8 Best Grill Cleaners for Every Kind of Barbecue Mess

Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner foam clings to grate surfaces for more targeted cleaning. Testers found that the comfortable trigger spray dispenser makes it easy to target the foam into every nitty-gritty corner and spot. (Just don’t use it on aluminum or faux stainless steel.)

EASY-OFF® BBQ Grill Cleaner Aerosol

Keep out of reach of children. Eye irritant. Contents under pressure. Do not use on grill exterior, interior or components. Do not spray on pilot light, electrical connections, switches, heating elements, or thermostats. Do not spray onto aluminum or painted surfaces as damage to these surfaces may occur. Contains monoethanolamine and dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether. Do not get in eyes. Wash hands after application and removal. Do not puncture or incinerate container. Do not expose to heat or store at temperatures above 120 degrees F (49 degrees C).

First Aid: If in Eyes: Immediately flush eyes with water. Remove any contact lenses and continue to flush eyes for at least 15 minutes. If irritation persists, get medical attention.

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8 Best Grill Cleaners for Every Kind of Barbecue Mess

Using your go-to grill — whether a full-size gas grill, charcoal grill, pellet grill or even a portable grill or indoor grill — means less mess in your kitchen, but scrubbing charred and grimy grates after a big cookout can be a beast of a chore — especially if a dish like ribs left a sticky, caked-on mess in its wake.

And it’s not like you can skip the job altogether, since this runs the risk of dangerous flare-ups from dripping grease and lingering flavors that can ruin your next batch of food. And while a great grill brush is an essential BBQ tool, a brush can only do so much. To clean a dirty grill and restore cooking grates to their former glory, you also need a great cleaner.

These are the grill cleaners we recommend to remove grease, charred-on food and sticky sauces quickly and easily:

Our top picks:

Best Overall Grill Cleaner

Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner

Best Value Grill Cleaner

Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner

Best Heavy-Duty Grill Cleaner

Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner (2-Pack)

Quickest Grill Cleaner

Parker and Bailey BBQ Grill Cleaner and Degreaser

Best Grill Cleaner for Burned-On Grease

EASY-OFF BBQ Grill Cleaner

Best Grill Cleaner Wipes

Proud Grill Company Q-Swiper BBQ Grill Cleaner Set

Best Stainless Steel Grill Cleaner

Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner Wipes (2 Pack)

Best Grill Cleaner for Indoor Grills

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

To make our top picks, we tested 23 grill cleaners, evaluating each product’s ability to clean burnt-on layers of barbecue sauce (counting the exact number of swipes necessary to clean the grill), plus rated how long it took to clean satisfactorily. We made note of how easy each product was to apply and how simple the directions were to follow, reviewed the safety information on the label, too. Read our full reviews below.

Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner

Carbona 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner

Pros

• Works overnight
• Cleans up to two grates at once
• Can clean oven racks too

Cons

• Best for new grate or grates in good condition

Carbona’s 2-in-1 Oven Rack and Grill Cleaner was the top performer in our Lab tests. It’s easy and mess-free to use, plus works overnight for a virtually no-scrub cleaning job. The kit contains a large zip-top plastic bag, a bottle of cleaning solution and some disposable plastic gloves. All you have to do is quickly brush any big chunks of grime off the grates and then place them in the bag. Pour in the solution, seal the bag, swish it around so the grates are covered with cleaner — like a marinade — and head to bed.

In the morning, remove the grates and wipe or lightly scrub them clean. The dirty solution can be rinsed down the drain and the bag disposed of in the trash. Just make sure to place the soaking bag out of reach of children and animals while the cleaner works its magic. And note that, although we found this grill cleaner to be highly effective on new and gently-used grates, it had a little more trouble on grates covered with caked-on grease. The bright side: We love the versatility — you can use the product on indoor oven racks, too.

Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner

Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner

Pros

• Works in 2 to 10 minutes
• Clings to grate surfaces
• Can be used on stainless steel grill interiors and exteriors

Cons

• Not for use on aluminum or faux stainless steel

Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner foam clings to grate surfaces for more targeted cleaning. Testers found that the comfortable trigger spray dispenser makes it easy to target the foam into every nitty-gritty corner and spot. (Just don’t use it on aluminum or faux stainless steel.)

It works quickly, too. In tests, the Goo Gone Grill and Grate Cleaner loosened our charred-on soil almost instantly and took only a few minutes to work on tougher, stickier messes. Testers loved that, despite its prowess, the biodegradable formula doesn’t have the same harsh fumes other products do. That’s because it harnesses the power of citrus oils to cut through grease.

Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner (2-Pack)

Zep Heavy-Duty Oven and Grill Cleaner (2-Pack)

Pros

• Foam clings to grate surfaces
• Required little to no scrubbing

Cons

Originally formulated to clean restaurant grills, Zep Oven and Grill Cleaner was a powerhouse in our tests. We let this foam cleaner sit for the required 10 minutes, and it took the fewest number of swipes — after Carbona — with a damp sponge to take our burnt-on messes right off. We didn’t have to do any heavy-duty scrubbing.

And because it’s a foam, this hardworking grill cleaner clings to vertical surfaces better than liquids, making it a great cleaning option for other parts of the grill, like inside the lid. It’s also great for anyone who has a grill with added accessories like a rotisserie. It’s very strong though, so make sure to protect any surrounding surfaces before spraying it. And budget a little extra time for cleaning — it takes a full 10 minutes to work its magic.

Parker and Bailey BBQ Grill Cleaner and Degreaser

Parker and Bailey BBQ Grill Cleaner and Degreaser

Pros

• Cleans without streaking
• Works on grill tools and drip pans
• No fumes

Cons

• Some reviewers noted that the bottle leaks easily

In our tests, Parker and Bailey loosened tough, sticky, baked-on barbecue sauce after sitting for only two minutes. Then, it took only a swipe with a brush to scrub off the caramelized mess and a quick rinse with water to finish it off. Overall, this product worked much faster than many other products we tested. One in-home consumer tester raved about how quickly it cleaned a grill’s stainless steel exterior without streaking. Plus, we loved that, despite its efficacy, the product was largely fume-free.

The cleaner can be used on other grill surfaces, countertops, grilling tools, microwaves and more. But because it’s a liquid, it doesn’t stick to vertical surfaces and accessories the same way a foam might. What’s more, our testers did experience some leaking from the bottle.

EASY-OFF BBQ Grill Cleaner

EASY-OFF BBQ Grill Cleaner

Pros

• Dissolves burned-on grease
• Fairly easy to dispense

Cons

In our tests, Easy-Off BBQ Grill Cleaner performed well at dissolving burned-on grease on both stainless steel and porcelain grates. The spray foam is fairly easy to dispense and clings to all sides of the grates to better penetrate messes.

We did struggle with the timing: Though the brand claims you can spot clean in just 30 seconds, our testers found it was much more effective if you let the formula sit for the full recommended 40 minutes before wiping or scrubbing. It’s also important to protect any surrounding surfaces with newspaper before spraying — this is some powerful stuff.

Proud Grill Company Q-Swiper BBQ Grill Cleaner Set

Proud Grill Company Q-Swiper BBQ Grill Cleaner Set

Pros

• No bristles
• Easy to clean between the grates

Cons

• May need more than one wipe to clean a very messy grate

A winner in our 2021 Cleaning Awards, this all-in-one scrubber, scraper and wipe from the Proud Grill Company is a triple-threat cleaner for your outdoor grill. An innovative way to tackle a messy job, it almost eliminates the need for any other cleaning tools. It doesn’t have any potentially dangerous bristles, either, so you can feel more confident your food will be perfectly safe to eat.

