After being in the cleaning industry for over 30 years, I find that I have heard of so many cleaning tips and tricks……some work and some don’t. Some are easy to implement and some aren’t.

The humble Barbecue is clearly cemented in Modern Australian history. Australians are firmly connected to the culture of cooking alfresco perhaps due to our great climate and diverse food availability………let’s face it, cooking on a barbecue is just downright practical.

The internet of things is chock full of cleaning tips and I thought I would share some of my tips too. There are heaps of cleaning barbecue cleaning blogs that offer very similar tips but I want to offer some tips that are a little different and even a little eco-friendly.

I am sure lots of people pretty much have a good idea how to clean the outside of thier barbecue without wrecking it i.e. don’t scour stainless steel with steel wool etc!

Probably the most grubby but important component to keep clean and seasoned are the hotplates. With our love of seafood and diverse marinades things get can pretty messy quickly. Many good cleaning techniques use common items that are found in most homes

• It seems that rubbing a hot grill with half a cut onion (cut side down) will loosen up baked on grit and grime and basically take it all right off the grill. It’s best to heat the grill super hot first and burn down any remaining food or crud, then rub it hard with an onion stuck on the end of a fork. Once the hotplate is cool, rub the cleaned plate with a high temperature cooking oil (Canola Oil).
• Another hotplate tip is to sprinkle salt over the barbecue plate while it is still hot. Leave to cool. Once cooled, wash the plate using a soft brush that has been soaked in salty water. Alternatively, another tip is to rub the salt with a potatoe cut in half. Leave to dry. Rub the cleaned plate with a high temperature cooking oil (Peanut, Canola or Flaxseed) to finish. Use paper towels for this. Finished.
• For barbecues with a hood, get a stainless steel mixing bowl and fill with 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Place the bowl on the hot plates set at a medium heat and close the hood – it is a good idea to do this whilst you are eating. The contents of the bowl will become steam and condense on the inside of the hood. Turn the burners off and wipe the inside of the hood to a clean and dry appearance.
• Another cleaning tip for the hotplate is actually preventative. All barbecues come with instructions on how to season the hotplates with oil and heat prior to use. To manufacture cast iron hotplates they are cast which leaves the surface quite irregular and pocky making the hotplate susceptible to food sticking to the plate. If you sand the hot plate with sandpaper from 180 to 400 grit to provide a smooth surface prior to the seasoning process then food won’t stick during cooking – not even eggs.

If these ideas are all a bit hippy, Selleys have a range of products that work and are designed for Australian conditions and barbecue grime.

After cooking and enjoying your barbecue meal, it is always best to clean your barbecue on that day. Once you have the barbecue cleaned up, place a cover over the unit to help keep it clean. The next time you plan a barbecue, you will thank yourself.

Don’t forget to clean or change your aluminium fat tray underneath and perhaps replenish your absorbent kitty litter tray.

If cleaning your barbecue is too hard or if you’re not keeping up with your domestic cleaning needs then we would love the opportunity to discuss your needs and even quote the services for you. We have been cleaning houses for over 30 years and still enjoy it.