How to Prep Your Grill For BBQ Season After Winter

It’s been a long winter and if you’re not a hardcore griller, your barbecue has probably been hibernating in storage for months. However, before you head to the butcher and grab some T-bones, there are some simple steps you should take to get your barbecue in top grilling conditions. Grab a beer or two and let's get to work!

1. Have your cleaning supplies ready

You wouldn’t cook in a dirty kitchen, so why would you grill on a dirty BBQ? In order to sanitize and deep clean your grill, you will need the following products: brush for cleaning your cooking grids, a small pail of hot water, dish soap, a venturi brush, a 1/16” drill bit (provided when you first purchased your grill), replacement grease cups, a spatula, stainless steel cleaner, and some fine sandpaper.

2. Give your BBQ a scrub

The cleaning supplies listed above will help clean every nook and cranny of your grill.

• Start by removing the cooking grids and sear plates so that you can start with the burners. It is easier to detach the burners and take them out of the grill for a very thorough cleaning. Pass a venturi brush through the burners to clear any blockages then brush the tops of the burners using a wire brush - like the ones that you would clean your cooking grids with. Once the burners are cleaned, check all of the burner ports to ensure that they are open. If some are blocked you can use the 1/16” drill bit to unblock them.

• Use a spatula to scrape grease from the inside of the base all the way down towards the drip pan. Remove the drip pan and give it a good washing and be sure to replace the tin foil grease catcher. You can use hot and soapy water to clean in here too.

• Sear plates and cooking grids should be washed with hot soapy water, or put into the dishwasher and run on a gentle cycle. Hot soapy water works wonders on the base and sides of the grill and to remove grease splatters and discoloration. The same goes for our porcelain enameled and powder coated ones. Once everything is dry, Use a soft cloth and, following the grain of the stainless steel, rub in some stainless steel cleaner/protector/polish, following all package instructions.

3. Inspect all hoses and feed tubes

Once your cleaning is done it is a good idea to visually inspect all hoses and feed tubes on your grill. Look for any crimps, scratching, and punctures. If anything is damaged, have it replaced right away. Your nearest local Napoleon Dealer will be happy to help you with this.

4. Do a complete leak test of the grill

A leak test should be performed any time your grill has been in storage for a prolonged length of time or when you are changing any components on your grill.

5. Check all ignition parts

Once your grill is clean, reinstall the burners. Replace the batteries if you have battery powered ignition. For battery ignitions, it is a good idea to replace old batteries with new ones. If you have a JETFIRE™ Ignition System, doublecheck all electrode leads and ensure the tips of the electrodes are clean. Make sure that they have no grease or rust build up on them if they do you can use fine grit sandpaper to gently buff them.

You are now ready to get grilling! What is the first thing you're going to grill up?