Cleaning the outside of your BBQ is just an important as the inside if you want it to look fantastic and last for as long as possible. The outside of your grill will typically consist of a combination of material which include stainless steel, painted steel, porcelain enamelled steel and plastic.

Cleaning a Stainless Steel Barbecue

Whilst stainless steel is more durable than plated steel; acid rain, chemical and salt water can cause surface rusting to occur.

Stainless steel is to be cleaned using a non-toxic, non-abrasive stainless-steel cleaner or polish which is designed to be used on outdoor products and grills. Please also note that a microfibre cloth will be needed to clean in the direction of the grain of the stainless steel. Do not use paper towels (these could high amounts of cardboard in them, creating small surface scratches) or abrasive pastes. Pastes do not clean or polish, they will change the colour of the metal by removing the top chromium oxide film coating. Do not clean your stainless steel with water, if you do, ensure that you dry completely.

A preventative measure to surface rust would be to cover your BBQ as this will provide protection against the elements, tree sap and in some cases, salt water.

Cleaning painted, porcelain enamelled and plastic components of your BBQ

Clean these parts of your BBQ with warm soapy water and paper towels or a cloth. After wiping the surfaces down, rinse them and dry thoroughly. You could also use the enamel cleaner for enamelled part to keep that shine!

Cleaning the outside of the BBQ that is in a Unique Environment

If your BBQ is located in a harsh environment, you may want to clean the outside of your grill more often. As stated above, acid rain, pool chemicals and salt water can cause surface rusting to appear.

Wipe down your grill with warm soapy water and rinse, dry thoroughly. You may want to apply stainless steel cleaner weekly which will be a preventative measure against surface rust.