What to Know About Cleaning Grills With Grill Bricks

Whether you grill a lot or just a little, you need to understand how important it is to keep your grill clean. Gristle and leftover food can ruin your cookout and even make you sick. That’s why commercial chefs are meticulous about keeping their grills and griddles clean, and they have been using grill bricks for ages to do this.

Affordable and easy to use, grill bricks are still popular, especially with home grill masters, because they are a safer alternative to wire grill brushes. But what is a grill cleaning brick? And what’s behind its enduring popularity?

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What Is a Grill Brick?

Grill bricks are small blocks made primarily of pumice stone. They are used to remove grease and carbon buildup from all types of grills and griddles.

The mild abrasive property of pumice makes it perfect for cleaning the toughest grime without scratching or removing any non-stick coating. As you use the grill brick, the pumice breaks down into a fine grit. This grit dislodges stuck food and greasy grime with very little effort.

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Are Grill Bricks Toxic?

No. All natural, non-toxic and eco-friendly, grill bricks can be reused many times and then discarded with no harmful impact to the environment.

Unlike wire grill brushes, grill bricks won’t shed tiny pieces of metal, get clogged with grease or absorb carbon or food odors. This makes them a more sanitary alternative to brushes and other metal other grill cleaning tools.

How to Use a Grill Brick

Place the grill brick on the cooking surface and, using light pressure, press it forward and back along the grates. This will create grooves where the grill brick contacts the grates. Lift the grill brick and align the grooves with the next area to clean. Rinse or wipe the grates with a wet paper towel to remove residual pumice dust after cleaning.

Cleaning a griddle is even easier. Just align one edge of the grill brick to one side of the griddle. Push the grill brick back and forth from top to bottom, working your way from one side to the other until the griddle is clean. Then rinse.

You should be able to get half a dozen or more cleanings from one brick. But eventually, you’ll need to replace it. This is because each time you use a grill brick, it wears down to a new surface. But if you buy in bulk, the cost to replace grill bricks should be about the same as the cost to replace a grill brush each year.

Where to Buy Grill Bricks

You can find grill bricks wherever grill accessories are sold, including hardware stores and online. You can choose small grill bricks that are easy for anyone to handle. For cleaning a large grill or griddle, however, you may want to opt for a set of larger grill bricks that will get the job done faster.

A larger grill brick is also preferable for cleaning a hot grill or griddle, although you’ll still need to hold the brick with a grill mitt or towel to protect your hands. Or you can purchase a grill brick holder that attaches to the brick with adjustable screws.

FAQs

Will a grill brick wear down over time?

Yes. Because pumice is a very soft stone, it will crumble as you rub it back and forth on your grill or griddle. That’s why, if you do a lot of grilling, you should buy several grill bricks so you always have a replacement handy.

What types of grills can I use a grill brick on?

Grill bricks are best for stainless steel commercial indoor and outdoor grills and griddles. You can use them for rolled steel grills, but just like cast-iron frying pans, they will need to be re-seasoned periodically to forestall rust and prevent food from sticking.

Do not use grill bricks if you have a ceramic griddle with a non-stick coating—they will wear off the coating.

Sources

American Medical Association: AMA cautions about health risks from wire-bristle grill brushes; (2018)