Love your outdoor grill? Protect it using these simple reminders. Enjoy the THRILL of the GRILL for years to come with these essential tips.
Summer is upon us and with it comes afternoons spent by the water, evenings around a campfire and of course grilling. Whether your barbecue is a few years old or is new and state-of-the art like all kitchen equipment in order for it to function well it must be cleaned regularly. No we don’t mean that it always has to be shiny new. But as barbecuing enthusiasts, we at Workman’s Friend give ours a deep clean once in a while to make sure it runs safely and efficiently. You don’t want any unsafe buildups of grease in your grill or have anything that prevents the flow of gas through the ports. Unknown smells or flare ups are not the signs of a healthy grill.
Clean the Grates
First and foremost turn off your gas supply. If you want to be extra careful you can detach the gas tank from the grill. Begin by scrubbing the barbecue grates to remove the charred meat and chunks of food stuck to them. Then pull your barbecue grates out and soak them in a large bucket of soapy water. The tough stuck-on food can be removed more easily if you soak the grills. Afterward, give them one final scrub with your brush and dry with a cloth. Those grates should be looking like new!
Clean the Bottom of the Grill
A well-used grill should have a large amount of debris at the bottom which needs to be brushed or wiped. You can use a vacuum, preferably a Shop Vac if there’s a large amount of charred material to pick up. Be careful to check that the ash is cool. There is a serious fire risk with picking up hot ash with a vacuum. If there is peeling black stuff (i.e. carbon flakes or grease) on the bottom of the barbecue use a putty knife or a bristle brush to remove it.
Clean the Grease Tray
Wash your barbecue’s grease tray with warm soapy water. Pour the fat into a can and let it solidify. Then dispose of it. Do not pour the grease down the drain because that will clog it and you will end up with large plumber’s bill.
Wipe Down
Once you’ve cleaned the inside of your barbecue and re-assembled it, give it a thorough wipe down to its exterior. You want it to gleam and be the envy of all who see it. After you’ve completed the cleaning, put away all your tools and apply a thin layer of Workman’s Friend barrier cream to your hands. Our formulation will help moisturize your skin after they’ve come in contact with drying dish soap and warm water. Then it’s time to grill. So what are you waiting for? The quicker you clean it the faster you’ll be able to start grilling.
Clean the Burners
If you are using a gas grill, remove any burner protectors which look like v-shaped metal tents and clean them separately. They are what shield your burners from grease and other matter that could clog the burners. They too need to be soaked and scrubbed well because they take such a beating (and are designed to do so). For removal, they usually can simply be slid right off the burners.
Then it’s time to clean the burner tubes by lightly brushing them and making sure all the gas ports are clean and open. Some barbecues have burners which just slide right off and others are anchored to the barbecue itself. If yours are removable you can soak them the same way you did with the grates and burner covers.
Believe in the Cover-Up!
Do you want your grill to last for years to come? COVER IT UP! Protecting your outdoor grill from the weather during all seasons is essential. Covers sold by the manufacturer are always the best choice. A little rust spot always grows into a bigger rust spot. Soon, it will eat its way through and that is never good when cooking food. Always be sure the grill has cooled completely before covering.
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DO YOU HAVE OVER-WASHED HANDS?
As you struggle to fight off the flu with constant hand washings, you face another dilemma, dry and cracked skin. Soaps, especially alcohol-based hand cleaners, dry out your skin, leaving them craving moisture. What if there was a way to protect your skin and keep it moisturized even during frequent hand washings? Well, you can! Coat your hands with Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream to form a protective layer around your skin and re-apply every four hours. The barrier protection will moisturize your hands from beneath the protective layer. The barrier protection will shield you hand from harmful chemicals, dirt and grime. The barrier protection binds to your live skins cells and will only be removed when your skin cells die and shed every four hours. In the meantime, your skin is moisturizing from the inside and healing your dry and cracked skin. Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream is the perfect combatant for over-washed hands. PURCHASE HERE.
Another option for over washed hands is Workman’s Friend Healing Hand Cream. Add this hand cream to your daily regimen for healthy, stored hands. An application in the morning and again before bedtime will help your skin survive those frequent hand washings unscathed. Workman’s Friend Healing Hand Cream will moisturize and heal your dry, cracked, and damaged skin. When used over time, your skin will return to its once healthy appearance. PURCHASE HERE.
Sometimes you just need a hand cleaner that revitalizes your skin. Try Workman’s Friend Hand Cleaner with Activated Charcoal to get a deep clean and feel fresh afterwards. The activated charcoal cleans deep into your skin, detoxing away the bad elements that hard-working hands pick up on an active day. Unlike other hand cleaners, Workman’s Friend Hand Cleaner with Activated Charcoal hydrates your skin as it cleans, leaving them feeling alive and fresh while other hand cleaners leave your hands feeling dry. PURCHASE HERE.