How do you clean your grates?

Just out of curiosity...has anybody ever tried putting them in the oven on the cleaning cycle? Im sure that would not hurt the SS grates and should clean everything completely!

I have done this a few times for my 680 grates over the last 5 years. It works decent.
 
Soap and water either in the sink or in a plastic tub, with a Scotch Brite Stainless Steel scrubbing pad.

Anything else, I've found to be a total waste of time for these grates.

And believe me, I have the wire brushes, the wood scrapers, the balled up foil, etc.

The warm to hot soapy water, you can even use cold water straight from the hose in summer, softens and dissolves the baked on muck, and the Scotch Brite pads take off the rest. Leave them soaking for around 5-10 minutes. Then use the pad. Very little scrubbing effort needed.

I don't waste fuel trying to heat up the grates, and I don't waste time. But best of all, all of the baked on junk comes off and the grates, cooking side and underside, come clean.

No way you get 'em this clean attempting to "bake" stuff off, and you definitely won't get them this clean with any brush on the market, or wood paddle.

I do this in between each cook. Either using the plastic tubs or just my kitchen sink.

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I will usually just scrape off with a brush once the cook is done. The grates are still warm during the cool down and usually a quick one/two gets a pretty good amount of the residue off. When I go back to using it again, once the smoker is up to temp, I will give a little more aggresive brushing, followed up with a peanut oil wipe down. I think this works better than the spray stuff, as the spray is emulsified. When needed, I will do a more thourough cleaning , as indicated above. It's too hard for me to do that after every cook, especially this time of year and the lack of daylight in the evening.

I'm a fan of the BKF for the deep cleaning and for the SS exterior. I prefer the powder to the liquid, and at times will make a good paste with them both. The safety data sheet shows the liquid BKF of having 2.7% Oxalic Acid, where as the powder has 7.5% - 9.5%. Making a paste with them both gives it a little more kick....
 
The technique I show above, works just as well in the kitchen sink and under home lighting as it does in that plastic tub and under natural sunlight during daylight savings time.

It not only can be done "after" every cook.....But, if one should so choose, it can actually be done "before" the next cook. ;)

That's usually how I handle it and make it work.

Seriously though, as a matter of routine, sometime in between my last cook and my next one, I do a thorough cleaning of my Stampede to include vacuming out the ash from the cooking chamber and the fire pot, replacing the foil on the drip pan, and cleaning the grates using the method described above.

If it takes me 20 minutes to do it, that's a long time. I can get it done in less time than that

I start every cook with a clean Stampede. No ash, no grimy greased over or baked on crusty grates, no greasy drip pan.
 
What dose everyone use to clean your grates with? Wire Brush, Foil, Pudy Knife, looking for the best way and tool to use. I use SOS Soap filled pads
 
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@Ray for the stock grill grates I'm using a wire brush right now, but it's about in need of being replaced. I'm thinking about getting a oak wood scraper as an alternative.

For my GrillGrate aluminum grates I use the grate valley brush.
What dose everyone use to clean your grates with? Wire Brush, Foil, Pudy Knife, looking for the best way and tool to use.
What dose everyone use to clean your grates with? Wire Brush, Foil, Pudy Knife, looking for the best way and tool to use.
I use SOS Pads steel wool pads with soap works Great.
 
After every cook, I spray mine with knights spray 9 then soak them in a $10.00 24” electric water heater pan (bought at Home Depot) topped up with water. After approx. 24 hours I hit them with a cheap electric pressure washer. I used to use scotch brites, but this method is 10 times easier. It’s amazing how easy it comes off. Spray 9 easily dissolves most of the Smoke residue as well. They still look almost brand new after 2 years of grilling and smoking.
 
After every cook, I spray mine with knights spray 9 then soak them in a $10.00 24” electric water heater pan (bought at Home Depot) topped up with water. After approx. 24 hours I hit them with a cheap electric pressure washer. I used to use scotch brites, but this method is 10 times easier. It’s amazing how easy it comes off. Spray 9 easily dissolves most of the Smoke residue as well. They still look almost brand new after 2 years of grilling and smoking.
I use SOS pads with soap in them works Great
 
I've been doing the hot water and steel scotchbrite scouring pad since I started using it just before Christmas. But I find it labor intensive and I'm sure I won't keep it up as "the new" wears off my Bull. I'm looking for a simpler way that involves much less labor. The "knights 9" sounds interesting. I'll try to figure out that process.
 

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