Griddles are perfect for cooking bacon, pancakes, sausages, eggs, and French toast. These foods are certainly mouth-watering but can leave stain and gunk on your griddle if you do not clean it afterward.
Non-stick griddles are essential cookware for healthy and oil-free cooking. According to Statista, American households apparently spend about $1.4 billion on non-stick cookware and your griddle is a part of that.
Although your griddle may go through a lot of rough use, it is pretty easy to clean and you should do it often to maintain its shine non-sticky attribute. If you wash and clean it properly, then your average griddle can last over five years.
Things You Need To Clean
Most people avoid using the griddle because they think cleaning it can get messy. Sure, if you do not clean it properly, it will lose its shine, but not using it for a long time might also make it dirty.
The main part you need to clean is the large griddle surface and the knobs. To properly clean it, you do not need an array of equipment and cleaners.
All you will need are a spatula or scraper, some vinegar, salt, baking soda, paper towels, and water. You can even use some after-market products for a professional clean-up for larger commercial griddles.
How To Clean A Griddle Before Using?
We understand getting a brand new griddle can be exciting. However, It’s ethical and safe to clean your griddle before cooking. Clean it even if you have just taken it out of its box because there may be some dirt or debris left on the surface.
Here is how to clean non stick griddle when you take it out for the first time or before every cooking session
Step 1. Get a small bucket filled with hot or lukewarm water
Hot water is best to clean off gunk and grease from any kind of cookware. Even when you want to clean the sides, fronts, and knobs, do so with hot water.
Step 2. Mix the hot water with soap
You will not be able to make your griddle squeaky clean without soapy water
Step 3. Use a sponge or a cloth
Use the piece of cloth or sponge to scrub off the residue that may be there because of shipping or unboxing.
Step 4. Let the griddle completely dry up
You can use dry paper towels to soak up the water or let the griddle naturally dry up. Whatever the case, make sure it has been dried to the bone.
Follow these steps the first time you take your griddle out. If you have used it for cooking before, then do not use the soap. There are other cleaners you can use which we will talk about in the latter section of the article.
Otherwise, the soapy residues may stick to the surface. And make sure your griddle is completely dry before storing it or else it can become prone to rust.
Tips To Clean A Non-stick Griddle After Use?
Cleaning your griddle before using it is simple since you do not have to worry about all the grease, food gunk, and other residues. But after cooking your delicious meals, you have to take care of these small things.
But do not worry because there are plenty of ways to clean your griddle. You do not even have to drain your wallet to do so.
Common household items like vinegar, baking soda, and salt can be used to clean it up.
1. Clean Your Non-stick Griddle With Vinegar
Whether it is a flat-top griddle, an electric one or a commercial one, you can clean all types of griddles using vinegar.
Vinegar works as a great anti-corrosive agent, which is why many people use it.
First, mix the vinegar with water and pour it into a spray bottle. You can use the bottle to spray the vinegar water mix on top of the surface. Cover the entire surface with the mixture.
Let the mix steep into the surface and wait for five minutes. The vinegar will soften the food gunk, other residues, and char. You can now use a grill brush or any other brush to scrub off all the residues and make it nice and clean.
If you do not have a spray, you can simply pour and spread the vinegar over the surface. Make sure not to pool the surface with vinegar. Just let the vinegar steep in and then use a rag to wipe off the water-vinegar mix along with all the residues.
To top it all off, pour some cooking oil in a piece of cloth and wipe the surface of the griddle to give it a nice polish.
If you have grills or other detachable parts, then soak them up in hot soapy water.
2. Clean Non-stick Griddle With Salt
You should not be using regular kitchen salt to clean your griddle. Instead, use kosher salt.
Kosher salts are larger and coarser. Kosher salt is especially used to add in meats since they can bring out the moisture of the meat better than regular salt.
You should use kosher salt to clean the griddle specifically for its coarseness. First, sprinkle the salt all over the surface of the griddle. Add a little water to make a paste.
You can then scrub this paste on the surface to remove all the sticky food residue.
After cleaning the food gunk, try cleaning the surface once with oil. Sometimes chunks of food stick firmly to the surface. In that case, you can try turning the griddle on and let it hit up for five minutes. The heat makes the gooey residues less sticky.
Turn the griddle off and let it cool down. Use the kosher salt paste method again to completely remove the sticky chunks.
