It’s no surprise that Aussies love to BBQ. Everyone knows someone who has claimed they are the “worlds best BBQ cook” followed shortly after by “a little bit of charcoal never hurt anyone”.

With warmer months on the horizon, Helpling, the online cleaning platform, has listed some simple things Aussies can do to take care of their barbeques and ensure they are in prime condition to burn more steaks.

Charcoal barbeques

• Use a stiff wire brush to clean your barbeque. It’s always best if you do this after you cook, not before as the remaining food particles will still be loose and get on your food.
• If your barbeque is iron, brush on some oil with a paper towel and wipe over the surface. This will prevent rusting and allow for your barbeque to age well.
• Make sure you clean the grate of the barbeque. Ensure that all the ash is brushed out and there is no leftover food under the grate. Be sure to do this when the barbeque is off and the plates are cold to avoid injury.
• If you need to touch up the colour, buy a barbeque-safe paint. Regular paints will contaminate your food and can be highly flammable.
• And at least once a year, depending on how often you use it, take time to give it a really good clean with soapy water. This would be ideal just before summer.

Gas barbeques

• Use a sturdy spatula to scrape off all residue right after you cook. The heat will help to easily remove foods and oils.
• Be sure to empty the container that retains the fat and wash with hot soap and water. If this gets blocked, the barbeque filtration will stop working and require a brand new one in order to fully cook your food.
• Once the barbeque is cold, soak the grills in soapy water for a couple of hours and then scrub with a sponge. The dirt will come off easily and make for a nicer flavour the next time you cook.
• Dilute one tablespoon of baking soda and another with vinegar in one litre of warm water and put it on the external parts of the barbeque. This mixture will remove grime and dirt and will leave your barbeque shining.
• Disconnect the gas and lift out the grill parts layer by layer. Once you get to the burners, make sure you inspect them thoroughly. Scrape off any residue and make sure they don’t have anything resting on them.
• Look for any blockages in the gas pipe and make sure this is coming through freely.
• After you remove each piece, wash with warm soap and water. Make sure to rinse off everything and dry before putting back in its place.
• Now that it’s clean, make sure you let the barbeque heat completely, just ensure there’s no soap residue left. Put the lid on to create a little steam, which will reduce soap smells and you’re ready to go!

Saucy tips!

• If the barbeque temperature needs to be increased make sure you add a lit charcoal piece to the existing fire, do not add un-lit charcoal or it will become too smokey.
• Try not to lift the cover and peek unless you are adding lit charcoal or basting the meat. The more you lift, the longer it will take to cook the food.
• If you want to stay chemical free you can clean any barbeque with half an onion.
• Leave a sponge soaked with white vinegar by the barbecue. It prevents smoke from spreading and leaving your house smelling like a cooked steak.
• If your ignition button is touch-and-go and you’re afraid of lighting your hand on fire, try soaking a small section of a piece of bread in alcohol and use this to ignite the flame. It burns well and it’s a more practical and safe way to do it and avoid the risk of losing your eyebrows.
• When preparing your meat for barbecuing, rub the cutting board with lemon and salt to kill germs from previous cooking and wash after.
• Rub the hot grill with half a cut onion (cut side down). This will loosen up baked on grime and basically take it right off the grill. Make sure to heat the grill up first, and then rub it hard with an onion stuck on the end of a fork.

Do you have any BBQ cleaning tips to add? Please comment below.

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