The days are getting warmer and you're about to dust off your BBQ from last year for a feast in the garden, or alternatively, you've spent all day and evening barbecuing- rustling up some tasty food for your loved ones - but now the night is over and all that remains is a dirty barbecue that needs cleaning.

Whatever scenario you find yourself in, we know you want the best ways to remove all the grease and grime so the BBQ sparkles again. Luckily for you, whether you have a freestanding BBQ or a mini portable one, we've compiled a list of clever cleaning hacks you can follow, promising a sparkling grill and clean BBQ in no time.

1. Steam Clean

If you've been using your BBQ all day and you've finally finished cooking the delicious food, once it has started to cool down, cover the grill with water-soaked newspaper and close the lid. Leave it for 20 to 30 minutes, to give it a good steam clean. Then wipe down. If there is still debris and grease after doing this, try the other tricks below (we recommend 2 and 3).

2. Use an Onion

While there’s still some heat in your BBQ, attach an onion to a fork and rub over the hot bars. The water in the onion steam cleans them and removes any stubborn, stuck-on food.

3. Vinegar Wash

For stubborn burnt-on food and grease, we recommend mixing 500ml of vinegar and the same amount of water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the grill and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. Empty the bottle, refill with just vinegar, spray on and then scrub to clean the BBQ.

4. Use the Dishwasher

Depending on the size of your BBQ, you should be able to remove the hotplates and fit them nicely into the dishwasher. Set it to a pot wash cycle and they should come out as new. Again, try to clean them whilst warm to get the best results (warm not hot... we don't want any injuries now do we?).

5. Clean With Some Beer

This trick involves good ol' newspaper again and some beer you don't mind using to make a cleaning solution for your BBQ. All you have to do is pour half a bottle of beer onto a warm (not hot) grill and scrub with some old newspaper or a wire brush if you have one. In just a few minutes, your BBQ will be sparkling again.

6. Baking Soda Solution

We love cleaning with baking soda. Most homes already have it in the cupboards and the results are unquestionable. To use baking soda in cleaning your BBQ, simply sprinkle some on the grill and dissolve with some water. Then use a clean sponge with a scourer to scrub until all the baking soda and food debris is gone and the grill is left sparkling.

7. Dispose of Fat & Oil Correctly

Yes, there are certain ways to dispose of things like meat fats and oils that accumulate during the time you use your BBQ. You must scrape fats, oils and grease that have cooled into some newspaper before binning them. Do not throw fats and oils down the sink! It's a good idea to keep a ‘fat trap’ or container in the kitchen to collect waste fats, oils and grease. You may also want to mix cooking oil with absorbent materials such as cat litter or coffee grounds, and then throw it away in the bin.

8. Scrub & Clean the Outside

Once the inside of your BBQ is clean, don’t forget to give the outside a once over. All you have to do is use some hot soapy water and a little elbow grease to see your BBQ sparkle again.

9. Then Heat It Up Again

When you’re finished cleaning the inside and outside of your BBQ, make sure you heat it up for around 15 to 30 minutes. This will ensure any residual from your cleaning session is burnt off and won’t compromise food taste when you next use it.

Or get a professional cleaning service to do the job for you

Our Crystal Oven Cleaning specialists are fully equipped to put the sparkle back into your beloved BBQ, in time for the summer/ garden parties. Our customers rate us 5* and are delighted by the results we can achieve... so why not treat yourself to a professional BBQ clean. Simply give us a call on 01832 730404 for more information or book in for a clean HERE.