Here are some easy cleanup tips—plus a few more ideas for safe grilling this summer:

l. Take 15 minutes. To clean grates on a gas grill, first preheat the grill by turning the burn- ers to high. After 15 minutes, the grease on the grates will have softened. Brush them with a stainless steel grill brush. It won’t take long and you won’t need a lot of elbow grease.

2.  Show your lid some love. When the grill is warm but not hot, clean the inside of the grill lid with a damp sponge or, if it’s very dirty, a balled-up piece of foil or a brass brush. The most common question from consumers is why the “paint” is peeling on the inside of their grill lids. That isn’t paint. The lids are enameled, so they don’t flake. That’s accumulated grease and smoke that is flaking off. Scrub it off so it doesn’t fall on food or smoke up the grill.

3. Don’t forget the drip pan. After cooking, empty the drip pan when it’s warm, not hot, to prevent flare-ups the next time. If grease is too thick, use a plastic putty knife to scrape off as much as you can.

Want more tips?

Happy Grillin’ til next time…