When you finish grilling on the Fourth of July, there’s one important step you need to follow: clean your grill!
You might think the fire and heat are enough to sterilize the grill, but anything that’s stuck to your grill’s grates may end up in your food.
That’s why when you’re finished your grill needs a good brushing, but it requires a different approach depending on what type of grill you have.
If you have a charcoal grill, start by scraping the grates with a grill brush that has a solid flat edge. Avoid steel, wire brushes. Consumer Reports warns the bristles may break off and could end up in your meat.
A safer alternative is to wipe the grates with a ball of tin foil.
While cleaning, you should also look for rust or other damage. If you find rust, cracks or holes, that part needs to be replaced.
You also need to clean the inside of the grill bowl. Scrape out any old ashes before dumping in new coals.
If you have a gas grill, there are a few extra steps.
Check all of the gas lines for leaks or cracks. If you find any damage, do not light the grill. It’s a fire hazard.
And if your grill has a box for wood chips or a grease tray, clean those out too.
The best way to protect your grill is to clean it after every use.
Wait until it cools down, then dump the ashes, clean the grates and wipe down the outside of the grill. You can either use an actual grill cleaning solution or warm, soapy water. Just be sure to dry it off because excess water could lead to rust.