Mistakes You Should Never Make When Cleaning A Rusty Blackstone Griddle

The Blackstone griddle is undoubtedly one of the hottest summer outdoor cooking trends, thanks to its versatility and ease of use, especially when cooking for a large gathering. With this backyard addition, you can quickly cook eggs, pancakes, chicken, stir fry, and more, making this product a food lover's dream. 

While cooking on this griddle is pretty painless, it does require more maintenance than traditional grills, primarily to keep it rust-free. If your Blackstone gets moisture and happens to rust, there are a few mistakes you should never make while cleaning it, including using soap or harsh cleaning chemicals to clean the surface and using water. These mistakes will essentially ruin your griddle's surface, turning your beloved Blackstone into a costly paperweight

While you can certainly remove rust and grime from your Blackstone with lemon, there is a tried and true way to restore it. In a matter of a few hours, your Blackstone will look like new and will be ready to cook again. Let's explore the common mistakes to avoid and the proper techniques for cleaning a rusty Blackstone effectively.

While most people think to grab some dish soap to help remove tough rust stains, it's an absolute no-no for a Blackstone. This is because the properties in the dish soap (specifically, the grease-cutting properties) will actually harm the seasoned surface of the griddle, stripping away the protective oil layer and leaving it vulnerable to rust and sticking. The same goes for disinfecting wipes and harsh chemicals like bleach. They can damage the seasoned surface and even leave a residue that will impact the flavor of the food you're cooking.

Additionally, while it's usually smart to clean cooking surfaces with water, you shouldn't use it on a Blackstone. Blackstone griddle tops are made of iron — the combination of iron, oxygen, and water produces rust. This means that if you try to clean existing surface rust with water, you'll actually make your problem worse, not better. However, having some water on the surface of your Blackstone when you're cooking is fine.

How should you clean your rusty Blackstone so you don't end up with a hunk of junk? According to Blackstone, rusty griddles can be saved with some elbow grease and patience. First, turn on your Blackstone to high heat — this will help loosen some of the rust and any stuck-on food particles. Next, you'll use a metal scraper (Blackstone conveniently sells their own version) to scrape off the rust. Be sure to use heat-protective gloves so you don't burn your hands, and don't add any water to the mix, no matter how tempting. Turn your Blackstone off, and after it has cooled down, wipe away what you scraped off with a paper towel.

You can then remove stubborn rust from your Blackstone griddle with an everyday cooking ingredient. Blackstone advises using 4 to 5 tablespoons of a high-smoke-point cooking oil, like avocado or canola, all over the griddle's surface, scrubbing it into the surface with a grill stone. Wipe down with paper towels, and repeat this process of adding oil, scrubbing it in, and rubbing it off, until the rust is gone.

Once the coating of rust has been removed, you'll need to season the Blackstone top to protect it from future rust. Additionally, it's best to keep your Blackstone griddle out of the elements, storing it in a dry place so that the risk of re-rusting is minimal.