How To Clean Traeger Grill Grates (4 Easy Steps)

Sharing is caring!

Want to know how to clean the grill grates on Your Traeger?

If you want your grill to last you need to look after it!

Below is an easy step-by-step guide to cleaning your grill grates.

All it takes is a little elbow grease!

Part 1 – How To Clean The Traeger Grill Grates (Cleaning Time 20 minutes)

Here is my easy-follow ultimate guide for cleaning the grill grates of your Traeger grill after cooking. 

  1. Ensure your Traeger pellet grill is switched off from the power source.
  2. Fill up a bucket with hot and soapy water.
  3. Make sure the above utensils are ready.
  4. Open the cooking chamber to expose the grill grates and drip tray.
  5. Scrape the grill grates with your wooden scraper to remove residual material.
  6. Check the drip bucket and empty it if it is full. 

 Note: If you use any cleaning products on the grill grates you will lose natural oils that act as a non-stick. 

If you want to use water or a heavier brush because of a large build-up then do so but oil the grates before you cook again.

Part 2 – How To Clean The Inside Of The Traeger Grill (Cleaning Time 60 minutes)

This part is for after a month of use and doesn’t need to be done every time.

  1. Remove your clean grill grates and put them aside in a sanitized space.
  2. Using a cloth, remove any ash from the chamber walls and corners down into the grease tray.
  3. Using a wire brush, scrape away any carbon or food residue on the grease tray. If there are loads then consider removing the foil and replacing it. 
  4. With the drip tray removed, you now have access to the ignition chamber. 
  5. Vacuum out the ignition chamber, heat baffle, auger, and hopper for ash or wood pellet debris. 
  6. Wipe down the walls and ignition chamber with a dry cloth and put back the parts.

Why Should You Clean Your Traeger Grill Grates?

Treating your property will ensure it lasts for years.

it not only becomes a grill maintenance issue but also one of safety. 

If you do not properly clean where you are cooking then harmful bacteria in your grill residue can be potentially harmful. 

Cleaning your Traeger grill regularly after your grill sessions will also make it last longer.

As well as ensure you get the best-tasting food and prevents pathogen build-up.

Also if you’re smoking a brisket in your Traeger you don’t want to spend all that money for it to taste like old grease.

How Often Should I Clean My Traeger?

I have briefly broken down the 3 main timescales for cleaning below. 

Cleaning only takes a bit of time and is very important.

Read further for my complete guide which covers all the cleaning stages.

Cleaning After Every Use

This cleaning will focus primarily on the places the food has physically touched.

This will mostly be the grill grates, cooking chamber, and drip tray or grease trap.

Cleaning After A Month Of Use

This is for when you have had around 15 -30 hours of cook time.

It needs a deeper clean on all the inside components and areas!

Any foil liners in the drip tray should be replaced, and scrubbing of the chimney and firepot.

Vacuum away any excess ash and leftover pellets. 

Doing this deep clean of your Trager can prevent errors like the LEr code appearing,

how to clean a traeger grill

Cleaning After 3 Months Of Use 

After around 3 months or 300 hours of cook time, the outside of your Traeger pellet grill should be cleaned.

Especially if you aren’t using grill covers which I highly recommend. 

Unplug it before you start to clean and remove any outside grease that stands out and check for damage. 

Be sure not to use any abrasive materials as this could scratch and cause rust. 

What Do I Need To Clean My Traeger Grill Grates?

Now we know why and when we should be cleaning, what do we need?e

What Cleaning Utensils Do I Need?

Grill Brushes

Made to remove grease and debris from your cooking grill.

Spray Bottle

Used for holding and spraying liquid cleaner with warm water.

Dry Cloth 

Typically used for buffing or removing moisture from clean grills.

Wire Brush 

Wire or nylon brushes are great for removing stubborn grit or hardened grease.

Wooden Grill Scraper

A hard wooden scraper is used to get loose debris off of your grill grates.

Vacuum Cleaner

A vacuum with a thin head part will easily suck up ash and dry food debris in places you can’t reach. 

Paper towels

Disposable paper towels are great for removing moisture and thin layers of grease you can then just throw away. 

Heavy-duty Aluminum foil 

Heat-proof aluminum foil to line the drip tray and grease drip bucket is important.

Warm Soapy Water

The main cleaning liquid we will be using is hot clean water mixed with dish soap.

This helps to cut through the oil and food residue that has likely built up on your Traeger grill.

White Vinegar

White vinegar is another great cleaning tool to get shiny clean grill grates!

The acid will help get rid of unwanted chemicals or greasy foods. 

Protective Gloves

Protective gloves while cleaning is a good way to keep your hands clean and free of any harsh chemicals.

The Best Cleaning Products

What cleaning brands should I be using? 

Well, considering you are using a Traeger grill, we recommend you use Traeger cleaning products.

This is of course the most rational as the products are tried and tested in balance with the materials the grills are made from. 

You won’t have to worry about the abrasion or a reaction that might damage the machine or any internal components. 

Don’t want to use harsh chemicals? See natural alternatives

How Do I Prevent The Grill Grates from Getting Dirty?

Now I know how to clean my Traeger, how do I prevent it?

Consistency

Consistency will prevent buildup and allow you to monitor any grill residue that needs to be cleaned before it gets bad.

Priming & Shut Down Cycle

The priming and shut down modes in the Traeger grill range help with making sure there is enough fuel in the machine to run efficiently and help burn off any residue. 

Use Good Quality Hardwood Pellets

The pellets have a drastic impact on how your meat cooks and also on the ash and debris.

If the pellets are of poor quality then this will have an impact on your Traeger.

Smoke On!

Charlie

Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).

I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.

You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!

You can read more about me on our About Us page.

Hungry For More?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *