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You've spent a lot of money for that shiny new barbecue grill. I'll bet you're looking forward to using it this summer. Your grill is a large part of outdoor entertaining. You can ensure that it lasts for many years with proper maintainance and care.

Cleaning your grill is a big part of maintaining it. The longer it goes without cleaning, the harder it will be to clean when you finally get around to it, and not cleaning your grill can lead to rust, which will decrease the lifespan of your grill. Food sticks to a dirty grill, ruining your food. The food will pick up burnt chunks of whatever you grilled previously. So, a properly cleaned grill will help your food to turn out better, and will make your grill last longer.

There are a few items you will need to clean your grill:

Wire grill brush
Steel wool pads
Mild dish soap
Sponge
Cooking oil spray
Baking Soda
Aluminum foil

You'll need to make it a habit to brush the grill surfaces off with a good quality grill brush. This will remove any food that has stuck, and prevent buildup. If left for too long, this buildup will become more difficult to clean, and may cause the grill to rust. The best time to brush the grill is while it is still hot, after you're done cooking. Just run the brush over the grill racks before you turn the heat off. It wouldn't hurt to run the brush over the grill racks the next time you turn the grill on.

If the racks have not been cleaned for a while, and have food built up on them, you may need to wash them in the sink. Use the wire brush to remove as much of the buildup as possible, then take them to the sink, and wash them with a mild dish soap. It may be necessary to use the steel wool pads to scrub the gunk off of the racks. Rinse all of the soap and residue off of the racks before returning them to the grill.

Use baking soda and aluminum foil to remove grime and buildup from the grill. After the grill cools, sprinkle on some baking soda, and then scrub gently with a piece of aluminum foil

Once the grill has been cleaned and completely cooled, spray the racks lightly with cooking oil. A light coating of oil will prevent the racks from rusting. Just make sure the grill has cooled down completely. If you spray cooking oil on a hot grill, it could ignite and cause severe burns. If you don't have cooking oil spray, then simply wipe down the racks with a little bit of cooking oil and a paper towel. You will also want to put some oil on the grill before you start cooking. Let the grill heat up. Then, using barbecue tongs, grab a wad of paper towels, or a rolled up kitchen towel. Dip the paper towels or kitchen towel in some cooking oil, and rub it lightly on the grill. This will prevent the food from sticking to the grill, and make it easier to clean up afterwards.

By cleaning your grill properly before and after each use, you'll ensure that your food will turn out well, and your grill will last you for many years.