How To Keep Grill From Rusting Out (7 Secrets)

If you are hosting a BBQ after a while and you observe your grill is rusty enough. You must be thinking about how to keep a grill from rusting out, right? 

Rusting can be dangerous if you do not take it seriously. However, there are many reasons for rusting. So, if you want to keep your grill free from rusting, then you need to know the reasons for rusting and also take good care of your grill. So,

Let’s Get Started! Shall we? 

How To Keep A Grill From Rusting Out 

Leave your extra tension as I’m here to help you. Without wasting your time, just hop into the instructions below. 

• Clean the grill grates after each cooking session. It is essential to maintain a healthy grill life. 
• In case you have a burner, you also need to clean them too.
• Remember, you should not clean only the outside of your grill but also the inside of the grill. 
• Keep the grill dry after every washing. Otherwise, all of your efforts will remain meaningless.
• Proper preservation is very crucial to prevent grills from rusting. 
• If the grill grates come with a porcelain coating, their surface can protect them from rusting and corrosion.
• Apply a moisture-resistance coating to extend your grill life.
• You should always try to persevere the grill at a secure place and need to keep a safe distance from the lawn or pool area.
• Keep the grill inside the garage as it will protect the grill from severe adverse weather conditions. 
• Rust easily and rapidly spreads. So, when it appears, it is essential to brush it as fast as possible. 
• After that, rub it with warm water, and you can also use soap.
• Apply a protective coating or metal conditioner.
• Always keep your grill covered 

Still, Confused? If you have a little more time, keep reading to get more clear instructions: 

Nothing can beat the importance of cleaning the grill. It is one of the best solutions to keep your grill protected from rust. The food droplets (such as sauce or marinade) are acidic and harmful to the grills. 

These leftovers can easily cause grill rust if not properly removed. The corners and crevice areas of the grill are very moist; they are easily prone to rust. 

In case you have a gas grill, it is a little bit easier to remove the residual moisture. You just need to light your gas grill for about 15 minutes. The moisture will evaporate. You do not need to do any additional tasks.  

Based on the types of grill grates you have, you need to rub them with oil or wax after every cooking session. It is mandatory to protect the cast iron grills. Plus, it is also a good choice to preserve the steel grill grates. 

There are many premium quality grill covers available in the store. Whenever you buy a grill cover, you should consider the construction materials, extra features, better quality, and UV protection. 

Plus, never buy a cover that fits like hand gloves; try to go for a tailor-made cover. Besides, you need to wash the cover regularly. It is better to choose a waterproof grill cover. So, you must be wondering – is it worth using a grill cover, right?

Let’s share the facts! 

Covering the grill properly reduces the chance of rusting. As not covering the grill will leave it unsafe. Using a grill cover extends its durability and prolongs its life. 

Besides, it gives protection against natural phenomena. Plus, the grill cover protects from excessive sun exposure. Remember, you should use the cover when the grill is cooled down. 

The humidity is also less than in the backyard because most of the backyards have plants and a swimming pool. 

So the chemical particles used in the swimming pool and the pesticides used for the vegetation are corrosive. Also, they can cause rapid rust and damage. 

The outdoor grill provides a lot of fun. So, it is essential to keep the grill a secure place to prolong its lifespan. 

A protective coating or metal conditioner helps to ensure protection from oxidation. You can also use a new painting coat for that specific area. 

There are many grill cleaners, protective coating, and metal conditioners available in the store to maintain the grill. Proper maintenance and cleaning automatically redouble its durability. 

Also Read: 15 Best Meat To Smoke For Beginners – Get Your Smoke On

How To Remove Rust From Your Grill

• Use a grill brush

First off, you need to clean all the food residue and leftovers. Because they are the main source of rust, choose a compatible grill brush for this cleaning procedure, and you can get plenty of options. 

• Apply soapy water

It is another simple method to remove grill rust. If you want a simple way – then you can apply this method. This method is a good choice to clean the exterior part of the grill. However, it is efficient to use for cleaning superficial rust. 

So, mix some dish soap to warm water and make a mixture. Then use a clean cloth or sponge to clean the grill. You can also use dish wash detergents in place of soap.    

• Use lemon juice

However, lemon juice performs like vinegar. But it is a bit milder. To use this method, you just need to mix the lemon juice and high-quality detergent powder. Then apply the mixture to the grill grates. 

After applying, you need to wait for around 10 hours for a better result. Then you need to scrub it using a brush and wash it with enough water.

• Spray vinegar

Vinegar works wonderfully to remove rust and corrosion. Spray vinegar on the grates and cover the grill grates with a plastic sheet. 

You can also use a garbage disposal bag. Wait for overnight. After that, clean the vinegar by scrubbing it with a brush. 

If you are dealing with stubborn rust, then you can add some salt. Salt and vinegar will work together to remove these stubborn rusts. Plus, salt works as an abrasive agent, which helps to clear out rust and corrosion.

• Fire it up with baking soda

Using baking soda is a clever choice to remove the grill rust. If you apply this method, then you need to follow the instructions below.

Brush the grill grates; try to clean the grill rust as much as possible. Sprinkle some baking soda on it. 

Now you need to fire up. With proper heating, the baking soda will bubble up and start to clean the rust.

Once the bubbling stops, you just need to turn off the fire and wait for some time to cool it down. After that, use your brush and start to scrub the grill grates.

• Apply baking soda and vinegar paste

As I mentioned before, baking soda and vinegar give an outstanding result for removing rust. Just Think! What will happen when they work together?

