I was in for a big surprise this morning when I opened my grill after 8 months and found this fuzzy coating on the surface—Ewww grill mold.
Regardless of whether you have a fancy smoker, charcoal, or gas grill, the onset of mold is inevitable if the grill is not stored properly.
So, the big question is can you burn the mold on a grill, and if not, how to get mold off a grill before grilling.
Since all grills can reach pretty high temperatures, you can leverage that heat to burn the mold on your grill. However, there are a few steps to take to do the process properly.
Table of Contents
What Exactly is Mold on a Grill?
If you haven’t been grilling often, then you can expect to find your grill grates plagued with mold when you open the lid.
Mold is actually a type of fungi that grows in damp areas and areas with high levels of humidity levels. There are many different types, colors, and textures of mold, some of which can be harmful to the human body.
Mold can grow in your grill even if you seal your grill tight during periods of non-use. If you open your grill and notice fuzzy green or white threads, then great chances are that you’ve got a case of mold to deal with.
How to Burn Mold of a Grill?
Before revealing the steps to clean the mold of a grill, let’s take care of something important first.
Safety Precautions:
Anytime when removing mold from any type of grill, you need to protect your eyes, lungs, and skin from mold, mold spores, and the cleaning products you use.
- Dust mask
- Safety goggles
- A long-sleeved shirt
- Long pants and shoes
How to Get Mold off a Gas or Propane Grill?
If it’s a windy day, turn the grill around in a way that the wind is at your back so that any mold spores and fumes blow in the other direction and away from your face.
- Fire up the grill, and turn it to its highest heat setting.
- Keep the grill lit at its highest setting for roughly 15 minutes to kill the mold and its spores.
- Turn the grill off and allow it to cool, after which remove the grates and other movable interior parts, and clean the interior of the grill thoroughly with a BBQ grill cleaner
- Next, spray the parts of the grill with the grill spray, and let it rest for 5 minutes before wiping them thoroughly with a dry paper towel or cloth.
- Reassemble the grill, turn it on to its highest heat setting and let it run for 15 minutes to kill off any leftover mold, debris, and bacteria.
How to Remove Mold from a Charcoal Grill?
With charcoal grills, the process of getting rid of mold is a bit different than propane or gas grills, where you have to remove any old charcoal from the grill, follow the cleaning steps above, and place a small amount of charcoal, and light it to kill any lingering mold.
How Long Does It Take to Burn Mold on a Grill?
Well, the answer depends on how dirty the grill is, but the process of eliminating mold should take roughly an hour.
By burning mold on a grill, you are ideally also thoroughly cleaning your grill, which is something you don’t have to do each time you use it.
What Temperature Kills Mold on Grill?
Molds cannot survive in temperatures above 140-degrees Fahrenheit. The highest heat setting of your grill provides this high temperature, but you can use a grill thermometer to ensure that this temperature is reached.
Can Mold Make You Sick?
Whether it’s the fuzzy threads on your grill or the slimy black spots on your shower curtain, any household mold can make you sick, especially if you have allergies or asthma.
Mold on your grill can be green, orange, white, or even purple, and regardless of the color can make you sick when ingested through your food.
How to Prevent Mold on Grill?
Mold is caused by excess moisture that doesn’t dry completely. The interior of your grill isn’t the only area where mold can develop, but your grill cover can also trap moisture underneath, and become a breeding ground for mold.
Even though mold is harmless in small amounts, I really don’t like the idea of eating food with the slightest string of mold.
If you ingest mold, there are two things that can happen—your food will taste horrible and at worst will make you sick.
They say that prevention is better than cure, and there are several ways to prevent mold from calling your grill home.
The first thing to check is your grill cover. If the cover feels damp and smells funny, then turn it inside out, and clean it with warm water and bleach. Let it dry completely before placing it back on the grill.
If you don’t have a grill cover, you can store your grill indoors in a well-ventilated area like a garage or shed.
Another great way to prevent mold on your grill is by heating your grill after you’re finished cooking for roughly 15 minutes. This will burn off the leftover food, grease and debris, and dissuade any mold spores from your grill.
Final Thoughts
If you find mold on your grill, there’s no reason to break a sweat just yet because there are several ways to get rid of the wave threads.
The process of cleaning mold varies slightly across different types of grills but commonly entails cleaning the grill including the interior and exterior parts, and then heating your grill on its highest setting twice for 15 minutes each time.
If you’ve left your grill unattended for a long time, the chances of mold growing on your grill are inevitable.
Cleaning the mold on your grill shouldn’t take more than an hour, but could be longer depending on the size of your grill, and the level of infestation.
