You probably use a grill brush to clean your grill after each use, which means your grill brush is covered in food gunk and grime.
In this TheGrillingDad.com article, you will discover:
- How to clean your grill brush properly
- Why it’s crucial to keep it clean
- And much more!
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How to Clean a Grill Brush
Cleaning a grill brush is many times one of the last things that you may think of when you are cooking outdoors. You may put a lot of pride in ensuring that your grill stays clean and well maintained, however, have you ever thought about the tools that you use to clean them with?
You should clean your grill brush after every use either by soaking it, boiling it, or washing it in the dishwasher if your brand of grill brush allows it. Grill brushes also don’t last for forever, so you’ll need to replace yours occasionally.
Cleaning your grill brush after each use can be a daunting task and one that is more undesirable than cleaning the grill itself. By adopting a routine to keep your grill brush clean after each use, you are not only protecting yourself from food poisoning but also maintaining the flavor profile of your favorite foods.
Related >> How To Clean a Pellet Grill
Why is it Important to Clean Your Grill Brush?
Keeping your grill brush clean is just as important as ensuring that your grill is clean after each use. While keeping your grill clean and maintained makes sense since it is a more expensive product, why should you spend the time to keep your grill brush clean?
Cleaning your grill brush after every use and even doing a deep cleaning regularly will keep you from spreading the remnants of your last grilling session around. More importantly, many other reasons make it important to keep your grill brush clean.
Wondering why you should keep your grill brush clean? Keep reading to find out.
Flavor Profile
One of the reasons you will want to keep your grill brush clean is because using a brush that has remnants of your last session can change the flavor of your foods. Just think, you are scraping the grill with the same brush you used last time which leaves some particles behind.
Because of this, you are inadvertently transferring those remnants to your new grilling session which can cause a flavor profile change in whatever you are cooking. Not to mention that if your grill brush has old grease on it, you are just spreading that around which can wreak havoc on whatever you are currently cooking.
Prevent Food Poisoning
Just as you would when you are preventing bacteria from contaminating your food, you should also keep your brush clean to keep it from spreading germs. Dirty grill brushes that are left out for any amount of time can attract various harmful bacteria.
When you do not clean your grill brush regularly and then use it on your grill, you can spread these bacteria to your current food. This means that you are more susceptible to getting a food-borne illness that is caused by these bacteria.
Keep the Grill Brush From Rusting
Another reason you should keep your grill brush clean is to prevent moisture from staying on the bristles. Since most grill brushes are made from bristles that are a type of stainless steel, they are prone to rust when exposed to moisture for long periods.
If you do not clean your grill brush regularly, over time the brush will rust and then you will have no choice but to throw it out.
Related >> How To Clean a Charcoal Grill
When Should You Clean Your Grill Brush?
When you are preparing for a grilling session, you most likely take the time to ensure that everything is clean and sanitized. This includes making sure that your food has been taken care of properly and that your grill is ready to go before and after.
As you are taking the time to clean your grill at the end of each grilling session, you should also take the time to clean your grill brush. If you make it a part of your routine, then your brush will always be clean and ready to go.
Related >> How Often Should You Replace Your Grill Brush?
How to Clean Your Grill Brush (4 Easy Methods)
While cleaning your grill brush is not an extremely difficult task, it can be tedious if you are not sure how to do it. Following specific instructions can help you get through the job of cleaning your grill brush in no time.
If you want to know the specific things you should do to clean your grill brush, read on.
1. Soak the Grill Brush
After you use your grill brush, it is important to take the time to clean it properly so it will be ready for next time. Cleaning your brush is much easier when you do it directly after you use it while everything is still wet.
To clean your brush, start by filling up a bucket with hot water and then adding in some dish soap. You can either drop the brush inside and let it soak for a few minutes, or shake it through the soapy water until it is clean.
In most cases, shaking the brush through soapy water or even soaking it is enough to clean the brush thoroughly. However, there are times when the brush is extra dirty and you will need to do more to clean it.
2. Use Another Brush
If you find that your grill brush has more grime and remnants left over after soaking it in soapy water, you may need to try something different. Having another brush handy may be helpful to ensure that the brush is clean.
Use the other brush to scrape any leftover residue from the bristles by moving it back and forth until it is clear. Doing this will give your grill brush a deep cleaning which is needed after it has been used for some time.
3. Put it in Boiling Water
In some cases, the residue left in your grill brush can be difficult to clean even using the above-mentioned methods. If this is the case, you will need to take further action to ensure that your grill brush is clean.
One way you can do this is by boiling a pot of water on your stove and dropping the brush in it for a few minutes. You will likely want to use a pot that you do not use typically for other things to keep things separate.
If you buy a grill brush like the grill rescue brush, these grill heads are dishwasher safe–making them an absolute breeze to clean!
4. Apply Oven Cleaner and Heat
If you find that your grill brush is extra dirty, then you can take more extreme measures to try to clean the grill brush. This tip involves using oven cleaner and heat, so you will need to ensure that you are wearing protective gear.
To do this, you will need to first spray the oven cleaner onto your grill brush thoroughly until it is completely soaked. While your grill is still hot but turned off, put your grill brush on the grill and leave it for about 15 minutes with the lid closed.
Keep in mind that using this method can be dangerous so it is important to not only wear protective gear but also make sure you know what your brush is made of. This means that if the handle is made of plastic, you should not use this method.
Alternative: Buy a New Grill Brush
If all else fails then you may find that buying a new grill brush is the best way to keep you and your family safe from harmful bacteria that can be spread through the dirty one. After you attempt to clean your grill brush using the previous methods and it is still dirty, it may be time to purchase a new one.
We’ve got an entire guide on buying the best grill brush.
Tips to Care for Your Grill Brush
There are certain tips that you should consider, especially when you grill more regularly. These tips are designed to help you to make sure that your grilling sessions are done in a way that keeps you safe.
Here are some helpful tips when it comes to caring for your grill brush properly:
- Replace the grill brush periodically-the start of the grilling season is a good time
- Keep the brush indoors when not in use to keep it away from varying temperatures
- Choose a brush that has stainless steel bristles for the best results
- Be gentle when scraping your grill grates
- Make sure no bristles have been left on the grill after cleaning
- Check your grill brush for any damage before using
- Replace your grill brush if you see any damage
- Clean your grill brush regularly
While this is not an exhaustive list of tips you should use, they are some of the most commonly suggested. Following these tips can keep your grill brush in good condition for many grilling sessions to come.
Now that you know how to clean a grill brush, check out these other grilling tool sets or the essential grilling and smoking accessories to make your BBQ experience even better.
