Alright, so folks have been asking how I tackle cleaning my George Foreman grill. It’s one of those kitchen gadgets, super handy for a quick meal, but then you’re left with the aftermath. I’ve had mine for, gosh, years now. Probably got it on sale, thinking it would make life easier. And it does, until it’s cleaning time.
That cooked-on gunk, especially if you’ve done burgers or something with a sticky marinade, can be a real pain. Those grill plates, with all their grooves, they just love to hold onto every last bit. If you let it sit and cool down completely, well, you’ve basically made yourself a cement-like mess. Not fun.
My Go-To Method
So, here’s what I do. It’s not revolutionary, but it works for me and saves a lot of scrubbing. The key is to do it while the grill is still warm. Not blazing hot, mind you, don’t want to sizzle your fingers. Just warm enough that the grease hasn’t solidified into a rock.
First up, I unplug the thing. Safety first, always. Then I grab a good wad of paper towels. Maybe three or four sheets. I just wipe down the plates, trying to get off as much of the loose grease and food bits as possible. You’d be surprised how much comes off right away when it’s still warm.
Now, for the slightly more stubborn stuff, here’s a little trick I picked up. I take a couple more paper towels, get them damp with hot water – not soaking wet, just good and damp. I lay these damp paper towels flat onto the grill plates, covering the dirty areas, and then I close the lid. I let it sit like that for maybe 5 to 10 minutes. The steam that builds up inside really helps to loosen everything.
After it’s had a chance to steam, I open it up. Usually, a lot of that caked-on stuff is now soft and much easier to deal with. I take out the damp paper towels (careful, they might be hot) and then go back in with fresh paper towels or a soft sponge to wipe it all down. Sometimes I’ll use that little plastic scraper that came with the grill, if I can find it. If not, a plastic spatula works too, but be gentle. You don’t want to scratch up that non-stick surface.
If it’s a particularly nasty mess, like I really let it go, I might put a tiny drop of dish soap on a damp sponge. Just a tiny bit, though. And I make sure to wipe it down thoroughly with clean, damp paper towels afterwards to get rid of any soap residue. Nobody wants their next chicken breast tasting like lemon-scented dish soap.
- Do it warm: Makes a huge difference.
- Initial wipe: Get the easy stuff off.
- Steam trick: Damp paper towels and close the lid. This is my secret weapon.
- Gentle scrubbing: Soft sponge or plastic scraper.
- Rinse (if using soap): Make sure no soap is left behind.
One thing I never do is submerge the whole grill in water. It’s an electrical appliance, folks. That’s a big no-no. And I also stay clear of anything super abrasive like steel wool or harsh scouring pads. That’ll just ruin the non-stick coating, and then everything will stick even worse next time. Defeats the whole purpose.
So yeah, that’s pretty much my routine. It’s not exactly exciting, but it gets the job done without too much fuss. Keeps the old George Foreman chugging along, ready for the next quick meal. Hope that helps someone out there!
