Can You Really Clean A Flat-Top Grill With Ice?

While washing off a flat-top grill isn't a complicated task, it sure can take a lot of time and elbow grease. Luckily, there are tricks for cleaning your grill more quickly and easily. One shortcut that has gained traction online involves blasting off stubborn grill grime with ice cubes, but is this method as effective as it seems? To find out, we got expert advice from Robbie Shoults, celebrity chef and third-generation owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, Texas.

This grill cleaning hack involves dropping ice cubes onto your dirty flat-top while it's still hot. "I have tried this and I actually love it," Shoults told us. "When you add ice to the blazing hot surface of the grill, it begins to sizzle and steam all the grease and burned-on food residue, which releases it from the metal cooktop." He noted that the ice saves you from using chemical cleaners on your flat-top, which can leave stubborn residues behind. It also eliminates the need to scrape your grill for what feels like forever in order to remove stuck-on grime.

When using ice on your flat-top, Shoults advised "Make sure your vent-a-hood is on ... because you're about to make lots of steam. Have your griddle scraper ready, and as the ice melts, scrape all of the loosened debris into the drip pan." This hack sounds simple enough, but the grilling expert also warned us about a drawback to this viral trick.

As efficient as it is, this icy trick for cleaning your grill isn't without its flaws, according to Robbie Shoults. "In the long-term it may not be the best ... as it can cause the flat-top to warp or even crack in the process, although that has never happened to me," he said. Though it is okay to clean your grill while it's still hot – in fact, that's the best way to do it — dropping ice onto a sizzling flat-top will give it a temperature shock, which can eventually cause cracks,. If foreign substances like grease or food seep into the fissures, it could damage the inside of your appliance, too.

Luckily, Shoults has a safer way to use the power of moisture to clean your grill. "You can also accomplish pretty much the same thing by pouring warm water over the griddle surface, and it will reduce the chances of it cracking or warping," he shared. 

As long as your grill is hot, warm water will still sizzle and steam when it hits the surface, lifting grime just like ice does. The water may not bubble quite as vigorously as ice cubes so you may have to apply multiple rounds to finish the job. While using ice once or twice may not ruin your grill, warm water is far safer, even if it's not as flashy.