Found a cheap way to clean my smoker grates with a little vinegar and a trash bag

Last month I was prepping for a weekend cook and my grates were caked with gunk. I usually scrub for an hour with a wire brush but a buddy who runs a BBQ joint in Nashville told me to try this: spray them down with white vinegar, toss them in a heavy duty trash bag, and let them sit in the sun for a few hours. I did it on a Saturday morning and by noon the crud just wiped off with a paper towel. Cost me maybe a dollar. Has anyone else tried something like this or got a better method for heavy buildup?

2 comments

2 Comments

jessicaw541mo ago

Dude, that vinegar and trash bag trick is a lifesaver! I spent a whole afternoon last summer scraping my grates with a wire brush and still had gunk stuck in the corners. I tried a similar method with baking soda and it worked okay but not as easy as just letting it sit in the sun. It's wild how something so simple can save you that much elbow grease.

wilson.emma1mo ago

Ugh right? "Elbow grease" is the story of my life honestly. I'm convinced my grates are secretly glued on by some evil BBQ gnome or something. I tried the baking soda thing too and ended up with a paste that looked like something from a science experiment gone wrong. The vinegar bag trick actually worked for me too, but I'll admit I almost set my deck on fire because I forgot to take the bag off before firing up the grill again. At least I didn't have to scrub for three hours this time, so that's a win in my book.