No Wire Brushes! Clean Your Grill With A Cheap, Easy Hack Instead

In my best Joan impression from the movie Mommie Dearest, I shout from the rooftops,

"NO. WIRE. BRUSHES. EVARRRRRRR!"

Wow. I forgot how crazy that clip is. Yikes!

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No Wire Brushes Ever

Now, I'm not going to clobber you over the head with a wire bristle grill brush, but if you're still using one, you're playing with fire. And not just from the charcoal you'll use to cook up your delicious grub. By now, you may know someone who has experienced the agony of accidentally swallowing a stray shard of metal.

A couple of years ago, Owensboro man, Casey Taylor, shared his cautionary tale, and bless his heart, it was awful! He was at a friend's house eating burgers when he took a bite and instantly knew something was wrong. As he swallowed, a sharp barb embedded itself in his throat.

Wire Grill Brush Sends Man to Emergency Room

It had come loose from a metal brush and was picked up by a hamburger patty as it cooked on the grill. Luckily, they got straight to a hospital where the little bugger was spotted in an X-ray and surgically removed. However, the whole situation could have been avoided in the first place.

I think about this story every time I eat at a cookout now. I've even asked people how they clean their grill just to make sure. Tiny metal shards are a horrible topping for a burger. If you want to avoid a trip to the ER, try this cheap and easy hack instead. You'll probably already have one handy because it IS a GREAT topping for a burger.

Using an Onion to Clean a Grill

Now, this is not going to get your grill spotless, but it will work and, most importantly, be safe. Take an onion of your choice and cut it in half. Stick a long grill fork in the onion half and rub the grill grate with the cut/flat side down. Make sure the grill is still hot. This will remove any crusty food bits still left after cooking. This is perfect for in-between use throughout the grilling season.

You don't have to toss the wire bristle brush completely. Here is a great video showing how one can be used to deep clean the grill at the end of the Summer/Fall or when you don't think you'll be using it for a while.

The key is making sure to rinse everything off at the end. That way, there won't be any risk of a wire bristle hanging on. Do you have any outdoor cooking or grill hacks you'd like to share? Send me a message on AppChat!

Happy Grilling!