it’s particularly effective for rust removal and baked-on grease. Apply baking soda directly to the affected area on a heated surface and it reacts with the rust or grease, making it easier to scrape away. It’s food-safe, cheap, and doesn’t leave any harmful residue. Rinse and dry thoroughly after use, then oil the surface before cooking.

How long after cleaning can I use my BBQ?

Once all components are completely dry and reassembled, the BBQ is ready to use after a brief preheat. Running it at medium heat for 10–15 minutes before cooking burns off any remaining soap residue and heats the grates evenly. If you’ve re-seasoned the cooking surfaces, allow them to cool fully after seasoning before the next cook.

Keep Your BBQ Pristine All Summer

A BBQ that’s cleaned regularly lasts longer, cooks better, and is genuinely safer to use. The basics – scraping the grates while warm, drying thoroughly, applying a thin coat of oil – take minutes and make a real difference. The deeper cleans are straightforward once you know the method. Everything you need is in this guide. Now go and fire it up.