How To Clean A George Foreman Grill

Cleaning Your George Foreman Grill

There are some proper and improper ways on how to clean a George Foreman Grill. The biggest one is never use a scouring pad to clean the grill as it can damage the non-stick coating on the plates. Another thing is that you never submerge the entire element in a sink full of soapy water. This can damage the heating elements.

So, you want to clean your George Foreman Grill, right? However, there is a right way and wrong way to clean them. We will discuss the proper way to clean them by reading on.

If your model grill has removable plates, those can be cleaned in the sink or dishwasher.

The main thrust of this article is to provide you with information on how to properly clean your George Foreman Grill for older and newer models.

First of all, not all George Foreman Grills are exactly alike. There are different types of grills that require specific methods of cleaning them.

Cleaning Basic and Panini Grills

To clean the basic grills that don’t have removable plates, we will share three methods on how to clean them. Choose which ever method is best for your situation.

Method 1

After using the grill, unplug it.
While it is still hot, place a ball of wet paper towel in your non-metal tongs. Wipe down the hot grill surfaces to get as much grime and debris off of the plates, being careful not to burn yourself. This works well to get in-between the ridges.
Enjoy your meal while the grill cools down.
Once the grill is cool, take a soft sponge with mild soapy water and really wipe the inside of the grill, being sure to wipe the edge where any fat as dripped. Wipe again with a clean sponge with only water to rinse away any soap residue.
Wipe the outside of the grill with a wet sponge. You can also dry the grill with a soft dish towel.
The drip tray can be cleaned by hand with soapy water and rinsed. Or, it can be placed in the dishwasher.

Method 2

While the grill is still warm, but not very hot, place about 3 layers of damp paper towels on the bottom plate and close the lid.
The steam that forms will help to loosen the food particles and char on the top and lower plates.
Once the grill has completely cooled down, clean the grill with mild soapy water and a soft sponge.
Rinse it with just water on a sponge, inside and out.
Wipe the exteriors with a wet soft sponge and dry with a dish towel.

Method 3

Use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line the grill before cooking on it.
You will need a piece that is large enough to cover the bottom plate and to fold over your food to protect the top plate.
This prevents to grill plates from accumulating any food particles during the grilling process. When the grill is cool, just toss the foil or parchment paper and wipe any debris or liquid that might have spilled onto the plates with a soft wet sponge.
Wipe the exteriors with a wet soft sponge and dry with a dish towel.

Advanced Grills with Removable Plates

Some of the newer models of the George Foreman Grills come with removable plates that are easy to clean. If you have one of these models you can use this method for both non-stick coated and ceramic plates.

When the grill is cool, you can remove the top and lower plates from the grill.
The plates can be cleaned by submerging them in a sink with warm soapy water. Let them soak to loosen food debris. Then, scrub them with a soft sponge. Rinse and allow the plates to dry before putting them back in the grill.
The plates can be cleaned in the dishwasher using the bottom rack.
Clean the drip tray the same way. Or, place the tray using the top rack of the dishwasher.
Wipe the exteriors with a wet soft sponge and dry with a dish towel.
To make cleanup easier, the plates can be lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper before cooking.

Premium Grills with Broiler and Interchangeable Plates

For owners of any premium grill they can be cleaned as we described the advanced grills above.
However, some of your models may have come with waffle plates. Some individuals have complained that they are difficult to clean as some batter gets stuck between the grooves.
Before using the waffle plates to cook waffles do the following:

Coat the waffle plates with cooking oil or butter before use.
After cooking, place the plates in a sink of warm soapy water for an hour. You can place them in the dishwasher after that.
If you still find some stubborn food debris try using some plastic tongs to loosen them. Be gentle as you don’t want to damage the non-stick coated plates.

For those who have griddle plates, muffin cup plates, and the baking pan they are easy to clean by hand with warm soapy water and a soft sponge.

If you are going to use the muffin plate it’s recommended to use individual paper baking cups to line the muffin plate and parchment paper when using the baking pan for foods like brownies and corn bread. This makes cleaning these items a lot easier.

It is not recommended that you clean the top broiler element. Yet, I think it is fine to completely cool the unit and then wipe the reflector clean with a damp paper towel.

As with all the grill units, wipe the exterior clean with a soft wet sponge and towel dry.

Indoor/Outdoor Grills

You may own an indoor/outdoor grill and they can have either a non-stick coating or have ceramic plates.

Both can be cleaned with warm soapy water and a soft sponge.
Rinse them off.
Carefully wipe down the grill surface with a wet paper towel placed in plastic tongs while the grill is still hot.
After the grill cools down, remove the grill section from the stand (if using the stand) and clean it with mild soap and water on a soft sponge.
Rinse it off well without getting the electrical connection wet or submerged. You can do this with any of the following methods:

Wipe down well with a clean wet wash cloth or sponge.
Place the grill plate section vertically in your sink and rinse it with the faucet sprayer, avoiding getting the electrical element wet.
Rinse with an outdoor hose on low flow.

The lid can be wiped clean the same way. If the lid has a temperature gauge, be careful not to damage it while cleaning.
The drip tray can go into your dishwasher or be submerged in soapy water and washed by hand.

Dual Surface Griddle and Grill (Model: GFG240X)

This has a premium ceramic surface that makes clean-up a bit easier. Yet, there seems to be some confusion about whether the plate is removable or not on the manufacturer’s website. So, I reached out to some users on another website and most people affirmed that the 2 drip trays are the only removable parts. With that in mind, you would clean this grill the same way you would the Basic Grills with non-removable plates.

Quesadilla Maker

Similar to the Basic Grills, Foreman Quesadilla Maker does not have removable plates. Most users and reviewers recommend just wiping down the surfaces with a wet paper towel when the unit has cooled down but still warm so as not to disturb the non-stick coating.

Special Equipment

There are sponges that are specifically designed for cleaning the George Foreman Grills. These have a nylon scouring surface and a soft surface. They are sized to fit in-between the grill ridges of the basic grill plates. Use this sponge with cleaning the plates.

George Foreman Grill Additional Cleaning Tips

From my own experience, I have found that cleaning the grill soon after using it is the best way to go. When I look at photographs of grills that are claimed to be “ruined” by scorched food debris it appears to me that the grill was left to sit and the debris hardened.

Below are some basic tips:

Always unplug or turn off your grill as soon as you finish cooking on it so that food left behind will not continue to cook and harden.
I recommend wiping down any of the grill plates while they are still warm. Leave the drip tray in place to catch any food particles that you are wiping down.
Place removable plates in a sink of warm soapy water to soak, even if you plan to run them through the dishwasher.
The drip trays are a snap to clean with soap and water or on the top shelf of the dishwasher.
While the non-stick coatings and ceramic surfaces boast of being able to cook without using fat, I have found that a little bit of cooking oil or butter really does help with the clean-up.

Conclusion

If you own a George Foreman Grill of any type this article has covered how to properly clean them. By cleaning your grill after each use will help in extending the life of the grill.

Whether you have a dishwasher or not, you can properly clean the grill with the information shared above.

Use a little cooking oil before placing the food on the hot grill. This will help in cleaning the plates later.

Also, if you like to have clean plates after cooking foods, use aluminum foil or parchment paper to line the plates with before cooking. When the grilling is done you can remove the foil or parchment paper to the trash and have clean plates.

Happy cleaning!

Related ===> George Foreman Grill Store

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