Top maintenance tips for a gas barbecue

With regular cleaning you can make sure your barbecue functions well for years to come. We have made gas barbecue maintenance as convenient as possible with our range of care and cleaning products. From carry bags for taking your barbecue with you on the go, to brushes for simple gas barbecue maintenance, we’ve got you covered.

• How to recognise a top-quality gas barbecue?
• What do I need to clean a gas barbecue?
• How to clean a gas barbecue?
• How often should I clean my barbecue?
• Additional gas barbecue maintenance tips

Caring for a gas barbecue is usually a lighter task if you’re dealing with a good quality gas barbecue in the first place. There are a number of guidelines that will help you spot quality immediately:

• Burners: The best gas barbecues usually include burners that provide evenly-dispersed heat no matter where the food is placed on the grate. Additionally, look for independently-controlled burners for precise temperature control.
• Sturdiness: Any large device containing such high-heat elements requires a certain amount of sturdiness and stability. Quality gas barbecues will have a solid construction – don’t be afraid of giving it the wiggle test in the shop!
• Cooking grates: The three most common grate materials are porcelain-enamelled cast iron, porcelain-enamelled steel and stainless steel. Just be aware that uncoated material is known to cause food to stick. Porcelain-enamelled cast iron is particularly good at retaining heat and therefore most commonly used.
• Durable wheels: If you prefer a barbecue with wheels for flexibility, make sure to check that the wheels are durable and are large enough to handle the size of the barbecue.
• A premium warranty: At Weber, we offer up to a 10-year warranty to ensure that you’ll be barbecuing for a long time to come. Manufacturing defects, if at all, will be fixed at zero charge, including all individual components for all barbecues.

First things first, let’s get prepared. Weber barbecues do the bulk of the cleaning work themselves, but cleaning can be made even easier with a few tools designed for particular jobs:

• Gloves: Since BBQ grills can sometimes get greasy, it’s a good idea to wear some rubber gloves before getting started.
• Grill brushes: A true staple for cleaning BBQs, these brushes typically have steel bristles and come in a variety of sizes.
• Scraping tool: A plastic BBQ scraping tool is ideal for loosening residual grease from inside your burner.
• Sponge: A two-sided sponge with a non-scratch scourer is a bonus for targeting tough stains.
• Cleaning sprays: There are a variety of special cleaning sprays available for different purposes, such as for BBQ grates, enamel, and stainless steel.
• Microfibre cloth: A gentle cloth for wiping and polishing the exterior of your barbecue – ideal for both stainless steel and enamel models.
• Drip pans: Use these trays as a preventative measure: placed at the bottom of the grill they collect grease and make disposal easier.

Cleaning the inside of your gas barbecue:

1. Start cleaning your gas BBQ by disconnecting your gas tank; consult your owner’s manual for directions on your specific model.
2. Next, brush the grates to remove any food debris, then spray your grate cleaner and let it settle for 30 seconds. After, scrub the grates with the abrasive side of your sponge, rinse with water and set aside for drying.
3. Spray the grate cleaner inside the cookbox and on the flavouriser bars and let settle for 30 seconds. Scrape the grease and debris off with a plastic scraper and set the flavouriser bars aside and clean with a sponge.
4. Wipe down the cookbox, drip tray and bottom tray: use a brush when needed. Be careful not to splash water onto the burner tubes.
5. Make sure your barbecue dries thoroughly before reassembling your grill and finishing your grates with a non-stick spray.

Cleaning the outside of your gas barbecue:

1. Apply the appropriate cleaner spray (enamel or stainless steel) onto all the enamel or steel parts.
2. Wipe off the spray with a microfiber cloth. Note: if cleaning a stainless steel exterior, wipe in the direction of the grain to avoid scratching.
3. Rinse the frames/panels with lukewarm soap water and a sponge.
4. Dry thoroughly with a microfiber cloth.
5. Use a spider brush to clean the burner tube air intake.

Using the cleaning processes outlined above, we recommend cleaning the interior of your gas barbecue every 3 months or so and the exterior once a month.

Summary

With a Weber barbecue you are able to enjoy year-round, regular barbecuing for quick evening meals as well as all-day feasts. Each of our gas barbecues is built to last and require just a quick and easy cleaning process.