With the rising temperatures also begins the barbecue season. After a cozy evening, unfortunately, the unpleasant part follows cleaning the grill. Especially the grill grate should shine beautifully again. We tell you a few useful hacks and home remedies, with which you trim the grill back to high gloss in no time. Have you ever tried grilling with a smoker? Smoker recipes are now becoming established in Germany as well.

Baking soda helps with stubborn encrustations

Baking soda is a household all-rounder and easily takes on a dirty grill grate. The following sodium bicarbonate solution can dissolve proteins and fats: Mix ¼ lb. of baking soda powder in ¾ cup of warm water. This is the best way to get the grill clean again:

  • Spray the grill grate with water.
  • Smear the homemade cleaning paste on the cooled grill grate and let it dry for about an hour.
  • Use a sponge or brush to loosen the encrustations.
  • Finally, rinse the grill grate thoroughly with water and allow to dry.

Tip for particularly stubborn dirt:

A combination of salt, citric acid powder and baking soda is even more intensive: the homemade cleaning powder consists of ¼ lb. baking soda, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon citric acid powder. The citric acid powder should be very fine to avoid damaging the grill grate. Fill the mixture into a spray bottle, spray the dirty grill with it and clean it after about an hour of exposure time.

Summertime, grilling time! Here’s what you should be aware of when grilling. Home remedies such as baking powder and salt are true all-rounders in the kitchen: Here you can find out how to clean your oven easily without tedious scrubbing. It pays to clean your oven. Unpleasant odors coming from your washing machine? Then these simple hacks will help you clean it quickly and keep it permanently fresh. Annoying grease stains on your clothes? We’ll tell you how to remove them effectively here!

In the clip: 5 tips on how to get your grill grate clean again easily

  1. Baking soda dissolves grease and food residues

Just like baking soda, baking powder is an all-rounder in the household. Its chemical action in combination with water helps dissolve grease. To make a cleaning paste, mix baking soda with water in a 1:1 ratio. Then rub the grill grate with the baking soda paste and place it in a tub. Now add warm water, but only enough to just cover the grill grate. Add another packet of baking soda and let the grill grate soak in the tub for about 30 minutes. Residues and encrustations can then be removed with a rag, a cleaning brush or a pot cleaner sponge. Finally, rinse the grill thoroughly with clean water.

  1. Coffee grounds are a thorough abrasive

Coffee grounds from breakfast will get your grill shining again. Similar to an exfoliating scrub, coffee grounds can be used to remove the residue and encrustation from grease, ash and soot. To clean, apply the cold coffee grounds to the grill grate with a sponge or paper towel and rub thoroughly. The abrasive effect of the coffee grounds simply removes the dirt. Finally, rinse the grate with warm water. How else can you use coffee to your advantage? We reveal in our 4 ingenious coffee hacks. By the way, coffee is also a great natural fertilizer for your plants.

  1. Cola dissolves light encrustations

Coke not only quenches your thirst, but it’s also great for cleaning your grill. The carbonic acid contained in cola, as well as other acidic ingredients, have the ability to loosen light crusting. Place the grill in a shower tray or a suitable plastic container and fill it with cola until the grill is completely covered. Soak the grate in the tub for several hours or better overnight. Then remove any last incrustations with a rag or cleaning brush. What else the all-purpose weapon cola can do in the household, we tell you here.

  1. Onion juice for quick cleaning

The juice of an onion also works wonders when cleaning a grill: it loosens coarse dirt and has a natural antibacterial effect. You can’t make the grill shine with half a raw onion, but it can be cleaned quickly and easily in this way if you want to use it again immediately afterwards.

Important: The grill must still be hot for this method. Here’s how:

  • Peel one or more onions and cut in half.
  • Skewer the onion half on a grill fork.
  • Use the cut surfaces of the onion half to vigorously rub the bars of the grill. Light crusts should be easy to remove this way.
  • After the grill grate has cooled, you can rinse off any leftover bits.

Good to know: The onion rub also ensures that less meat and other side dishes stick to the grate at the next barbecue.

  1. Ash acts like a scrub

The ash from the charcoal can also be used to clean the grill, because it acts just like scouring milk or sandpaper. To do this, put the ash in a damp cloth or wet sponge and rub the grate with it. By scrubbing with the ash, dirt can be easily removed, because it has a similar mode of action as soap.

Tip: When cleaning the grill with the ash, it’s best to wear work clothes!