Cleaning cast iron grill grates is not an easy task. When you are done cooking, the grease and residue that has been left on your grill will have congealed into a crusty mess. This can be very difficult to remove without the right tools. If you don’t clean it, it will rust and eventually flake off into your food!
Fortunately, there are various ways for how to clean cast iron grill grates Weber in order to keep your cooking surface looking like new! This article will show you how to easily clean all types of Weber cast-iron grate surfaces with a few simple steps.
Tools Needed To Clean Cast Iron Grates Weber
– Tongs
– Metal Brush
– Rubber Gloves
– Paper towels
6 Steps on How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Weber – Keep Cooking Surface Rust-free & Nonstick!
Step 1. Clean cast iron grill grates with a wire brush.
The best tool for cleaning a cast iron grill grate is a metal brush. A metal brush will remove all the residue that has been left on your cooking surface. You can find a metal brush at any home improvement store for about $5.00.
With the help of long tongs, hold the cleaned grate over hot coals or fire and burn off any remaining bits of residue or loose particles from the grates surface. This should only take a few minutes. Turn your grill grates periodically to ensure even heating. Next take metal brush and scrub away burnt-on residue until there are no more black spots left on the grill grates . You may also use a mild dish soap mixed with water but be careful not to apply a lot of water on a hot grill grate. It may cause the cast iron to crack!
Step 2. Rinse the grate under cold running water and dry it off.
This will remove any remaining residue and soap. When your grill grate is completely dry, make sure to coat it in a thin layer of vegetable oil before placing it back on the grill. This step should be done regularly after every use to prevent rust from building up. Also, rinse your brush clean with hot water and allow it to dry properly before storing it away for future use. Keeping your wire brush clean will ensure that no rust forms on the bristles!
Step 3. Coat the cooking surface of the grate with vegetable oil, using a paper towel to wipe on coating evenly and thoroughly.
The best type of oil to use on cast iron is vegetable oil. You can also use cooking spray, but it does not work quite as well. This will keep your grill grate rust-free and nonstick!
Step 4. Place grate over medium-high heat for 1 minute before placing food on it; this will help prevent rust from forming or reappearing.
Step 5. Store your grill in an upright position to avoid moisture collecting around the bottom of the unit .
Step 6. Let your grill cool completely before storing it away for winter (or any extended period)
How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Weber – Pre-Seasoned & Non-Toxic
If your grill grates have been pre-seasoned, then simply clean away any residue with a wire brush, rinse off with cold water and dry completely. Finally coat it lightly with cooking oil and store it until ready for use! This should be done regularly after every use to maintain nonstick surface. A pre-seasoned grate will not rust because its pores have been filled with oil during manufacturing process. You can find more information on how to season cast iron grill grates here . However if you do not know whether or not your cast iron grill grates have been treated, you can always season them yourself before using.
· Heat up grill or stove burner to medium-high heat for 15 minutes with lid down.
· Using tongs, carefully rub 1 tbsp of vegetable oil on surface of grill with paper towel. Do not use cooking spray as it might leave the food tasting like the spray! Also be careful not to burn yourself when doing this.
· After preheating grill grate, turn off burner and let cool for 5 minutes before removing grates with oven mitts.
How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Weber – Tips On How To Avoid It From Rusting And Corro
1. Soak your cast iron grill grates in warm soapy water.
Soaking the cast iron grate for about 10 minutes before cleaning it can help remove stuck-on residue and burnt food particles. Also soaking them before seasoning makes the seasoning process much easier to do, as this helps open up all of those pores that are clogged up with cooking debris! You can use a mild dish soap or non-abrasive cleaner; make sure not to let it soak for very long because rust may start to form on your cooking surface if you leave it too long.
2. Use metal spatula instead of tongs when turning over meat.
Using tongs will scratch off any rust that has formed on your cooking surface during previous uses which may then end up in your food! Also using metal utensils on cast iron grates is much easier than using wooden or plastic ones.
How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Weber – Extra Tips & Tricks
The most common cause of rusting when it comes to regular grill grates is letting water drip into them when cleaning or leaving it standing after use (when not in storage).
This can also be avoided by simply storing your grill grate properly by laying over the side burners instead of the main burner.
Before putting away, make sure to thoroughly dry it with paper towel or cloth and store inside a box where no moisture could get inside; avoid storing next to other metals which may result in corrosion.
Another important thing to remember about cast iron grates is not to use soap and harsh scrubbers as this will damage the seasoning and make your grill grate more susceptible to rust.
Cleaning iron grill grates using Homemade Rust Removers
Homemade rust removers are very effective in cleaning iron grill grates. Since it is natural, there are no chances of getting toxic food off the grill.
Ingredients that can be used to make homemade rust remover are vinegar, lemon or lime juice, salt, baking soda and water. These ingredients will help you get rid of sticky black residue easily from your iron grilling surface area. Just spray these ingredients on the surface side by side where the residue is present.
Leave it for 5 minutes before scrubbing them using a scouring pad or steel wool which is not too harsh on grates so as not to scratch them up. Also take care that you do not overuse this method every time you clean because if left like that it will result in rusting.
