As of September 22nd at 5:18 PM, Fall has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer has gone and so has the grilling season. Some may like to grill year round but many like to keep their activities tailored to the season. If you re one of those, it s time to put away your outdoor grill until next spring or summer. Here are some tips to properly store your grill.
Cleaning your outdoor grill
Even if you have been faithful keeping your outdoor grill somewhat clean after each cookout this summer, you don t want to miss giving your equipment a good scrub down before storing it. You ll want to clean all the spots where grease could have splattered. Soapy warm water is the best thing for it. This can be a lot of work but it s worth it. The last thing you want is to see caked on grease or bits of old food stuck to your outdoor grill when you pull it back out next season. Before you begin, remove and discard all briquettes and any charcoal residue. Scrub the cooking grates with a good wire brush and warm soapy water. Clean the burners and make sure all tubes are cleared. Also, clean the heat shields that go over the burners. Don’t forget to take care of the inside lid. Grease build up will be there and you will need to scrape it off and follow that by a warm soapy water wash. After you clean it, let the grill totally dry out before storing. Water damage in the form of rust may develop if you don t.
Properly take care of the propane tank.
If you do not do this properly, you are creating a serious safety hazard. Make sure you tightly close the valve in the off direction. Double check to make sure you did not turn it the opposite way, totally on. Completely unscrew the propane tank from your outdoor grill. Finally, secure the tank in a well ventilated place preferably outdoors. Avoid storing it in your garage because pressure may build up in the tank.
Storing your outdoor grill
For the grill itself, the best place to keep it during the cold months is in your garage. Actually, the best place is inside your house but that s not likely to be an option for the mass majority. If the grill must stay outdoors, make sure you secure it with a waterproof cover. Spin some extra time to ensure the cover is tightly attached to the grill so it won t come off due to excess wind or rain. Grills are often forgotten about during the off season. If the outdoor grill cover comes off, it is likely to go unnoticed. When the next grilling season comes, you ll probably discover your grill is weather beaten. I believe this is the primary way a grill s life gets shortened.
In summary, to protect your purchase, keep all the outdoor grill parts well maintained. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Nobody wants to see you cooking on a shabby old grill next year.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")