An outdoor kitchen is the cornerstone of Louisiana family fun. We all have childhood memories of our parents grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs for us to celebrate the Fourth of July or Memorial Day. However, without clean outdoor kitchen appliances, our nostalgic thoughts turn sour; the same thing is as food in a dirty outdoor refrigerator. Check out some of our tips for cleaning outdoor kitchen appliances.

Cleaning an Outdoor Grill

We all know at this point that no relaxing outdoor dinners to large-scale events can be complete with a grill. This is why it is essential to understand how to clean your grill correctly.

Unplug Your Grill

It’s important to clean your grill every time you use it. The first thing to do is unplug it from its heat source. If you have a gas grill, remove its gas tank. How you clean your grill from here depends on how often you already clean it.

Some types of grills, especially woodburning grills like the Coyote Asado Ceramic Grill and stainless steel grills, can also last longer than their alternatives.

Deep cleans, where you clean the back and the insides of your grill, should happen at least once a year. Basic cleaning should happen every time you use your grill.

Scrap Off Food Residue from the Grates of the Grill

High-powered gas grills do a better job at burning off food residue than charcoal grills. You should run a gas or propane grill for about 15 minutes before doing a full clean to carbonize any food that fell under the grates properly.

After you wait 15 minutes after cooking, scrape off the surfaces of the grill. The leftover residue from cooked meat or vegetables can muddle the taste of food the next time you grill and will leave ash on the food. People can even be poisoned if grills are not adequately cleaned.

Then, you should soak a paper towel or grill brush (not the one you used to clean) with canola oil, then spread it on the grill grates. This will season your grill, limit future sticking, and prevent the spread of rust.

How do you deep clean a grill?

Deep cleans may seem tricky and tedious at first but are pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Seeing that you only have to deep clean once a year, it isn’t too bad.

Make sure your grill is still warm but not on, and prepare a bucket of soapy water. The best thing to use is a scouring pad or towel dunked in soap water to clean the inside and back of your grill. Wipe down the inside and outside of your grill until it looks brand new.

You should also remove warming racks, flame diffusers, and additional removable parts and soak them in soap water.

The back of your grill is one of the most important parts to clean, so take extra precaution. When your grill is not adequately maintained, excess grease can build up and cause fires or damage your patio.

If you have surfaces adjacent to your grill, clean them with soapy water and try to avoid cutting with a cutting board. Even though stainless steel stands the test of time from weathering better than other options, it isn’t easily protected from knife marks or hot pans.

Quick Grill Maintenance Tips

Always remember to place the cover on your grill when it cools off. Also, don’t forget to clean your grill scrapers and brushes, which may have been contaminated while cleaning.

Cleaning an Outdoor Refrigerator

Meat, vegetables, and cheese tend to spoil very quickly. This leaves your refrigerator with a foul smell and stained. So, what are you supposed to do to clean your refrigerator?

An Easy Fix to Clean Your Fridge

Don’t worry. Cleaning your outdoor refrigerator isn’t as complicated as cleaning a grill. The same rules for cleaning your indoor fridge actually apply to cleaning your outdoor fridge.

Cleaning the Inside of your Refrigerator

Start by applying a cleaning solution or soapy water to a dishrag or towel and get to work. Try to take out any drawers to soak in soap water, and always take out food before cleaning. When cleaning your refrigerator, check expiration dates for spoiled food and try to find any hidden stains.

Get Rid of Pesky Stains

The best way to clean stains is to combine one part of water with one part of vinegar in a large bowl. Pour baking soda on the stain spots and then scrub away. If you are dealing with a difficult stain, use more parts vinegar than water.

Provide Proper Airflow

Clean underneath your refrigerator with a vacuum, and don’t avoid taking off its grill to clean the dust and grime off the coils. Working refrigerators need proper airflow, especially to work outside, so it is important to clean your refrigerator frequently.

Weekly Cleans

Don’t forget to clean the inner parts of the door and handles. These areas accumulate the most amount of muck and should be cleaned on a weekly basis.

Get Rid of Lingering Smells

Let’s face it. Most of the ingredients we store outside can smell after a while. Maybe it is difficult to tell because of the clean Louisiana air, but it is undoubtedly true. Bad smells make us not want to eat food, and lingering particulates cause food to be rotten more quickly.

While you could buy an internal air refresher, there is an easy at-home option you can make in less than a minute. Simply combine three spoonfuls of baking soda with two spoonfuls of lemon or lime juice in a bowl, and let that bowl sit in your refrigerator for 24 hours. Your refrigerator will smell better than when you bought it with this simple remedy.

Read also: Outdoor Kitchen Essentials

Prevention is a Priority

The truth is that the easiest way to avoid excessive cleaning or damage to your kitchen appliances is to prevent situations that can dirty appliances. Putting your appliances in a shed or covering them during heavy rain allows you to avoid excess mold and mildew buildup and will prevent staining.

While it is important to know how to clean your outdoor kitchen appliances properly, it is necessary to know that if your appliances are not well-maintained, it is unsafe to use them. Excessive weathering or grease stains are an injury waiting to happen.

If you are looking to buy or replace some of your kitchen appliances, please visit our kitchen appliance store in Lafayette, LA. Schedule an appointment with us at Facets of Lafayette, and explore our great options, from outdoor light fixtures to grills. We also offer outdoor ceiling fans, refrigerators, and plumbing. You will be satisfied working with our team to pick out the best option for your home.