Mix a solution of baking soda and vinegar to make an effective homemade rust cleaner. This is a very cheap, safe and simple way to get rid of the black residue from the grill grates. For this purpose mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda, add more if required for better results.
In case you do not have baking soda then you can use salt or lime juice instead while using salt water will also help but remember that it cannot remove strong sticky residue easily.
Pour this mixture onto a sponge and apply onto the surface which has a lot of black gunk stuck on it leaving some area without cleaning solution where there is no such stain present so as not to damage the cooking surface.
Allow the solution to stay for 5 minutes and then scrub very gently with a scouring pad or brush. Make sure you do not cause any damage by scratching it up so use only soft pressure if necessary.
Rinse off with cold water and dry using a paper towel or cloth. You can wash off with soap and water also but this is optional. Repeat the above procedure again if required as rust removers will need multiple applications to remove heavy black residue from cast iron grill grates.
Remove black gunk stuck on grill grates using Lime Juice
If there are stubborn dark spots present on your cast iron grill grate then pour lime juice over them allowing it to stay for 20-30 minutes after which scrub them nicely with steel wire brush. Once you finish scrubbing, wash with cold water and dry it using a cloth or paper towel.
Prevention of rusting in cast iron grill grates is possible by applying vegetable oil in the beginning before cooking. This will help food not to stick to the surface in long term thus preventing future cleaning hassles. Also make sure that after each use you keep your cast iron grate away from moisture to avoid getting them rusty soon. If required apply some oil again after using which will prevent them from rusting for longer time till next use.
Safety precautions while using rust removers
Some mild rust removers can be used to remove rust from iron grill grates but before using them make sure you take some safety precautions. Always read the instructions written on the label about how to use that particular solution and then clean your cast iron grate with it.
Never add more than 1 cup of vinegar or other such products when making a mix for cleaning cast iron grill grate as extra ingredients containing acid in huge quantities will start eating into the metal which may damage the grill completely.
You must always keep in mind not to overuse water since this is not a fast acting rust remover and will need multiple applications along with drying periods between each spray type application, thus causing dangerous conditions around if water is allowed to stay on cast iron surface for a long time.
Never ever use chemicals which are strong enough to dissolve the metal surface in its spot. These may be effective rust removers but will damage your cast iron grate forever or weaken them with multiple applications so better avoid using such products for cleaning purpose.
After applying any rust remover always rinse it off with cold water and dry up completely before placing your cast iron grill grate back on heat surface or else there is a chance of re-rusting if moisture is present over the grates after using certain harsh cleaning solutions.
Seasoning for preventive maintenance
Seasoning means applying oil often to keep it shiny and prevent rust for longer time. After cleaning your cast iron grill grate with mild rust removers, scrub them properly with steel wool for better results. Wash off with water only if the cleaner cannot be completely removed otherwise you can simply wipe up using a paper towel or dry cloth.
Now apply vegetable oil over the surface by rubbing few drops spread all over the area where black residue is present. This will protect your cast iron grate from re-rusting in coming days while making food easy to cook without sticking onto the surface. You should pre-season before cooking especially after scrubbing hard on grates with chemicals containing acid as this will prevent food from sticking while requiring less oil for cooking.
FAQs
What is the best way to clean cast iron grill grates?
The best way to clean cast iron grill grates is by using a mild rust remover and scrubbing them properly with steel wool for deep cleaning of surface inside crevices which is not possible otherwise. This process will take some time but it’s the most effective way to get rid of all leftover food particles from grate surface.
How can I prevent cast iron grill grates from rusting?
You can easily prevent cast iron grill grate from rusting by applying oil over the surface before putting it back in place after cleaning. Make sure you season your cookware every time before cooking in order to avoid sticking, warping or re-rusting when left unused for long time.
How do you make cast iron grates look new?
You can make your cast iron grates look new by scrubbing them with mild rust remover along with steel wool. This will remove stuck on food particles, leftover grease and other dirt to bring back the shine of your cookware for better cooking experience just like when you bought it.
What are the benefits of cleaning cast iron grill grate?
Cleaning cast iron grate properly is necessary before cooking as this prevents sticking of food items over the surface due to excessive leftovers which may even burn while cooking if not taken care off. Properly cleaned grate reduces oil usage making healthier grilled food for family getting rid of all charred remains after normal use also making them look shiny for longer period.
Should cast iron grill grates be seasoned?
Yes, you should season your cast iron grill grates after cleaning to protect them from rusting for longer time. Pre-seasoning before cooking is the best way to keep food from sticking while requiring less oil also making it easy to clean in near future.
Final words
That’s it! You now know How To Clean Cast Iron Grill Grates Weber using simple household materials such as lime juice, salt and pepper powder etc.
This procedure can be easily applied to clean other cast iron products such as skillets, pans etc which you use often in kitchen or backyard for grilling purposes.
Hope you found this article helpful and don’t hesitate reading more informative posts on home improvement by visiting our site regularly. Cheers!
