How To Clean Rust Off Blackstone Grill

Devon Ferguson

Last Updated On: July 24, 2021

Have you upped your cooking game and gotten a griddle? This cooking surface is perfect for making anything from scrambled eggs to hamburgers.

Our team of grillers have a combined twenty years of experience with both grills and griddles and know how to keep it in tip top shape.

Leaving a Blackstone grill uncleaned will lead to rust and other major issues. However, cleaning is easy, especially when you follow our tips.

What is a Blackstone Griddle?

A Blackstone griddle

A blackstone griddle surface is flat and smooth, which makes it perfect for cooking breakfast foods or using instead of a frying pan.

Cook yourself up some eggs, quesadillas, pancakes, or home fries. Blackstone grills are some of the best.

You'll find a variety of griddles ranging from stovetop to electric, all of which are rectangular.

The unique shape of the griddle gives you more cooking space than a typical round pan [1].

Buy yourself a small griddle that fits enough food for two or a large one that can fit an entire multi-family meal on the entire surface.

Outdoor griddles are powered by a propane tank, while the indoor variety are typically electric.

Both options are great, it just depends on preference. Do you want to use your Blackstone grill for outdoor grilling or cooking breakfast?

Read More: Blackstone Griddle Problems & How to Fix Them

How Often Should the Griddle be Cleaned?

Cleaning and seasoning any griddle and especially a Blackstone griddle is important. An initial clean removes any dust or grime that remains after the manufacturing process.

We highly recommend cleaning any cooking utensil or surface before using it.

Then, once you've used your Blackstone griddle, it's recommended you clean and season the surface after each use.

What You'll Need

A bucket, microfiber towels, brush and other cleaning materials

There are a couple of must-have items you'll need to properly clean your griddle. The first being your big tools which include:

A bucket
Microfiber towels
Scouring pad or brush
Metal spatula or scraper
Pumice grill stone

We'll go into more depth about the why behind each item in our guide below. But you'll also need some cleaning products to make this process work which are:

Cooking oil or Vegetable oil
Dishwashing liquid
Paper towel
Heat Resistant gloves

4 Steps to Cleaning a Brand New Griddle

After you've assembled your Blackstone griddle, it's time to clean it for the first time. Make sure that the griddle plate isn't warm before beginning.

1st Step: Mix the Cleaning Solution - First, fill up the bucket with hot water, then add some squirts of a dishwashing liquid before stirring well. This makes good soapy water.
2nd Step: Scrub, Scrub, Scrub - Dip the microfiber towel in the above cleaning solution and wring it out. Scrub all parts of the griddle and continue to rinse the towel in the cleaning solution, so everything part of the grill gets properly cleaned.
3rd Step: Rinse and Dry - Now, dump the bucket and refill it with new warm water. Grab your microfiber towel and wipe away any soap. Then grab some paper towels and dry the griddle. Make sure the entire surface is dry before seasoning it.
4th Step: Season the Surface - Coat the grill with roughly three tablespoons of cooking oil by spreading it around with a paper towel. Next, turn up the heat until the oil smokes then turn off the burners.

Let the griddle cool completely down before doing the step two more times.

How to Clean Blackstone Griddle After Cooking

Two hands cleaning a griddle

Now that your Blackstone griddle has a protective layer of cooking grease, it's ready to be used.

Cook up your hash browns and enjoy. About an hour after using, you'll want to clean your griddle following these steps.

1st Step: Clean a Blackstone Griddle When Cool - The griddle top needs to be completely cold before cleaning.
2nd Step: Remove Food Particles - Use a metal scraper or spatula to remove food and juices from the surface of the griddle. Always scrape towards the drip pan, then use paper towels to clean the grease and oil.
3rd Step: Scrub - Spray with hot water and wipe any off that's left. Don't use a wire brush as this could leave behind pieces of metal that could rust. Remove excess water off the flat top.
4th Step: Season Your Griddle - Once the grill is dry, wipe a layer of oil over the surface until it's completely covered.

How to Clean Rust Off Blackstone Griddle

A rusty griddle and a new one

It is never too late to remove rust. However, it's going to take some elbow grease and a bit of time to do an excellent job.

Rust is caused by the metal being exposed to oxygen and moisture and will take some effort to come off [2].

1st Step: Heat Your Blackstone Griddle - Unlike before, you want to clean a griddle top when it's hot. So make sure you wear some heat-protective gloves before starting. Turn the grill on high heat and leave it on the entire time.
2nd Step: Scrape, Scrape, Scrape - Griddle rust can be removed by using a scraper or steel wool. Keep the top dry and just scrape away.
3rd Step: Cool and Wipe - Turn off the grill and let it chill completely. Use a towel to remove rust that has come loose.
4th Step: Oil and Scrub - Apply oil, in particular a thin layer of oil, and scour the non-stick surface. If there is rust left, repeat this process until completely clean.
5th Step: Season the Surface - Once the rust is gone, season a Blackstone griddle with some fresh oil and store it in a cool place.

Can You Easily Clean a Blackstone Griddle?

Yes, a flat top grill or griddle is easy to clean even if it has built up residue and rust. Follow our few simple steps, and you'll have a dirt-free, non-rusting griddle ready for a bbq.

Here are a few things to remember:

Prevent rust by adding a protective coating to the griddle.
You can purchase a Blackstone accessory toolkit to make the process easy
Make sure to wash and allow the top to dry completely to avoid rust

References:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/griddle-versus-grill-1907968
https://www.cslsilicones.com/en/about/blog/item/what-causes-corrosion.html

Devon enjoys barbecuing during his weekends. He also loves to edit and review content and talk about his passion for cooking and traveling. Devon loves to travel around the globe and taste new meat dishes wherever he goes.