The Ultimate Guide for Cleaning a Rusty Flat Top Grill

Last Updated on November 12, 2021

Cooking on a flat top grill is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy your food. But, there’s always that moment when you find out it needs a good cleaning before you can start cooking again. In this article, we will show you how to remove rust from flat top grills so that they are ready for another round of tasty meals!

Assessing the Damage

The first step to cleaning a flat top grill is figuring out how much rust there actually is. This will help you determine what tools and solvents need to be used, as well as the time it should take.

What do I need to get started?

There are a few supplies you will need before getting started. You’ll want to make sure that you have enough time, since flat top grill rust removal can take up to an hour or more depending on severity and tools used. Here’s what we recommend:

• -Safety glasses/goggles – the chemicals involved in flat top grill rust removal can irritate your eyes
• A flat top grill brush with a long handle – these have bristles that are made to get into all of the crevices on flat top grills and rust removal will do just that!
• Plastic putty knife or scraper – you’ll want something sturdy for this project, so make sure it’s not flimsy or you’ll risk scratching the flat top grill
• Metal wire brush – this will come in handy for rust removal, but should be used with extreme caution. It can damage the flat top grill if used improperly
• Scouring pad (for serious cases of rust) – these are very rough and work well to get rid of rust, but can damage flat top grills
• Safety gloves – if you’re working with a wire brush or scouring pad, these are especially important. They’ll protect your hands from any abrasions should they get caught on the flat top grill while using it. Make sure to wear them at all times during this project!
• WD40 or any other rust-removal spray – this will help with flat top grill rust removal, but you can also use a degreaser if preferred
• A towel and some rags – flat top grills are greasy so make sure to have something on hand that’s non-stick

Beginning the Work

If the flat top grill is only slightly rusted, then this process should take about 30 minutes or less. You will want to start by spraying the flat top grill with WD40 and letting it sit for a few minutes. Next, use your flat top grill brush to scrub away any rust that you can see on the flat surface of the grill grates. You can also use a flat top grill scraper or putty knife to get in the crevices. If your flat top grill is badly rusted, then this process could take an hour or more depending on how much rust there is.

Working with Wire Brushes (Extreme Caution)

If you find that flat top grills are too rusted to simply scrape off, then it may be necessary to use a wire brush. In this case, you’ll want to proceed with extreme caution. You should wear safety glasses and gloves for protection from any abrasions that the flat top grill might cause while using the tool on them. Also remember that flat top grills can rust easily, so you don’t want to damage them by using a wire brush that is too rough.

Preventing Rust

Once flat top grill rust removal is complete, you’ll need to work on preventing future oxidation. It’s a good idea to coat the flat top grills with cooking oil while they’re still warm, which will prevent rust from forming in this area again for about a month or two at least. You can also spray WD40 onto flat top grills after each use to prevent oxidation.

Cleaning flat top grills is a tedious process, but these tips will help! Once you’ve finished flat top grill rust removal and prevention steps, it’ll be time for cooking delicious food on them again!

In Conclusion

If this flat top grill cleaning project was successful, then your flat top grills should now be rust-free and ready for delicious meals! This method can also work for gas flat top grills, but make sure to wear gloves when using the flat top grill brush and wire brush. Try this project today to get rid of flat top grills rust for good!