Having a barbecue grill can be a great luxury, especially during the summer when barbecues colorado and grilled food tastes best.

However, one mistake that many grill owners make is failing to keep their grills clean; as a result, the grills may end up needing to be replaced or repaired prematurely. Fortunately, by following just a few simple guidelines, grill owners can keep their grills operating efficiently and safety for many years to come.

DO Clean Grates After Every Use Every single time a grill is used, the grates need to be cleaned once the grill has been shut off and cooled down. This is the one cleaning task that needs to be done every single time, and it's not like it requires any more work than cleaning a stove top after cooking in the house. For best results, use a grill brush to scrape away food particles and wipe down grates with a cleansing wipe. DON'T Ignore Grease Build-Up Even with regular grate cleaning, there are bound to be some food particles, grease, and other buildup underneath the grates that will need to be cleaned out from time to time. The best way to do this is to remove the grates and clean the metal or ceramic pieces underneath them every few uses. This will help keep the grill working properly and will reduce fire hazards.

DO Buy a Cleaner Designed for Stainless Steel Many barbecue grills these days are made of at least some stainless steel, but not all cleaners are safe on this material. Therefore, for those who own stainless steel grills, it's a good idea to invest in a cleaner that's specifically designed for use on these kinds of surfaces. This will help prevent damage to the grill's exterior and keep it looking like new.

DON'T Mistake "Clean" Knobs for a Self-Cleaner Finally, while many gas grills have a setting on the knobs that reads "clean," it's important to understand that these settings don't actually clean the grill. In reality, the "clean" setting is meant to be turned on before the grill is pre-heated as a means of burning off any chemicals or debris that may have gathered on the surface of the grill grates since its last use. Following these tips for cleaning a gas grill will be sure to prolong the life of the grill and keep people safe in the process.