If you like to keep cooking healthy food on a pellet grill you must keep it clean to avoid health issues. This rule is for all grills. But cleaning a pellet grill is a little different than a charcoal grill.
If you have not heard what pellet grills are you can read my pellet grills reviews and learn all about them.
5 Steps On How To Clean A Pellet Grill
All these steps are the same for most brands such as Pitt Boss, Camp Chef, and Traeger to mention a few.
Key Takeaways On How To Clean A Pellet Grill
- Step 1: Remove all parts you can remove.
- Step 2: Vacuum everything out.
- Step 3: Spray inside with grill cleaner. Let soak and wipe out.
- Step 4: Clean grill grates.
- Step 5: Reassemble all part from step 1
Supplies You Need
Many of the supplies you need to clean pellet grills are the same as for most other types of grills, but there are a few different ones for pellet smokers.
- Vacuum cleaner
- Grill cleaner
- Grill brush
- Rags
- Putty knife of similar
You can add some other things like paper towels or a special grill grate cleaner but this list is the minimum you need.
Step 1
Remove all the parts that can be removed. Things like grill grates, deflector plates, and drip pan.
Step 2
Use your vacuum and get in every hook to get all the debris out. I use my shop vac for that.
Step 3
Spray inside with grill cleaner and give it time to soak in. Wipe out the inside with a rag. I let it soak for at least 2 hours before I start wiping.
Step 4
Clean the grates with a brush that is made for your type of grill grates. using the right brush is important so you don’t damage your grates
Step 5
Reassemble the part you took out in step 1. Take your time and make sure everything is in place.
Grill Brushes For Cleaning A Pellet Grill
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to grill brushes. Using the wrong one can even damage your grill grates and you might have to replace them for that reason.
Stainless steel brushes can be used on steel grill grates
Nylon bristle brushes need to be used on porcelain-coated grill grates to prevent damaging them.
If you like to find out what a good grill brush is you can read my grill brush reviews to find out more.
What To Do After Cleaning A Pellet Grill.
In my opinion, you should treat your deep-cleaned pellet grill as you would treat a new pellet grill and season it all over again.
This is a step you should take before even thinking about how to cook on a pellet grill.
This should also ensure that if there is any residue of the cleaning grill cleaner that could still be present and ruin your first cook-out session.
Just look at your manual since every grill is slightly different. However, in most cases, all you have to do is turn the grill too high for about 10 minutes to burn off any residue.
After that, you might have to spray the inside with some cooking oil and heat it up again. Now you are ready to start using your cleaned pellet grill again.
In Between Sessions Cleaning
Let’s be honest, no one likes to clean a grill after cooking and many times this will be forgotten. It is however probably even more important to clean in between sessions than deep-cleaning.
At least clean the grill grates after every time you use your pellet grill. Not only is this a food safety issue (1) but also will keep bugs and rodents away.
Covering the bottom of your pellet grill with aluminum foil is one of the easiest ways of saving on cleaning time. I just suggest you use professional quality. I learned the hard way that this is the better way to do it.
In addition, you can also cover the grease bucket or use some of the aluminum inserts to keep them clean.
Robert Chill
Robert Chill loves to cook on BBQs and grills and uses all types of recipes and techniques to cook some awesome food. With his experience, he can share many reviews, tips, and ideas on how to use any grill. You can read more about him here