Found this in my grill. We just used it a few days ago and cleaned it up afterwards. (The grates at least).
What’s the best way to clean this (in addition to fire)? And was there any way I could have prevented it? I’ve had this happen to a grill I stored in the garage over a winter, but would never have expected something this quickly after the last use…
by Perfect-Parsley-2592
12 Comments
Several years ago I opened my grill for the first time that season. A rat sped out and up a rain spout. My dog went crazy and tore that spout down. Never did get it replaced.
I scrubbed the grates clean with soap and water (yes, I eventually reseasoned), turned the burners on high and let them burn for several minutes.
Most important step, though, was not letting my wife know for many years.
The problem with rodents is their scat and pee. If they were in there long enough to make a nest then chances are you have piss and shit in your firebox. Lazy mode, turn your burners to max and let it sit that way for an hour. The sure way- pull your grates and throw them in the dishwasher (I own this exact grill btw). You can pull your warming grate above as well. Pull your elements and flavorizer bars. Scrape up loose debris. Spray the inside with a diluted bleach solution or Clorox cleanup solution. (1/3 cleaner, 2/3 water. Spray the inside. Agitate then let sit until bone dry. Wipe after with a damp cloth. Replace heating elements and flavorizer bars. Replace grates. Fire the whole thing on high for an hour.
Set a glue trap under your grill and probably by the grease tray.
I’ve read that keeping moth balls or some mint spray will help in preventing them from coming back.
Check your ignition wires too! They love the wiring.
As someone who lived in a strata with a rat issue after a neighbouring development. You’ll need to eliminate or move the rodent and family. That said. They follow the trail and keep coming back.
They’ve also been under your hood too I bet.
What I love about grills is just about anything can be solved by scorching that fucker on high heat for a while.
I think you mean ‘locally sourced food’
I thought that was moldy weed lol
I’ve been dealing with a constant mouse problem in my BBQ as well. I tried a bunch of things (moth balls, sprays, extra diligent cleaning, etc), and nothing worked.
The only option I’ve found that has helped has been setting traps surrounding the propane tank in the base of the grill. I have four traps and check them every day or two (including during the winter) if I am not using the grill. It’s really annoying, but I’ve had nests twice and I refuse to let that happen again.
When I did have a nest, I pulled everything apart, cleaned everything out, used the hose to spray it down, used a heavy cleaner, hosed it down again, used a food safe cleaner, hosed it down again, then ran it at top temperature for an hour. Still mentally tasted mice after, but I am pretty confident it was clean.
Hope you have better luck than me!
*Edit* forgot to add, I stopped counting after 50 dead mice in the last year. My one neighbour has bird feeders and I find seeds all over.
I’ve developed a burning passionate hate for those creatures since becoming a home owner .
I had a smoker that I hadn’t used all winter and in the spring I found 2 dead rats on the grill. Leaned the crap out of that thing and moved on. Now in Alberta where there are no rats, but I’m gonna take precautions against mice with my new smoker thanks to OP,
I would check in your vehicles engine compartment too. Both me and the wife had nests in ours recently. They were already chewing thru one of her coil wires.
I stopped covering my grill because they climb up the cover and I installed chicken wire anywhere where there is a hole to access. The grill. No issues since