Rust on Weber Grill Grates

Weber grills are extremely durable and last for a long time. No wonder, Weber has become a household name because their grills continue to perform from generation to generation.

But that doesn’t mean these grills don’t need proper handling and utilization. With appropriate care and maintenance, you can get the most out of your investment.

In this guide, we will list down some tips for you to get rid of annoying rust from Weber grill grates. You will only have to perform a few steps and your grill will be as good as new.

Keep on reading to see how you can get those grills clean and safe for hygienic cooking.

The grates on your Weber grill begin to rust if you leave it outside. And based on that you might have to carry out some deep cleaning procedures due to the amount of exposure your grills receive.

The longer you allow burnt food to stay on those grates, the tougher they will become to clean. There are different cleaning methods based on the materials that are used to make the grates. Most grill grates are made of stainless steel or some other type of metal. And people use the stiffest wire brushes to clean them right after cooking. It is a very effective method to get that rust off but it will also spoil the finish grates have on them. Therefore, you need to use subtle cleaning methods.

Following is the list of procedures you can execute and use all of them in the same hierarchy until the rust is entirely gone.

Don’t go with a toxic substance straight away as it may leave a hazardous impact on your food and health. Salt and vinegar are both edible and effective cleaning agents. Take a bowl and mix one cup of salt into a couple of cups of vinegar. Then take a large garbage sack and place your grates into it. Pour the salt and vinegar solution into this sack and tie it well. Lay this sack on flat ground and allow the grates to soak in the solution overnight. Take an old rag and wipe off the rust where salt and vinegar are acting as mild abrasive agents to get rid of the rust.

You have to season your grates just like an iron skillet. The more you use them for cooking the less meat will stick on them. You can use vegetable oil to prevent rust development by lubricating the grates with the oil after each use. Make sure not to use aerosol cans of vegetable oil as it may explode near flames.

Commercial rust removers generally work pretty well but they also have toxic substances in them. Therefore, you need to go for a commercial remover that specializes in cleaning rusty grill grates to prevent any toxication.

Take a soft brush and remove the rust from your grill grates as much as possible. Now put your grates back in and sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over it. Turn your grill on and see the baking soda bubbling and getting rid of the rust. You may now turn the grill off and allow it to cool down. Take your soft brush and clean the grates.

Using a wire brush to clean your grill grates and remove rust is probably the fastest method of cleaning the rust. But you need to do it right or you will spoil the finish from your grates as well. Take the grates off and place them flat on a concrete surface.

Start cleaning them with your wire brush and flip the grates to brush the other side. Now stand these grates on one side and brush them within the metal rungs. Wipe off any residue from the grates with the help of an old rag and season them with vegetable oil as we have mentioned above.

Take some sandpaper and wrap it around each of those metal rungs of your rusty grate. Rub it up and down firmly. It will get rid of the rust effectively, but make sure you are careful in the process as it might also scratch the surface of your grate.

Grates made of porcelain can hold heat pretty well and are resistant to rust. But you will have to keep them clean and well-maintained. Any kind of scratches will expose the metal inside and your grates will start to rust.

Therefore, use your metal tools carefully on these grates. To get your porcelain grill grates clean you need to use baking soda as illustrated above. It is the most effective result removal technique for porcelain grates.

You can use baking soda and vinegar for removing rust from your cast iron grill grates.

But if you are looking for something stronger, go for kosher salt and make a thick paste with water. Apply this paste on those rusty areas of grates and brush them with steel to scrub the rust away.

You need to know the difference between cleaning your grates to use and replace them entirely. Weber grill grates need to be substituted once at least over the life of your grill. These cast-iron grates can corrode beyond repair and porcelain grates can chip or scratch.

To get the most out of your Weber grill you need to properly take care of it, so start doing it from day one. Some grills need to be seasoned before the first use. But Weber has simplified this process as you don’t have to season it before. These grill grates have porcelain coating on them. The only thing you need to do before your first use is to preheat the grill and brush the grates with its bristles.

The grill grates need your attention and care and will perform well for a long time. Some grills need some seasoning and re-seasoning before and after each use. Weber uses porcelain coating on its grates, so you don’t have to go through a lot before and after use. But there are times when you forget about your grills left out in the open in the winters. And for those times you need to get rid of any rust the grill has on it for safe and secure cooking. There are various methods you can try.

You need to keep in mind the longer you have left your grill alone the harder it will be for you to get it all cleaned up. Therefore, be patient and use gentle cleaning procedures. And don’t go for any cleaning substances that have toxic substances. Your grill will last longer and you will be able to derive more value out of your investment.