I’ve been really enjoying grilling on my new infrared grill for several reasons, most notably even heat distribution, and best of all superior heating power.
But contrary to what I thought, cleaning an infrared grill is a bit different than a regular gas or charcoal grill. That said, here’s a detailed guide on how to clean your infrared grill properly, and without causing damage to the appliance.
Table of Contents
- 1 Are Infrared Grills Easy to Clean?
- 2 What Cleaning Equipment Do You Need to Clean Infrared Grill?
- 3 How to Clean Infrared Grills?
- 4 How to Clean Infrared Grill Base?
- 5 How to Clean Infrared Grill Grates Properly?
- 6 How to Clean the Outside of an Infrared Grill?
- 7 How do You Clean a Char-Broil TRU Infrared Grill?
- 8 Tips on Cleaning an Infrared Grill
Are Infrared Grills Easy to Clean?
Infrared grills are easy to clean for the most part, and as long as you know what you’re doing, because you have to take caution when cleaning the heating element and infrared surface.
Adding to this, there are several other parts of an infrared grill that should be cleaned regularly including the cooking grates.
Cleaning your infrared grill especially after a hearty grilling session may seem like a daunting task, but is one that must be done to reduce or prevent rust build-up, and for long service life of the grill.
What Cleaning Equipment Do You Need to Clean Infrared Grill?
There are several tools you can use to clean your infrared grill thoroughly, and ones that truly make the task a whole lot easier including:
Grill Scraper Tool
The grates are perhaps the most important part of your infrared grill, because they are the ones that come in direct contact with both raw and cooked food.
You can clean your grill grates with a soft brush, but a grill scraper will do the job much more efficiently.
Grill Brush
After you’ve removed the stubborn food items with your grill scraper, a brill brush can help remove the leftover food items from the grill grates.
Cleaning Cloth
If your infrared grill has glass panels, you will need to use a soft, microfiber cloth to clean them.
The Solid multipurpose cleaning towels feature a non-abrasive design, making them safe to use on any component of your infrared grill.
These dual-sided cloths contain 360,000 microfiber strands per square inch, and can be washed and reused over a hundred times without shrinking.
How to Clean Infrared Grills?
There are two common ways of cleaning infrared grills—the burn-off method and the deep cleaning method.
1. Burn Off Method
The burn-off method is regarded as the best way to clean your infrared grill after each use.
Just as the name would suggest the burn-off method basically burns the excess food debris and grease that have accumulated on your infrared grill grates.
- To get started with the burn-off method, fire up all the burners in your grill.
- Turn the control knobs of your infrared grill to high.
- Close the lid, and keep the burners on for roughly 10 minutes to 15 minutes. This is the right amount of time to turn the food debris and other items into ash.
- Turn off the burners, and clean the grates with a grill rake.
- Let the grill cool after using the grill rake, and then use a grill brush to remove any remaining food particles from the grill grate.
- Use the metal scraper of the grill brush to get rid of any baked-on food debris on the backside of the grill grates.
- Remove the grill grates carefully, and remove any remaining debris from the glass panels.
- You don’t necessarily have to take out the glass panels (if you have them), but can wipe them gently with a soft damp cloth.
- After you’ve finished cleaning, use high-heat cooking oil to lightly coat the cooking grates. This adds an extra layer of protection to prevents food items from getting stuck to the infrared grill grates.
2. Deep Cleaning Method
The deep cleaning method doesn’t have to be performed each time you cook on your infrared grill, but should be done just once or twice a year.
- Clean your glass panels first if your infrared grill has them, so that they continue to look clean and clear.
Avoid using abrasive cleaning tools and solutions on your glass panels, but instead, use a soft damp cleaning cloth.
- Next, clean the stainless steel hood and panels with Windex or a similar ammonia-based glass cleaner.
- For better cleaning, clean the debris baked onto the stainless steel surface with a metal polish by rubbing it, leaving it on the surface for a few minutes, and rubbing it away.
- Remove the drip tray regularly and clean the grease to prevent a grease fire.
- Lastly, clean the grates using a grate rake and grill brush.
How to Clean Infrared Grill Base?
To clean the base of your infrared grill, brush off any debris from the bottom. If you notice any black peeling flakes on the bottom, use a putty knife or bristle brush to scrape them off.
How to Clean Infrared Grill Grates Properly?
I’ve already explained the burn-off method to clean the grill grates of your infrared grill. In addition to that, there are three other ways to clean infrared grill grates.
1. Clean with hot soapy water
You should use the burn-off method to clean your infrared grill grates regularly, but in addition, use hot soapy water to clean the grates once a month.
- Start by lightly scrubbing your grates.
- Remove the grates, soak them in soapy water, rinse, and air dry.
- Reinstall the grates on the grill, close the grill, start it and warm it up.
- After your grill has warmed up, use your grill brush to remove any leftover residue stuck on the grill grates.
2. Use a grill spray or vinegar
You can use vinegar or a well-formulated grill spray instead of hot soapy water to clean your grill grates.
- Mix two cups of vinegar with two cups of water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the mixture over the grates, and let it rest for approximately 10 minutes.
- After this time has passed, brush your grill grates with a clean grill brush.
You can use a good grill spray to get the job done such as the Kona Safe/Clean Grill Cleaner Spray.
This spray is recommended for use on all types of grills, and boasts a powerful degreasing formula that considerably reduces scrubbing time and effort.
3. Steam Clean
To steam clean your infrared grill:
- Heat the grill up to 600-degree F, and then turn it off.
- Place a can with water onto the grates.
- Close the grill, and allow it to steam for half an hour.
- Scrub the grates with a silicone sponge to loosen the buildup.
How to Clean the Outside of an Infrared Grill?
Cleaning the outside of your grill will keep it looking great, and extend the service life of the grill.
To clean stainless steel surfaces, use a non-abrasive and non-toxic stainless steel cleaner along with a microfiber cloth to clean in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel.
If your grill is located in harsh environments, you will have to clean it often, because great chances are that it has been exposed to pool chemicals, acid rain, and saltwater.
You can use warm soapy water to wipe down the outside of the grill, rinse, and thoroughly dry it.
Additionally, it is a good practice to apply a stainless steel cleaner weekly to prevent rust.
How do You Clean a Char-Broil TRU Infrared Grill?
To clean a Char-Broil TRU infrared grill, perform the burn-off method first to burn off any food and debris.
- Brush the emitters with aChar-Broil cool clean brush to remove any food residue.
- Next, remove the emitters from the grill, and wash with a sponge under warm soapy water.
- Wipe the emitters with a dry cloth, and place them back in the grill.
Tips on Cleaning an Infrared Grill
Here are a few great tips on cleaning your infrared grill.
- Clean all the parts that cover the burners, and lightly brush the burner tubes.
- Always keep tabs on the grease collection tray, and empty after each use to prevent grease fires. On that note, dispose of the grease properly by pouring it into an empty can or non-recyclable bottle, let it harden, then throw it away.
- Remember to oil the hot infrared grill grates prior to cooking to prevent food from sticking on them.
- Inspect the burners often to ensure they are in good working order, and to prevent clogs.
- Most importantly, cover your infrared grill after each use to protect it from inclement weather conditions.
