What to Do with Your Gas Grill in the Winter

I stood in my backyard, and even though we have acreage, you can still see the yards of neighbors on both sides. The neighbor on my left, the neighbor on my right, and my very yard as well, held a barbeque grill plain for the world to see. Normal? Yes, if the weather was warm, but it is the beginning of December, and the snow is falling to beat the band, even as I type. So, I thought it was time to write an article: “What to do with your gas grill in the winter.” The tips are good, and useful, but if you are smarter than I am, you will do these things before snow hits. Trust me, it will make life a lot easier.

Step number one: Dismantle the grill so you can really get in there and clean up. Take the small pieces inside of the house for a good scrubbing, and get a nice fat wire brush intended for grill cleaning, and get inside that shell with some hot, soapy water and a good amount of scrubbing. Rinse it down with the water hose and then make sure you dry it well. Like I said, if you do this before snow falls, you will be in good shape. Once the snow is coming down, not only will you be out in the elements to clean the grill, but depending on how cold and damp it is, drying it can prove a bit complicated as well. Still, you want to get this done because critters have been known to make camp inside of grills that smell like food and keep them out of the harsh weather.

Step number two: Move the grill to where you are going to store it. Under an awning on the deck , where it is protected from the snow and ice is a good place, if you have a nice waterproof cover to tuck it in. The garage is another good place for storage, as it will ensure the elements are not rusting out your beloved summer kitchen of sorts. If you are storing it in the garage, make sure you do a really good job of scrubbing it down and removing any semblance of food or crumbs from within.

Step number three: Find a place to store the propane gas tanks. Remember that it is not safe to store them in the garage. They need to be in a well ventilated area that at the same time will keep them protected from the harsh weather.

Step number four: Wash the small parts that you took in the house. Be really thorough with the burners. Dry thoroughly.

Step number five: Reassemble the grill.

Step number six: If the grill is going to be stored outside (see step number two) seal it up with a cover designed for outside protection of barbeque grills.

Step number seven: You are now done preparing your grill for the winter. It may be a hassle to do the work, especially cleaning out the shell, but it will be well worth the effort once warm weather rolls around again.

Step number eight: If cleaning the grill conjured up summer memories that made you hungry for some delicious eats, go out and treat yourself to a meal. Maybe barbeque. Hey, you’ve earned it.