A good day to all barbeque lovers like me, we all know there is no better way to spend your free time with friends and family than to be with a slice of barbeque and our favorite drink.But we cannot do this without having a fill functioning grill.

Now basically we have two types of grill; the gas-propelled one and the charcoal one. For the purpose of this article, we will be talking about the gas-propelled one. Not only is it faster, it is also safer. Though a bit more expensive, it is worth every dime.Generally, it is acknowledged  that cooking gas grills have very tough skins and are very durable but then if not regularly maintained, its durability could be compromised.

Cooking gas grills are appliances that cook food by applying appropriate heat from below. They are known to be powered up by propane (LP) and natural gas as their fuel source. In knowing how to clean your cooking gas grill, you need to know the various parts to be cleaned and the basic equipment needed to clean them up.

Parts of the Cooking Gas Grill:

• Knobs and handles
• Side panels
• Tanks and hoses
• Inside the Lids
• Grates
• Flavours bars and burners
• Bottom of the cook box
• Grease tray

Essentials needed for the maintenance and cleaning of a cooking gas grill

• Canola oil
• Paper towel
• Rubber gloves
• Dish liquid
• Non-scratch scour pad
• A tool named GriLLr
• Baking soda
• Bucket
• Clean rags
• Non-toxic degreaser
• Stainless steel cleaner
• Soap and water

 10 Steps TO Clean Your Cooking Gas Griller

1. The first thing is to make sure your cooking gas cools off before you clean. Apart from burns which may affect your hand, cleaning a hot appliance can damage the appliance if water slips into sensitive parts; therefore make sure it is totally cold before starting the cleaning process.

2. After the grill has cooled off, systematically disassemble the parts, this is to ensure you clean each part in isolation of others. Cleaning them together is not advisable as it may not have the expected outcome you desire.

3. Cleaning the knobs and handles: These parts are the contact parts of a cooking gas grill, and they are frequently soiled and oiled. For these parts, use a degreaser spray after cleaning with a dry rag. Give it at least ten minutes and then clean them off. The major function of the degreaser spray is to destroy any germ and bacteria buildup that may turn-up.

4. Side Panels: In cleaning the side panels of your appliance, also make use of a degreaser spray to fight off any germs and dirt build up. These parts tend to grease regularly so be thorough. Wait another five minutes after applying the degreaser spray and soak a non-scratching sponge into warm water to clean it. After this has been done, use a clean and dry rag to clean.

5. Taking care of tanks and hoses: These apartments are where the propane or natural gas is kept. Although it does not necessary have to be sparkling clean, nevertheless,it must be kept tidy. Don’t waste too much strength in this area but please check the hose frequently. This is because of the frequent cases of leaking of gas and clogging that occurs to hoses generally. You don’t want to have leaking hose at all. It is dangerous.

6. Cleaning of the Lid: Now this is basically where most of your grilling actions take place. If you notice well, you will see that the inside of the lid is usually black, which is natural. What you need to clean the lid is non-scratching brush or sponge. This will help in removing the build-up black paint. Scrub gently, that is why it is advised to get a non-scratching brush or sponge to avoid a tear.After all the paint might have to fall off get a non-scratching sponge and soapy mild water, wash off thoroughly and clean with a dry cloth.

7. Grates: This part is the centre of the cooking gas grill itself. This place is paramount and it is where all the cooking takes place, therefore if it is not tidy, it directly affects the food being cooked. Visitors may not mention anything to avoid embarrassing a host, but will they want to dine with you again after an uncomfortable encounter? Your guess is as good as mine. Cleaning the grate of the BBQ depends on the type. We have three basic types: Stainless steel, cast iron and porcelain coated grills. Although they have almost the same functions, they offer various benefits from better conductivity to reduced sticking cooking. Whatever kind you have, make sure you take care of it well

When the grill is cast iron, employ a wired BBQ brush (usually colored with gold bristles) to clean the grates off quickly, use an upward and downward motion along the grill, cleaning it from one side to another. If it is a stainless steel or porcelain enamelled coated BBQ, make sure you use a stainless steel wired brush(this is usually silver colored). It resembles a fine steel wool, and won't make a mess of your cooking gas BBQ appliance. Because if you scratch and damage the grill, it leads to rust and excessive corrosion. Some individuals prefer the onion solution. In this solution, they rub the grates up and down with big onions slices.

8. Cleaning flavor bars and burners: You may be oblivious to its importance but these parts serve different key functions and need to be treated with appropriate care. Carefully disassemble the grill gently, after that lift out the flavour bars. These bars are like lava rocks and are made to protect the drippings that fall onto the burner. Without these bars, flare-ups may occur and ruin the flavour of your delicacy. They are fixed in such a way that they protect your burner, so you have to really take good care of them to keep them in working condition. These bars can be removed gently, cleaned with a degreaser and wiped nicely with a dry rag. The bars are stainless steel, tread carefully when handling them to ensure you don’t scratch them, so it doesn't lead to rusting.

After you are sure that the flavour bars are cleaned, move to the burners itself. The burners are directly linked to your fuel and flame so please handle carefully, because if it clogs, it is bad news. Lots of insects like bugs, bees, lavas and caterpillars usually find the warmth of your BBQ convenient to live in, especially burners, because of the apparent safety and the nice smell. Make sure you don’t allow these intruders to clog your burners because if you are lax, then you will start experiencing a flashback fire.I have repeatedly conversed with most of my friends using gas-propelled BBQ and majority have complained that the burners give them a headache, so please treat urgently. Kindly get a specially made brush for burners at your local store. It is very cheap.

9. Grease trays: If your BBQ grill has one of these, make sure it is emptied regularly. Take a look at it and make sure it is not filled-up and if it is, kindly dispose of it. Clean the tray pan neatly and replace with a tray that is fresh. Make sure you never use a tin foil; it is harmful and may cause disaster.

10. The Base of the cook box: Whenever you take out a brush to clean the food remnants, the dirts and mushrooms fall right into the bottom of the cook box.Don't you think that cook box base needs cleaning? Cleaning the base of the cook box requires you to remove many components as possible. Use a scraper (non-scratching) to remove carbonised grease and fallen food. Clean it with non-soapy water (mild) and a non-scratching grease. Make sure it is dried out well before usage again.

12. Other BBQ accessories: Treat other tools of your BBQ like you treat your kitchen utensils, Put them in a dishwasher, and put a small amount of soap and little baking soda. Then use a non-scratching sponge to clean them all thoroughly. Rinse thoroughly and put them out to dry.

In conclusion,

BBQ cooking gas is your personal household appliance, please treat it well. It is generally advised to clean it every 3 months to 4 months .But most people do theirs once in 6 months. I would even suggest you clean your BBQ grill every time you use it to finish.

Let’s look at it critically, how do we handle our kitchen appliances at home? After the meal, we clean our pots and cooker, then why don’t we apply the same procedure with our cooking gas BBQ.The primary purpose of this advice is because you have an easier and better success of getting rid of grease and dirt if you clean up immediately than to wait for a while when the dirt have stuck on the grill. Prepping the BBQ for usage after cleaning up ,you make use of the canola oil onto a paper towel and rub all components smoothly, This prep the grill for better cooking and usage. When you are through with the canola oil solution, you can get ready for another usage. You need to be detailed, serious and meticulous when taking care of important home accessories. Remember, there is no compromise to neatness and cleanliness, be wise.