How to Clean Your Blackstone Griddle (Full Cleaning Guide)

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Whether you’re searing a steak, frying up some stir-fry, or making pancakes, Blackstone griddles are the perfect outdoor cooking tool.

Now, after you’ve taken out your deliciously cooked food, you’re left with a sticky or crummy mess on the griddle.

This leaves you wondering how to clean a Blackstone griddle. Luckily, the process is simple where, in most cases, you’ll just need paper towels, a scraper, and some good ol’ elbow grease.

Stick around to learn more about how to clean a Blackstone griddle and more.

What to Clean Blackstone Griddle With

Before you get to cleaning, you’ll have to prep some tools at hand. The good news is that most of these cleaning tools are probably already at your disposal.

The supplies you’ll be using largely depend on the condition of the Blackstone griddle. There are usually three main conditions to consider.

If your Blackstone griddle is new, then you’ll want to prepare these tools

• Bucket
• Microfiber towel
• Dishwashing Liquid

In most cases, you’ll be cleaning your Blackstone griddle after each use. Here are the supplies needed then:

• Metal Scraper
• Paper Towels
• Non-Metallic Scrubber

You might have a rusty Blackstone griddle after neglecting it for a while. In which case, you may want to get these cleaning supplies.

• Metal Scraper
• Grill Stone
• Paper Towels
• Heat-Resistant Gloves
• Seasoning Oil

While these cleaning supplies are useful, you can also opt for a Blackstone cleaning kit. It provides specialized tools and instruction on how to clean the griddle.

After cleaning your Blackstone griddle by using these supplies, you can’t forget to season the surface. It’ll help prevent any further rusting.

There is a wide variety of seasoning oils you can choose from such as grapeseed, vegetable, and avocado oil.

How to Clean a Blackstone Griddle You Just Bought

Just because the Blackstone griddle you got is new, doesn’t mean you can slap on some burgers right away. You need to make sure it’s clean from any manufacturing germs.

Here are the steps to clean a new Blackstone griddle.

Step 1: Prepare a Cleaning Solution

You need to begin by prepping a cleaning solution to get rid of any bacteria on the Blackstone griddle.

You’ll want to grab a bucket and fill it with hot or room temperature water along with a few spurts of dishwashing liquid. Then, mix the solution well until you see a bubbly top form.

Step 2: Wipe the Griddle

Next, pick up a microfiber towel and submerge it in the cleaning solution. As you take it out, wring it out as hard as you can to get rid of any excess water.

Remember, you don’t want to completely soak the griddle’s surface. Afterward, just wipe the entire surface of the Blackstone griddle.

Make sure to cover every nook and cranny to get a thorough clean. Also, keep in mind that you need to dip the microfiber towel often to ensure a more sterilized clean.

Step 3: Wash the Griddle

After wiping the griddle with soapy water, it’s time to rinse all the suds out. Start by unloading the bucket and reloading it with hot or lukewarm water.

With your new bucket beside the griddle, plunge a clean microfiber towel and rinse the top. Take care to remove all the soapy water.

Step 4: Dry the Griddle

You should now be left with a wet, sud-less Blackstone griddle. All that’s left to do is fully dry it. You can use a dry microfiber towel and then leave the top to air-dry.

Keeping it dry will ensure a safe seasoning process. After all, water and oil don’t mix, so you wouldn’t want the oil splattering all over you when coating it on the griddle.

How to Clean a Blackstone Griddle You Just Used

You just used the Blackstone griddle to sear some salmon and now it’s time to give it a good clean. The best part is that the process barely takes more than five minutes.

Without further ado, here’s how to clean a Blackstone griddle after using it.

Step 1: Scrape the Food Residue

First off, you want to start with a hot surface. This cleaning process would be perfect to do right after you remove your last food piece.

Next, grab your metal scraper and scuff off all the food particles you see. If you’re grilling an easy-to-clean meal like cheese sandwiches, then you can proceed to the next step.

On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a saucy, sticky meal, then you’ll have to do an extra step. Add a squirt of water to dilute the thick surface residue and scrape it off after.

Step 2: Wipe the Surface

With all the food residue gone, you now need to get a bunch of paper towels and get to wiping. You can optionally wear heat-resistant gloves to prevent any accidental burns.

The Blackstone griddle should be free from any moisture and crumbs for the next step.

Step 3: Season the Griddle

Finally, it’s seasoning time. Get your pick of seasoning oil, it could be coconut, peanut, or olive oil.

With a squeeze bottle of oil in hand, generously drizzle the griddle. Afterward, wipe it with a paper towel to cover the whole surface area.

Step 4: Clean the Rest of the Griddle

Just because you wiped the cooking top, doesn’t mean the whole machine is clean. Accordingly, you’ll need to get a microfiber towel along with a spray bottle filled with a disinfectant.

Then, wipe down all the remaining surfaces. On top of that, you also need to clean the Blackstone griddle burners.

They’re responsible for heating the griddle’s top. If you’ve left them for a while without cleaning them, you’ll likely see them encased in grease buildup.

To de-grease the burners, expose them by unlatching them from the griddle top. Next, leave them to soak in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes.

