How Often Do You Really Need To Clean Your Blackstone Griddle?

Durable, powerful, and able to cook a wider variety of foods than a standard grill, Blackstone makes some of the best griddles for outdoor cooking, and they're not exactly cheap. When you pay up for one, you don't want to accidentally damage it by slacking on maintenance. To keep your Blackstone in the best shape, you should not only clean it properly, but do so after every single use.

Just as you should clean your grill grates right after a grilling sesh, the surface of your Blackstone griddle needs to be scraped, wiped off, and oiled every time you cook with it. This is recommended by both in-depth maintenance guides as well as experienced Blackstone users. It's obvious that immediately cleaning off food bits instead of letting them sit around is more sanitary. However, prompt and consistent cleaning is also essential to the lifespan and performance of your griddle.

Letting grease and grime build up on your Blackstone makes it harder to get it all off later. This may prompt you to be more forceful when scrubbing the surface, which is both tiresome and can damage the griddle's non-stick surface. Infrequent cleaning can even cause the surface to rust or chip, not to mention that food residue buildup on an ill-maintained griddle can "pollute" the next meal you cook on it. Washing off your Blackstone after every use saves you time and effort while ensuring your food tastes great — not sooty, old, and greasy — and we have the scoop on how to clean it right.

To properly clean your Blackstone griddle after cooking, you need a metal scraper or spatula, paper towels or a microfiber cloth, a spray bottle of hot water, and cooking oil (the same oil you use to season your Blackstone will work great). Start while the griddle is still a little hot, as food residue is easier to remove this way, but take care not to touch the surface and burn yourself.

Start by using your spatula or scraper to scrape food and grease off the griddle. For stubborn messes, spray some water onto the still-warm surface and let steam lift the residue. Next, thoroughly wipe the entire cooktop with your paper towels or cloth, taking care to dry every side so the metal doesn't rust due to lingering moisture. Finally, spread a thin, even coat of oil all over the griddle surface. If you ever accidentally forget to clean your Blackstone and now it's covered in cooled, solidified gunk, crank it to low heat and let it warm up to loosen the buildup. From there, follow the regular cleaning routine, though you may have to scrape a bit more.

As for what not to do, don't use soap or other cleaning solutions. Soap is only necessary when cleaning your Blackstone before your first time using it; afterward, it's just not needed. Meanwhile, detergents and other cleaners will damage the surface, and so can abrasive scrubbing tools, so never bring them anywhere near your griddle.

Cleaning your Blackstone after every use saves you from having to deep clean it frequently, but if you're dealing with a stubborn mess or your griddle has unfortunately rusted, you'll need to do a more thorough job. We recommend putting on some heat-resistant grilling gloves beforehand, and you'll also need a grill brick – a pumice stone that's great for scraping surfaces without damaging them.

Start by heating the griddle on high to loosen the rust and residue. Once it's hot, scrape at the mess with your spatula or scraper, and don't apply water like you would when routinely cleaning the Blackstone. Make sure to touch the scraper's entire edge to the griddle surface every time you scrape, as using it at an angle or using the corners can make the scraper too sharp. This can cut the Blackstone's surface and damage it.

Once everything is scraped off, let the griddle cool completely and wipe away the debris. Apply ¼ cup of oil to the surface and use your grill brick to thoroughly scrub it, then wipe the griddle again. You can repeat this step until the Blackstone is clean. Once it's finally clear, oil it like you would after a routine clean. More crucial tips for using a Blackstone are to let it dry completely after cleaning, cover it well, and store it in a cool, dry place to prevent rust from forming.