9 Ways to Keep Your Barbecue Area in Tiptop Shape
This handy checklist will make your outdoor zone an enticing place to be all year round
Australians love a good barbie and, in most parts of the country, cooking outside can be done through the seasons if we take the time to do a little regular maintenance. It’s not only your barbecue itself that will need a clean every now and then – maintaining the other elements of your barbecue area will make sure it’s safe, comfortable and inviting whenever you feel like firing up the grill or just milling around.
2. Protect your barbie from the elements
Unless they’re under shelter, barbecues cop a beating from the sun, rain and dust. A design like this serves two purposes: when the panel is closed it protects your barbecue from the elements; when open, it protects you. Now you can cook up a storm no matter what the weather’s doing.
Unless they’re under shelter, barbecues cop a beating from the sun, rain and dust. A design like this serves two purposes: when the panel is closed it protects your barbecue from the elements; when open, it protects you. Now you can cook up a storm no matter what the weather’s doing.
3. Use it or lose it
Barbecue areas are a little like houses – when they’re not lived in, they quickly fall into disrepair. If you can only use your outdoor area when it’s warm and sunny, but not too hot, consider making some adjustments to make it an all-seasons gathering place. Gas heat lamps or an outdoor fireplace will entice you out there in winter; adequate shade and an overhead fan might be what you need in summer. Or maybe you need to make it easier to cook out there – an outdoor kitchen, perhaps? Whatever kind of barbecue area you have, keep it clean and well swept to ensure it’s an oft-used area of the home.
Barbecue areas are a little like houses – when they’re not lived in, they quickly fall into disrepair. If you can only use your outdoor area when it’s warm and sunny, but not too hot, consider making some adjustments to make it an all-seasons gathering place. Gas heat lamps or an outdoor fireplace will entice you out there in winter; adequate shade and an overhead fan might be what you need in summer. Or maybe you need to make it easier to cook out there – an outdoor kitchen, perhaps? Whatever kind of barbecue area you have, keep it clean and well swept to ensure it’s an oft-used area of the home.
4. Deep-clean the barbecue
Whether your barbecue gets a work-out a few times a week, or only when you have people over, you’ll need to look after it if you want it to be rust-free and hygienic for cooking. Take out the flat plate, grill and drip tray and lay them on newspaper before scraping off any gunk and rust with a scraper and wire brush. Wash them in warm soapy water before rinsing them off with a mix of white vinegar and water. When they’re dry, return them to their positions and follow up with a couple of coats of canola oil on the plate and grill – fire up the barbie after each coat to let the oil burn off. Now might also be a good time to replace any volcanic rocks underneath.
Whether your barbecue gets a work-out a few times a week, or only when you have people over, you’ll need to look after it if you want it to be rust-free and hygienic for cooking. Take out the flat plate, grill and drip tray and lay them on newspaper before scraping off any gunk and rust with a scraper and wire brush. Wash them in warm soapy water before rinsing them off with a mix of white vinegar and water. When they’re dry, return them to their positions and follow up with a couple of coats of canola oil on the plate and grill – fire up the barbie after each coat to let the oil burn off. Now might also be a good time to replace any volcanic rocks underneath.
5. Make your nearby pool an asset, not an eyesore
It can be tempting to take a break from pool maintenance during the cooler months, but it can soon bring your outdoor area down without regular upkeep. Test the pH level regularly and hire help if you’re too busy to keep it looking its best. If it frees you up to relax and unwind, it will probably be well worth the expense.
It can be tempting to take a break from pool maintenance during the cooler months, but it can soon bring your outdoor area down without regular upkeep. Test the pH level regularly and hire help if you’re too busy to keep it looking its best. If it frees you up to relax and unwind, it will probably be well worth the expense.
6. Replace and refinish decking
Timber decks need light but regular maintenance to keep them looking good. Inspect for protruding nails or screws and rotting boards, plus sweep it free of leaves and debris as often as you can. You might be tempted to use a leaf blower, but a broom is just the thing for a little incidental exercise (and your neighbours will thank you for it). A light sand and a top-up of stain or varnish every year or so is a necessary part of a deck’s upkeep.
Timber decks need light but regular maintenance to keep them looking good. Inspect for protruding nails or screws and rotting boards, plus sweep it free of leaves and debris as often as you can. You might be tempted to use a leaf blower, but a broom is just the thing for a little incidental exercise (and your neighbours will thank you for it). A light sand and a top-up of stain or varnish every year or so is a necessary part of a deck’s upkeep.
7. Clean outdoor soft furnishings
Soft furnishings, such as seat and cushion covers, are easy to remove; put routine cleans on your to-do list to keep outdoor seating looking fresh and welcoming. Wipe down all the seating surfaces you can to minimise mould and dirt from building up to the point of no return.
Soft furnishings, such as seat and cushion covers, are easy to remove; put routine cleans on your to-do list to keep outdoor seating looking fresh and welcoming. Wipe down all the seating surfaces you can to minimise mould and dirt from building up to the point of no return.
8. In case of fire
About every 10 barbecues or so, check the fat absorbent material under the grill and plates. If it’s overloaded, you may find yourself battling fires in between flipping the snags.
About every 10 barbecues or so, check the fat absorbent material under the grill and plates. If it’s overloaded, you may find yourself battling fires in between flipping the snags.
9. Do a safety check
Check gas lines for wear and that the connectors aren’t loose. Also, check for leaks by spraying soapy water along the hose and around the connections to the gas bottle or outlet and the barbecue itself. If it bubbles, you need to replace it.
Check gas lines for wear and that the connectors aren’t loose. Also, check for leaks by spraying soapy water along the hose and around the connections to the gas bottle or outlet and the barbecue itself. If it bubbles, you need to replace it.
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Even if you plan to let your outdoor wooden furniture take on a grey weathered look over time, you’ll still need to use a little elbow grease to make it a pleasant place to eat. Scrub wooden furniture at least once a year to get rid of any mould. Hint: hire a high-pressure water cleaner and you’ll get the job done in a fraction of the time, as I discovered recently.
If, instead, you’d like to maintain the colour and finish of your furniture, plan to sand and re-oil twice a year. Dry-brush your wicker furniture before hosing it off and then leave it to dry out completely in the sun to prevent mould developing.