There is WHAT in my grill?!? Grease and leftover food, yes, I understand that. But, bacteria, rodent droppings, and possibly mold, as well? How does something like mold that is usually found in damp areas, grow in my GRILL? Well, the mold is found in areas which have poor ventilation and/or high humidity.  It loves moisture, and grease, two things that your grill could have, if not properly stored correctly or cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. So, your world has now come to an end, or, at least it may feel that way. But don’t despair!

IS SETTING YOUR GRILL ON HIGH A SUBSTITUTE FOR REGULAR GRILL MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING

In one word, No. While pre-heating your grill is better for some reasons, horrible chemicals that are formed at high heat in burned meat are called Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). That’s exactly what occurs when you don’t remove months or years of leftover char from your BBQ. Setting your grill on high only burns what’s on your grates. In addition, the smoke that comes from that torched meat fat is full of PAH’s. If you’re interested in reading some really technical studies, you can find some references here, here and here.

IS SETTING THE GRILL ON HIGH FOR A FEW MINUTES ENOUGH TO CLEAN OR KILL BACTERIA AND THE OTHER NASTY STUFF?

Many websites will tell you to Fire up that grill! They tell you to make it as hot as possible, for anywhere from 10-30 minutes before cooking, to kill the mold and burn off any buildup that may be there. Does this work? The answer is yes and no.

Even after the high heat and brushing the grates you will likely find you’ve just moved the char from the grates to the area below the flames. You’ll still smell old smoke coming from that leftover charred meat. For the smoke reasons mentioned above, you’ll want to reduce exposure to this as much as reasonably possible.

While your intention may be to singe the bad stuff, you’re not singeing anything in the area below your burners in this key area where you’ll usually find tons of build-up of bacteria, mold, rodent droppings are located. In reality, all you’re doing is warming this stuff up. Hmm… warmed up bacteria and rodent droppings… Sounds unappetizing, doesn’t it? Well only heating up that grill without cleaning the bad stuff out is doing just that. And warming up that stuff only releases harmful odor in addition to much more.

OKAY, SO  HOW DO I REMOVE THIS HORRIBLE STUFF FROM MY GRILL?

Grilling should be healthy, and enjoyable but as you’ve come to understand, some stuff won’t come off with just heat alone. It requires more effort than just turning a knob. Are you thinking just a little scrubbing with your grill brush will do? Think again! We recommend you read our article how can I keep my grill in good condition? You’ll find five great tips to help you keep your grill in good condition.

Ultimately, you will want to have your grill deep cleaned from time to time to ensure you’re getting rid of all that bad nasty stuff hiding in and on your grill. Contact Pro Grill Cleaning!! Pro Grill Cleaning comes to your home and deep cleans your grill by. We get down and dirty in all those hard to reach places by scrubbing, scraping, vacuuming and using steam to thoroughly clean your grill. The result is healthier and more delicious food for the benefit of your family and friends.