Next, use a sponge to scrub off the oily sheen on the burners. Lastly, towel-dry and keep them out for a bit, before latching them back inside the Blackstone griddle.

How to Clean a Rusted Blackstone Griddle

Has it been a while since you last used your Blackstone griddle? Chances are, it’s probably covered in rust and needs a thorough clean.

Fortunately, there are a couple of methods you can remove rust from your griddle. Check out our step-by-step guide below on how to clean a rusted Blackstone griddle.

Step 1: Prep the Griddle

Using heat is an effective method for general rust removal. This is why you want to start by turning up the heat on the Blackstone griddle.

Subsequently, leave the griddle on high heat for about 20 minutes then turn it off. This’ll allow it to cool down a bit before you begin the next step.

Step 2: Scrape the Rust Off

Before you go anywhere near the griddle, keep your heat-protective gloves on. Next, grab your handy metal scraper and remove all the broken-down, surface-level rust.

Try to keep your scraping uniform so you cover the whole top.

Step 3: Scrub the Griddle

Now that the top is looking a bit less rust-orange, get the oil squeeze bottle and throw in a few spurts.

Afterward, grab your grill stone and get to scrubbing the Blackstone griddle. Alternatively, you can use sandpaper or steel wool.

Step 4: Wipe the Griddle

Closely examine the surface for any excess oil and wipe it off with some paper towels. You can then season the griddle while you’re at it to avoid any future rusting.

If the Blackstone griddle’s rust condition is severe, then you might have to go in for a few more scrubs and wipes.

To prevent further rusting, keep the griddle in a dry area. If you’re not using it often, then make sure to regularly check up on its condition.

Do I Need to Clean My Blackstone Griddle After Cooking?

After you’re done grilling your quesadillas or crab cakes, you need to clean the Blackstone griddle immediately.

Cleaning it while it’s hot is usually preferred because it’ll make the cleaning process much smoother. You can loosen the food pieces and get rid of any stickiness at a faster rate.

Otherwise, you can also clean the griddle after it has cooled down. We get it, you may be worried about burning your hands. Either way, you need to clean the Blackstone griddle after cooking.

How Often Should I Clean My Blackstone Griddle?

Having a good cleaning routine for your Blackstone griddle can do wonders for its longevity. The first thing you’ll want to think about is how often you’ll clean the Blackstone griddle.

We highly recommend cleaning and seasoning the griddle after every use. Think about it this way; you’re done grilling a few burger patties with cheese on top.

Are you going to leave all that greasy residue to harden and become tougher to clean later? We hope not.

That being said, the seasoning process after cleaning is crucial. If you don’t complete it, you’re risking a rusty surface for the next use.

Can You Clean a Blackstone with Steel Wool?

Using an abrasive cleaning tool like steel wool may seem like a bad idea since it could scrape and form more rust on the surface. Nevertheless, it’s perfectly safe to use this tool, but there are certain conditions on when to use it.

For instance, you wouldn’t want to use steel wool for each clean. Otherwise, you’ll damage the Blackstone griddle’s top.

Instead, you want to use it if your griddle is overly rusted; so rusted that you can barely get the residue off using a metal scraper.

All in all, occasionally using steel wool to clean a Blackstone griddle should be fine.

Can You Clean a Blackstone Grill with Water?

If you’re cooking using a sugary sauce that’s bound to cause stickiness, then you could clean your Blackstone grill using water.

It’s basically like deglazing the sugary surface to make it easier to scrape off. Before you pour the water in, you just need to make sure the griddle is hot.

You can use either hot or room temperature water. Having said that, some people may feel the need to steer clear of using water on their Blackstone grill.

It could be due to worrying about rusting. Now, griddles are made of steel and iron, which are rust-prone components.

Rusting occurs when the metal surface of the griddle reacts with oxygen and water. If you correctly practice caution using water on the griddle, you wouldn’t face this issue.

All you have to do is make sure the water is completely dried out after using it. Plus, you also need to season the griddle with oil to protect it from oxidization and corrosion.

When to Clean Blackstone Griddle

There are three instances of when you should clean your Blackstone griddle. The first is when you purchase it.

This is to remove any bacteria and make sure it’s clean enough for your first yummy griddle-friend meal.

Meanwhile, in the second case, which is the most common one, you’ll have to clean the griddle after each time you cook. This is to ensure that no food particles are left behind that can eat up and ruin your griddle’s surface.

Lastly, if the Blackstone griddle is riddled with rust, it’s time to pull your sleeves up for a deep clean. This process is usually the most tasking and requires the most energy.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to clean a Blackstone griddle can provide you with more years of tasty grilled meals. Proper griddle maintenance involves following a strict cleaning routine.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t want to have rusty-flavored pancakes. By cleaning it during the initial purchase and after each use, you’re doing the best job at keeping the surface intact and rust-free.

Luckily, cleaning a Blackstone griddle will barely take up much of your time. Additionally, most of the supplies are probably already in your household.

To conclude, remember to always be safe while cleaning a hot griddle and keep any pets or children away. Happy grilling!

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