How To Clean Traeger Grill (2023)

Getting your grill on is serious work, right? And messy too. It’s oh-so-easy to fire up that grill and get your meat and veggies cooking.

And it’s even easier to chomp down on all your delicious concoctions. But properly maintaining and cleaning your grill at the end of a good night…not so much.

At least your Traeger doesn't require that you clean up after

It’s not even that it’s necessarily hard to do, this article will prove just how simple it is, but it takes so much motivation to actually be bothered.

So, fear not, I’m with you there. The idea of just leaving it to be another day's problem is a pretty tempting one. But we must fight that urge.

Firstly, because it’s too easy to just postpone ‘tomorrow’ until you never actually get around to it.

And secondly, your grill just won’t work in the same way if it’s not clean. You should clean your grill after each and every time that you use it so that you don’t get leftover grit stuck onto your grill like super glue.

Plus, if you get into the habit of a good cleaning ritual with your grill from the get-go, you’ll make the task at hand a lot less laborious for yourself.

So ignore that voice in the back of your mind that tells you to leave it - it’s not worth it.

Instead, keep reading this simple and easy guide that will have your Traeger grill sparkling clean again in no time at all.

The 6 Simple Steps To A Clean Traeger Grill

Before we even begin with the steps of cleaning a grill, make sure that you’ve turned your grill off.

Cleaning it while it’s still hot is a great way to ensure a few nasty burns which we obviously want to avoid.

So ensure that you’ve turned it off and let it cool completely before you start cleaning.

Step One: Vacuum Out Your Traeger Grill

I’m sure that any griller knows that a crumb-less cook is pretty much impossible. You’ll end up with all sorts of bits and bobs dirtying up your grill.

These have got to go. The simplest way to get rid of them is to vacuum out the grill.

I always advise popping on some gloves when you do this. Even though you’ve let it cool, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Plus this part is a messy business. If you don’t want hands covered in grease and dirt then gloves are definitely the way to go.

Step Two: Wash Your Grill Grates

Personally, I find that taking your grill grates for a trip to the kitchen is the best port of call here.

They get very grubby and dirty and really benefit from a good dip in a sink filled with warm and soapy water.

You’ll want to be careful with them though, especially if they’re porcelain. I’d steer clear of anything abrasive that could damage the coating. Stick to a sponge, it’ll do the job and keep that coating intact.

You may need a fair amount of elbow grease if they’re particularly dirty, but for the most part, they will shed their grease and grime pretty easily.

Step Three: Remove The Drip Tray & Dispose Of Used Aluminum Foil

If you’re using one of these grills, you should definitely be covering your drip tray in aluminum foil.

If you’re not...start doing so. Trust me. Heavy-duty varieties are the best option but any will do the job at hand.

When it comes to cleaning, you’ll want to make sure that you are removing the drip tray and then rewrapping it with nice, new, and fresh foil.

Step Four: Take Out The Heat Baffle

For those who don’t know, you’ll locate the heat baffle right underneath the drip tray. It covers the hot pot and disperses the flame.

When you remove the heat baffle, you’ll notice a substance that looks like a mix between ash and sawdust.

This needs to go. The easiest way to get rid of this is to vacuum it out quickly.

I wouldn’t advise using your home vacuum though, not unless you want a greasy and grimy carpet the next time you use it.

If you have a garage vacuum or a shop vac, then I’d use that instead.

Step Five: Use Grease Bucket Liners

Ah, the grease bucket. If you aren’t already, you want to start using grease bucket liners because they make cleanup super simple.

This way the grease won't leak into your bucket and you can dispose of your grease much quicker and easier.

The only other option is to line your bucket with aluminum foil, which will do the job, but it can leak which makes for a much messier cleaning process.

Step 6: Reassemble

Want some good news? The cleaning is over. Yep, you’re done. Your Traeger grill is now good to go. All you have to do now is put your grill back together again. And that doesn’t take two seconds.

You’ll want to follow this order for your reassemble:

1. Heat Baffle
2. Drip Tray
3. Grill Gates
4. Lined Grease Bucket

Final Thoughts

Nobody likes cleaning. Let’s face it, it doesn’t feel all that rewarding.

And at least after a long cooking session, there’s some scrumptious food at the end of it all.

But if you want to continue to be able to consume that delectable grub, you’ll need to keep your grill running optimally.

And alas, that means ensuring that you give your grill that much needed clean-down after each and every use.

Luckily, as you can see from this article, it really doesn’t take all that much effort to keep your Traeger grill clean.

And cleaning it regularly just means that it’s much easier to clean each and every time.

Leave your grill dirty for a week or so, and you’ll soon see the difference in how hard it is to scrub away that dirt and grime.

So be kind to your future self by ensuring that present you always cleans your grill after cooking those mouthwatering meals.