3. Clean Non-Stick Griddle With Baking Soda
Most of the time it is pretty easy to clean your griddle. But if you do not clean it frequently, then the residues and food gunk can really steep into the surface.
In that case, you will need a more intense cleaning agent, which is baking soda. Baking soda is arguably the best household cleaner and can be used to clean just about any item in the kitchen.
It has properties to dissolve grease and dirt and provide a thorough clean-up.
To clean your griddle with baking soda. First, decide if you have to clean the whole surface or just a few spots. Depending on that, pour some baking soda on the surface and add a little water.
Next, let the water and baking soda mixture simmer by putting the griddle on the stove. Again, the heat will help the residues loosen up. After that, cool it down and wash it normally.
You should have a nice squeaky surface in no time!
4. Clean Non-Stick Griddle With Aftermarket Products
The household items are enough to clean most griddles. However, large commercial griddles have multiple commercial griddles, and using household remedies can be time consuming.
For that, you can use these aftermarket products-
Stera-Sheen Griddle & Flat Grill Surface Cleaner
For commercial use, the Stera-Sheen Grill Cleaner is great. It can clean up all types of grill surfaces, including stainless steel, aluminum, and chrome-infused ones.
Just like the vinegar method, pour the cleaner into a spray bottle and use it to spray on the surface. You can even spray it on hot surfaces. Give the cleaner some time to steep in and then use a cloth, a grill brush, or a sponge to clean it up.
The cleaner is also safe for food contact, meaning it will not mess up the sealing layer of the griddle surface.
Clean your griddle regularly to make sure it lasts a long time.
Non-Scratch Indoor Electric Grill Brush
We can use sponges or spatulas to scrape off the residues and food gunk, but an electric grill brush can make that task much easier.
The Crown Choice electric grill brush can be a perfect choice. The bristles are flexible and will not scratch the surface. Using it is also straightforward. You can just place the brush on the surface, turn it on and scrape off all the residues.
Afterward, you can put it in your dishwasher to clean it. Just remember not to use the brush on a hot surface because it will damage the bristles.
How To Take Care Of Your Griddle
Griddles are sturdy and durable, but you have to provide proper maintenance. This means cleaning and storing it properly.
For cleaning, do not use soaps. Instead, use the remedies we talked about earlier. Soap residues can sometimes stick to the griddle surface and make things worse. Also, never use abrasive scrappers since they can scratch the surface.
As for storing, use a canvas cover to cover up the griddle. This makes sure dust does not pile up on the surface. After covering it up store it in a place that is not too hot or too cold.
You can store your griddle in a cabinet or closet but make sure it’s not too humid and do not put any kind of object over your griddle.
Before cooking always preheats your griddle and if you ever smell gas while cooking then stop immediately, turn it off and cover the tank with a cloth.
Final Verdict
Griddles are great to whip up some amazing dishes. It is easy to use and easier to clean. Maintain the small things and your griddle will easily last over 5 years.
FAQ
1. Are non-stick griddles safe?
Non-stick griddles are coated with Teflon. This Teflon keeps the food from sticking to the surface. Some speculate that if the surface is scratched, then the Teflon can flake off and be accidentally digested.
However, these flakey non-stick materials will pass through the body causing no harm if it is ingested. This may be the case for chip griddles, but high-quality griddles are more resistant against wear and tear and hence safe to use.
2. How often should you replace non-stick pans?
Non-stick-pans should last about 5 years if you take care of them. However, you can look for signs that will tell you to change it.
For instance, look for discoloration, scratches, and warped sides. If any of them occur, then you will need to repair it or replace it completely.
3. Is it OK to use scratched non-stick pans?
If the pan is scratched, then it means that the non-stick surface is slowly being damaged. The material can flake off and be accidentally digested. Although digesting a tiny amount is not harmful at all.
But if the surface is scratched, then the pan will lose its non-sticky attribute. The food will get stuck to the surface and be ruined. So if your nonstick pan is scratched, buy a new one.
4. Why is my Blackstone griddle sticky?
There are two reasons your Blackstone griddle is sticky. First, you are not properly cleaning it. You may be only using oil and water to occasionally scrub it off. But that is not enough, you have to give it a deep clean with vinegar, salt, or baking soda.
The other reason might be that you are using too much seasoning oil and hence the surface has become sticky.
5. Can I use butter on my griddle?
Yes, you can. Otherwise, you will not be able to make delicious pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches. However, after using the butter, make sure you properly clean the surface.
