Tips for Cleaning a Pellet Grill

As a professional BBQ competitor and certified judge, I’m always looking at what other teams are doing, what equipment they choose, and what winning teams do differently.

Many teams use pellet grills, like a Traeger, because of how easy they are to use and how well they impart delicious smoke flavor on food. The president of the largest BBQ organization in the world, the Kansas City BBQ Society, uses pellet grills. His team name is Pellet Envy!

Like any tool, the better you take care of your pellet grill, the longer it will last, and the better it will work. If you don’t clean it after every few cooks, it may not work properly, and your food could taste like dirty smoke. I call that going from Grill Hero to Grill Zero!

Supplies Needed To Clean a Pellet Grill

• Shop vacuum (I use a cordless version, but they all work well);
• Grill cleaner;
• Paper towels;
• Scraping tool;
• Grill brush (I highly recommend non-metal).

Use a Brush To Scrape the Grates

Start by taking the brush and scraping off the grates. Ideally, you’ll brush the grates while they’re still hot after a cook, but you can also heat up the grill just for cleaning. All grill brushes work well, except metal brushes. If a piece of metal wire comes off and gets in your food, that can be really dangerous.

Wait Until the Grill Cools Down

After brushing the grates, turn the grill off, leave the lid open and let it cool down.

Take Out the Removable Parts Inside the Grill

Pellet grills have removable parts to make cleaning easier. Take out these pieces, including the cover to the burn pot. Take a photo of where everything is and how each part is installed.

Scrape the Inner Walls

Use a scraper on the sides and inner lid to remove stuck-on chunks of soot and food. Don’t scrape so hard that you scratch it, though. Simply dislodge anything that isn’t already laying loose at the bottom of the grill.

Vacuum Out the Inside

With a shop vacuum, suck up as much dust and soot as you can, including inside the burn pot. You’ll never get it all so don’t expect your grill to look brand new.

Spray Down the Inside

Spray the inside with a grill cleaner and wipe it down with paper towels. Again, you’re never going to get it all, but wipe off as much as you can. It’s crucial you use a grill cleaner, not any other household product. You don’t want chemicals affecting your grilled food.

Make sure you spray and clean the internal thermometer probe really well. If there’s too much buildup on the thermometer, the sensor could register an inaccurate reading, changing how your grill cooks.

Put All the Parts Back Inside

Re-install all the parts properly, including the burn pot cover. Let the photo you took earlier be your guide.

Before You Cook Again, Heat Up Your Grill

Before your next cook, let your grill run hot at 250 degrees or higher for at least 15 minutes to burn off any cleaning chemicals left behind.

This deep cleaning method takes about 15 minutes once you’ve done it a few times. The extra TLC for your pellet grill will keep the food tasting great for years to come!

Final Note: Keep Your Pellet Grill Dry

Never let unused pellets get wet, because they’ll expand and jam up your grill. Never spray down your pellet grill with a hose. It won’t get it as clean as you want, and you might inadvertently spray the pellets. Plus, wet dust and soot inside a grill can turn into a hard-to-remove paste.