Baking soda and vinegar will form an effective paste that can easily fight against rust and stain. To apply this potent paste, you just need to rub it on the affected area and wait for 30 minutes. Then use warm water to rinse it off. 

• Use rust removal liquids

In case you fail to remove the grill rust with these above-mentioned methods, then you can apply this one.

But always remember, whenever you purchase a rust-removing liquid, then never go for the generic solution, use it for household work because they can mix up with your food, so they should be non-toxic. 

Why Does Grill Get Rusted

If you want rust-free grill grates, then you need to know the reason. Here I will introduce some common reasons for grill rusting!

Food Leftovers

When you prepare food on the grill, a lot of food particles get clogged. Most of the sauces and marinades used in the BBQ procedure are Acidic. 

These Acidic foods can easily rust your grill if you do not pay enough attention to cleaning. These particles will sit on the grill for a longer time and cause rusting. 

Saltwater

Salt can cause corrosion to metal. In case you live near the ocean, the excessive humidity and salt can cause severe corrosion to your grill. Even if you have a top-notch grill – but still your grill is not safe. 

So, it is better to coat all the grill surfaces with oil to protect them from saltwater corrosion. Remember, you should re-apply it each time when cleaning your grill. By the way, you can also use wax to coat the surface.

Chemical Agents

I use too many chemical agents in my daily life. Some chemical agents, such as bromine and chlorine – are mostly used in swimming pools. 

These chemical particles are corrosive and can cause rust even with a premium-quality grill. Plus, fertilizers and pesticides also cause rust and damage your grill. Annoying, isn’t it?

So if you want to protect your grill from rusting and corrosion, you should keep it away from your lawn and swimming pool area. In case you are unable to do it, then it is better to use a grill cover. 

Furthermore, keep it in the direction where the air is coming, as it will decline the chance of its exposure to the chemical.

Snow Melting Solutions

Once again, the chemical particles and salt – used for melting the ice in the winter harm the grill. These snow-melting solutions will redouble the chance of grill rusting. 

So, it is better to use the heat from the grill to clean the formed snow on the grill. Plus, you can also buy a grill cover to fix this problem.

How Important To Keep A Grill From Rusting Out

A grill with rusting is not safe at all. However, most culinary experts claim that ingesting a nominal portion of iron oxide particles is not that detrimental. 

So, ingesting rust for once is not harmful. But regular ingestion may cause serious health hazards. It can cause intestinal tract damage. So, it is very important to keep the grill from rusting out.

Is It Safe To Use A Rusty Grill?

You should clean your grill before you start to cook because rust is not safe for your health, and Iron toxicity can cause kidney failure. Plus, regular rust ingestion can cause intestinal infection. 

In case you intake too much rust, then you should eat some vitamin c enriched fruits such as oranges, kiwis, blueberries, etc. So you must be thinking – why vitamin c, right?

Which Grills Are Least Prone To Rust

Almost all the grills are prone to rust. But if I talk about the grills that are least prone to rust – then the answer will be the porcelain-coated grills. Besides, stainless steel grill grates are also the least prone to rust.  

Some Do’s and Don’ts 

• Do regular maintenance and cleaning.
• Don’t put on high heat and burn your food. 
• Don’t pour sauce on the food while they are on the grill.
• Do always cover up your grill to protect it from moisture.

Is there a grill that doesn’t rust?

There are some premium quality grills that can give protection from rusting to some extent. But without giving proper care and maintenance, they can also get rusty. 

So, generally, there is no grill that doesn’t rust. That’s why it is essential to ensure maximum protection to prolong the grill’s life.

Why does my iron cast grill rust?

Iron-cast grills are more rust-prone. When you prepare foods on your iron cast grill, leftover foods, sauce and marinades can cause grill rust. 

As these sauces are acidic so if you do not clean your grill properly then it will not be good for the grill. You can easily use vinegar and water solution to clean the rust.

Is it OK to cook on a rusty grill?

It is not OK to use a rusty grill as a rusty grill is not safe because these loose rusts can stick to your foods easily. 

Ingesting rust may not be so harmful for a single meal, but regular ingestion can cause intestinal tract infection. So, it is wise to clean the rust then continue to use it.

What is the best homemade rust remover?

Vinegar can be the best homemade rust remover. It gives the most effective result for rust. It reacts with the rust and dissolves. Spray vinegar on the affected area then waits overnight. 

Now to the vinegar, use a brush to scrub it. Baking soda, and lime juice also show better results for removing rust. For stubborn rust, you can use salt with vinegar.

Is it OK to cover up the grill to protect it from rusting?

It is suggested to use a cover to protect the grill from rusting as it is a good practice to cover up the grill after every cooking session. 

A cover will protect not only from rusting but also from adverse weather conditions – excessive snowfall, sun exposure, or rain.

Can you get tetanus from a rusty grill?

No, you cannot get tetanus from a rusty grill. Basically, tetanus is one type of infection caused by bacteria. So, if you cook in high heat, it will kill the bacteria automatically. So, you cannot have tetanus.

Do grill covers prevent rust?

A grill cover is an excellent option to protect your grill from rusting. So, the moisture cannot cause rusting if you cover up your grill. It helps to enhance the grill’s lifespan.

Conclusion 

If you want to maximize the lifespan of your grill, then you need to know – how to keep a grill from rusting out. Because once your grill starts to rust, this unsafe rust will mix up with your food. So, it is wise to inspect your grill and clean it before every cooking season. Follow our methods, go through the instructions – it will take some time to clean up but definitely give you a better result.