Simon Kadula/Shutterstock
Grilling is a great way to prepare food but can leave behind a lot of greases and caked-on residue that seems impossible to scrape off. That's when you have to bring out the cleaning supplies to show that crusty mess who's boss and return your grill to looking shiny and new. But which cleaning items work best for making your grill sparkle?
Sprays
Grill Cleaner Spray by Weber Cleaners
This cleaning spray is Amazon's pick as the best of the best, with 72 percent fewer returns than competing grill sprays. All you have to do is spray it on the dirty grill, wait a minute or two and easily wipe it (and the old grease) off the grill with a paper towel. There is no scrubber required, and it's not just for grills -- the product can also be used to clean microwaves, ovens and smokers.
Buy it on Amazon for $10.95.
BBQ Grill and Grate Cleanser by Citrusafe
This cleaning spray uses a citrus-based degreaser to remove caked-on crusty grease from your grill, oven, microwave and smoker. It's non-flammable, non-toxic, non-corrosive and biodegradable. And with over 400 reviews and a 4-star average rating, it works well in most cases.
Buy it on Amazon for $9.99.
Easy-Off Professional Oven and Grill Cleaner
This spray is ideal for spot cleaning grease and spills. Just spray, wait five minutes and wipe. If you leave the spray on for longer (some customers choose to let it soak for a few hours or even overnight), even the toughest of baked-on grease spots will come off with an effortless wipe of a paper towel -- no brush needed.
Buy it on Amazon for $5.98.
Brushes And Scrapers
Barbecue Cleaning Brush with Wire Bristles
This best seller is one of the top products on Amazon, and is essentially three grill brushes in one. The high-quality bristles remove grease and food from grills effortlessly without scratching the surface of any grill. Even the most crusted-on grease won't stand a chance. With a solid 5-star rating and nearly 1,000 customer reviews, this could be the grill brush of your dreams.
Buy it on Amazon for $11.99.
Grill Daddy Pro Grill Brush
This brush has a built-in steam cleaner to effortlessly clean remaining grease and char from your grill without using chemicals. The brush sterilizes your grill as it cleans and the body and water mechanism comes with a lifetime warranty, so it's built to last. The brushes themselves can also last for years.
Buy it on Amazon for $17.99.
Bristle Free Barbecue Grill Brush
Bristles can be a hassle -- after all, they can fall off into your grill and wind up in your food. This bristle-free brush is the answer to pesky fall-offs. For the best cleaning results, you have to repeatedly dip the brush into water and rub on the warm grill to create a steam-cleaning effect. This process can be a bit tedious, but with a nearly 5-star rating and over 1,000 reviews, it clearly works.
Buy it on Amazon for $19.95.
Kona 360 Clean Grill Brush
This brush is also made from stainless steel bristles and comes with a five-year guarantee, so you can try it out without taking any risks. It's lightweight, has a three-brush-in-one design and, when dipped in water and scrubbed onto a warm grill, produces a cleansing steaming effect to remove residue from any type of grill. Despite the steel bristles, this brush can be used with any type of grill and not damage or scratch it.
Buy it on Amazon for $16.95.
Wood BBQ Cleaning Grilling Accessory
For grillers on the go, this wooden scraper is small but tough. It's perfect to use for tailgating or camping and scraping grease off of mini portable grills. The paddles come in different sizes (from "nub" to "shovel") so you can choose which one best matches your grilling needs, and it removes grease without bristles or harmful chemicals.
Buy it on Amazon for $24.99.