How to clean grill grates, given concern about wire brushes?

[Acadie]

We've been grilling a lot more these days, which I love, but I'm frustrated with our attempts to find an alternative to a wire brush to clean the grates. My concern with wire brushes is that sharp pieces of metal can fall off and end up in food. If you're familiar with this issue, have you found an alternative that you like?

So far I've tried a wood scraper followed by a halved onion. It takes forever and doesn't come close to cleaning as well as a wire brush.

[gardenmom5]

I will put cast iron grates in my oven and run a clean cycle.  I'm curious to try my steam cleaner on them . . . . 

 

I got a folding bbq rack, and put it in the oven.  (I bought a very nice used bbq for dh for his birthday.  it was in my budget.)  I ran it through the oven to make every thing sparkly before giving it to him.  He got to the kitchen and took it out of the oven before me, and never noticed it wasn't out old rack!  lol.   we still have that bbq.   

[ktgrok]

I just use the freaking wire brush, but then before cooking the next time, when it is cool, I check to make sure there are no bits of wire. I supppose one could use the wire brush, then something else after that, to clean off any wire bits? (I brush the grill when it is hot, after cooking)

[Harriet Vane]

We heat the fire really hot, scrape bits off with a v-shaped implement and then rub down with a wad of aluminum foil doused with oil. We trust the robust fire to sanitize.

[KungFuPanda]

I have luck with sealing really gross things into a garbage back with ammonia.  The next day the rock-hard, backed on black stuff peels/rinses off like sludge.

[gstharr]

I've only used this trick with coal fires. Never used a gas grill.  But at the end of cooking, I light up a fire starter chimney, and dump the fresh coals onto remaining embers.  the burning grease makes a raging fire. Everything becomes a white ash that is brushed off. 

[Bambam]

We use a piece of wood to scrape. We also lightly oil grate with paper towel with oil on it. But it's pretty hot so I'm trusting the heat to get rid of most stuff. 

[Arctic Bunny]

Cedar paddle. You burn the grooves of your grate in and it gets better and better. 

[Acadie]

Thanks so much for all these suggestions! I'm excited to try several options here and believe we will find something that works among them. 

The Hive is such a treasure trove of brilliance 🥰

Edited May 30, 2020 by Acadie

[Sneezyone]

5 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

I will put cast iron grates in my oven and run a clean cycle.  I'm curious to try my steam cleaner on them . . . . 

 

I got a folding bbq rack, and put it in the oven.  (I bought a very nice used bbq for dh for his birthday.  it was in my budget.)  I ran it through the oven to make every thing sparkly before giving it to him.  He got to the kitchen and took it out of the oven before me, and never noticed it wasn't out old rack!  lol.   we still have that bbq.   

Our grates are cast iron too and I’m a grilling fool this time of year, at least once a week. I usually just set ‘em on fire and let the old grease season the grates but I shall try this at the end of the season!

Edited May 30, 2020 by Sneezyone

[Familia]

Our new grill has porcelain coated cast-iron grates.  I am seeing recommendations to avoid metal brushes and use nylon.  The brush that came with the grill is tough nylon, I believe, but I also bought DH a wire one, so I went looking into which to keep.