When we finished, we simply threw away the wipe and attached a new one for the next test. It performed well for our pros, and one tester who reported being fussy about keeping his grill clean was impressed at how easy it made scraping and wiping away charred barbecue sauce after cooking ribs.

Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner Wipes (2 Pack)

Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner Wipes (2 Pack)

Pros

• Convenient to use
• No spilling or leaking

Cons

A Good Housekeeping Seal star, Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes are one of our faves. Our testers say these wipes are a neater and more convenient substitute for traditional sprays or aerosols.

They’re highly effective, too: A single wipe or two goes a long way to quickly clean and shine the outside of your grill. In our tests, they expertly removed soil — dirt, smudges and fingerprints — without streaking. They also added a protective coating that helped resist new fingerprints. The easy-to-store canister means they’ll always be nearby when you need them — just make sure to close the lid tightly. We did notice that the wipes have a tendency to dry out if you’re not careful.

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray

Pros

• Cuts grease well
• Easy and neat to apply
• Sprayer is reusable

Cons

• Some reviewers struggled with the spray trigger

One of Dawn’s newest launches isn’t just for dishes: Just as it eliminates messy soaking of cookware and casseroles, it makes cleaning indoor grills and grill pans a breeze. For grill pans and appliances with removable hand-washable grill plates, simply place the grate in the sink, spray on this Dawn and let it sit a few minutes, then wipe clean and rinse. For non-removable plates, spray them carefully in place and wipe and rinse clean with a cloth.

In our testing, Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray dissolved hamburger grease burned onto a skillet with ease. That’s why it earned our Good Housekeeping Seal. And, you can use it outdoors, too, to degrease and clean outdoor grills and smokers. We tried it in our testing, and it worked like a charm, despite a few hiccups with the spray trigger every now and again. We also like that once you have the sprayer, all you need is a refill, minimizing your plastic consumption just a little bit.

How we test grill cleaners

We tested 23 grill cleaners in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab. We brushed and broiled several layers of a sticky BBQ sauce mix onto stainless steel and enameled grill grates until they were well coated and resembled what you might see on your outdoor grill after a big cookout.

Once the grates cooled, we used each product according to the label directions, noting how well and how quickly it dissolved the sticky mess and counting each scrubbing stroke required (we did 1,143 in all!) to get the grates clean. As with all cleaning products, we reviewed the labels to assess the completeness of the directions and checked for any required safety precautions based on the product’s ingredients.

We also headed over to our GH Test Kitchen to clean the indoor grills they use to develop the grill recipes we publish in the magazine and online. Finally, the products were sent home with consumer testers to clean their backyard gas and charcoal grills for a firsthand in-home experience.

What to look for when shopping for the best grill cleaners

Shopping for the best grill cleaner shouldn’t be a complicated chore. There are just two things to consider when picking the best grill cleaner for your home:

✔️ Cleaner type: Most grill cleaners are sold as a sprayable foam or liquid, but some brands (like two of our picks on this list) make wipes if you’re looking for the simplest product to tackle this daunting chore. Grill cleaners have a reputation for strong, uncomfortable fumes, but choosing a formula that doesn’t have to be sprayed on, like our top pick from Carbona, or anything in a wipe format to minimize your exposure to any fumes.

✔️ Surface type: Some grill cleaners should not be used on aluminum or faux stainless steel grates. Others are formulated specifically to handle cleaning outdoor grills like pellet grills, while others are better suited for indoor grills and your indoor oven racks. If your grill cleaner doesn’t state that it can be used to clean the exterior of your grill, don’t use it there. The strong cleaning agents that get the burnt-on food off your grill grates can permanently damage the exterior shine of your grill. Instead, opt for a stainless steel cleaner that you would use on your inside appliances to keep your grill exteriors as good as new.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Carolyn Forté has over 40 years of experience researching, testing and writing about appliances like washers, dryers and vacuum cleaners, cleaning products such as detergents and polishes and the tricks and tips needed to keep a home clean and organized.