Best Way to clean the old BBQ grates

[Don2222]

Hello
I have been trying for years to find a fairly easy way to clean these nasty dirty grates!
Scrubing with grill brushes, wire wheels etc.
Then blasting with the decent DeWalt 15 gallon compressor but No Cigar! Very frustrating! So finally I got a Quincy but the blasting cabinet with aluminum oxide was too much and took a lot of the finish off!
So finally I took out the harbor freight soda blaster and the first time I used it with the old DeWalt it kept clogging. Just like many reviews of this nice blue portable soda blaster people were disappointed with the clogging.
This time I was ready with the right stuff! I fired up the Quincy and turned on the Chilla! ( i.e Quincy Refrigerant Air Dryer ) This makes the compressed air stone cold and bone dry!
Then with the right media setting @ 60 PSI it was snowing like Christmas!! Amazing!
Cleaned the grates right up without removing the finish coating!
The Air Chief with brass wire wheel which is a little less abrasive than the shinny steel wire wheel works great on the back side grooves to get the nasty hardened black soot off too!
Anyone try this?

 

[ABMax24]

Man that's a lot of work.

I just crank my BBQ to max, and by time the thermometer pegs at 800f all the junk is burnt off the grate. A simple wire brushing with a BBQ brush removes the ash after the grates have cooled.

 

[johneh]

I just crank my BBQ to max, and by time the thermometer pegs at 800f all the junk is burnt off the grate. A simple wire brushing with a BBQ brush removes the ash after the grates have cooled.

X2 and once a year into the dishwasher on high temp wash and rinse
come out like new.

 

[festerw]

I run mine up to 500 for about 15 minutes. If they get really bad a gallon of food safe degreaser in a tote works well.

 

[begreen]

I run mine up to 500 for about 15 minutes.

I have always done the same. Not an issue, but a good solution for removing badly baked on crud is boiling the grille in a vinegar solution or Coke for 15-20 minutes.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I use the pressure washer.....

 

[zrock]

never had a issue keeping them clean doing a burn after cooking

 

[xman23]

I have a large 2 round metal grill scrubbing pads on a handle. With the hot grill, dip the pads in a lot of water. When you hit the grill, the steam does the job.