Caring for your Grillo Kitchen
Do I Need to Clean My Outdoor Kitchen?
Like any outdoor product, the fluctuating weather means that your Grillo kitchen has to withstand a lot, making caring for your Grillo kitchen extremely important. Rest assured, the kitchens have been designed using solid materials, and with the UK weather in mind, both sun and rain. However, to prolong the lifespan of your kitchen, regular maintenance is recommended. This also ensures that your outdoor kitchen is looking in exceptional condition at all times, and available for a party at a minute’s notice! To help you keep your kitchen in tip-top condition, we provide a Care Kit as standard with every Grillo kitchen that we supply. This includes our recommended cleaning products, as well as Grillo touch-up paint for if a mishap causes a scratch or chip in the coatings. Please read on for full instructions!
Best Practice & Tips
Being outside, your kitchen is sure to collect some dirt. This is quite normal, and will not damage the kitchen, but we do advise caring for your Grillo Kitchen by keeping it clean and free of twigs, leaves and dust. If any acidic substances such as bird droppings or tree sap collect on any of the surfaces, clean these as soon as possible to prevent damage to the coatings. Any spills such as grease, food or red wine should be removed quickly to avoid any long-term staining. We also recommended keeping the BBQs protected when not in use, using the suitable covers which are supplied with every BBQ.
Cleaning Grillo Black Powder Coated Surfaces
Grillo kitchens are primarily constructed from powder coated mild steel. Any products with bleach or aggressive cleaning substances may discolour the surface, and may affect the integrity of the coatings. Do not scrub with steel wool or any other abrasive materials.
Recommended Steps
- Rinse off any grit with water – distilled or softened water is best, if possible *
- Use a readily available household glass cleaner; we used ‘Mr Muscle Window & Glass Cleaner’
- Spray the glass cleaner onto the surface
- Leave for about 60 seconds
- Rub off with a microfibre cloth
- Repeat the last 3 steps as necessary for more stubborn marks
- Never use any abrasive or scouring cleaning products, which will damage the surface of the coating and decrease its durability
* Hard water contains minerals that can leave marks on the surface, therefore distilled or softened water is best for cleaning. If you are using hard water then avoid doing it in direct sunlight, and dry the surface quickly when you have finished. As when you clean your car, cleaning the surface while it is hot will bake residue onto it which is very difficult to remove.
Cleaning Worktops – Routine Cleaning
For the porcelain work surfaces, a simple wash with warm water and mild detergent is sufficient before everyday use. Any spills such as grease, food or red wine should be removed quickly to avoid any long-term staining.
Recommended Steps
- Clean worktops using a sponge with water and a mild detergent (e.g., Fairy Liquid)
- A sponge is the best product for the worktops because the texture of the surface can snag the fibres in cloths
Cleaning Worktops – Removing Stubborn Dirt
Recommended Steps
- Clean off the worst of the contamination using a sponge with water and a mild detergent (e.g., Fairy Liquid)
- Use only a small amount of detergent to avoid foaming
- Use a magic eraser to remove more stubborn stains
- Wet the magic eraser with clean water and squeeze it out
- Rub away at the stain, dampening the magic eraser again as necessary
- Once the stain is removed, wipe the surface down again with a sponge and clean water
- Note: the magic eraser will wear away with use – it is designed to do this
- Avoid rubbing the black powder coating with the magic eraser, as it will damage the surface of the coating and decrease its durability
Caring for Iroko Hardwood
For the Iroko hardwood inlays and shelves, you can either let this age and silver naturally, or you can apply a stain or oil. However, you will need to repeat this periodically. Any mould can be removed with a mould and mildew remover, such as ProKleen. See the link to our separate post on how to care for your Iroko.
Caring for BBQs & Stainless-Steel Surfaces
We strongly recommend using the supplied BBQ covers once the BBQs have cooled and are not in use. This ensures that they are kept in their best condition, and they will be available to use at a minute’s notice! Although, like any cooking appliance, they will collect food and grease. So, a simple wash with warm water and mild detergent is recommended every few weeks. When caring for your Grillo Kitchen do not scrub with steel wool or any other abrasive materials which could scratch the BBQs.
For cleaning the grates and BBQ interiors, we recommend running the BBQs at a good hot temperature for 15-20 minutes to loosen and burn off any grease and residue. Cooking grates can then be scrubbed with a steel brush to remove any food debris.
See link to our separate post on cleaning and maintenance of the Chef’s Anvil BBQ.
What if My Cabinets Get Damaged or Chipped Over Time?
The powder coat that we use is an extremely robust professional outdoor grade coating. However, wear and tear can happen, so if you notice any chips or scratches, it is essential that these are touched up immediately using the Grillo touch up paint provided with every kitchen. If bare exposed metal surfaces are left uncoated, it is possible that weather can cause the metal to rust, and over time this can cause paint issues that are not covered under the manufacturer warranty.
Can I Use My Kitchen During the Winter Months?
Yes, absolutely! Once it gets colder, there’s nothing like gathering around with friends, feeling the crisp, cold, winter air on your face, whilst warming your hands by a blazing open fire. Add that to some good food, cooking gently on the side of the Chef’s Anvil, and some freshly warmed mulled wine… it’s a recipe for some wonderful memories. Keep your outdoor kitchen clean so it’s ready at short notice, and above all, have fun!
