The Best Way To Clean Your Rusty Blackstone Griddle

Despite good intentions, it can happen to anyone. You lift the cover off of your Blackstone grill only to find the top completely covered in rust. But don't lose all your backyard cookout hopes just yet. It is a little bit of a process, but with some effort, you can fully restore your griddle with the right process and materials. You will need a metal scraper or spatula, paper towels, cooking oil, and a grill stone.

Grill stones, also known as grill bricks, are made out of pumice stone. They are abrasive enough to remove that layer of rust — but not so hard that they will damage the surface of the griddle. Alternatively, steel wool or medium grit, wet-dry sandpaper will work in its place. As for the oil, choose a refined oil with a high smoke point, and since you will be using quite a bit of it, opt for something affordable. No need to use up your favorite avocado oil here when vegetable oil will work just as well. Aside from that, just make sure you have some elbow grease and a good attitude.

The first thing you need to do is turn on the griddle and allow it to preheat for about 20 minutes on high heat. This step helps loosen up the rust. After that, cut the heat and let it cool down enough so you will not accidentally burn yourself. For the impatient, heat-resistant gloves can help here. Then, go to town with the scraper — a metal spatula can also do the job. Use even pressure and try to scrape every inch of the surface. After you have gotten up as much rust as you can, wipe it away, and cover the entire surface in cooking oil.

Think of the plain oil as your cleaning liquid. It catches all the debris just like water would. However, since water causes rust, and your griddle surface is now woefully unprotected, using it here would not be a good choice. Scrub the griddle thoroughly with your grill stone, adding more oil as needed. Wipe the surface clean, and then repeat the process until you don't see rust particles.

For particularly stubborn patches, you can enlist the help of Blackstone's griddle top restorer. Apply this liquid just on the rusty spots, let it sit for about five minutes, and then wipe it off with the scrubby pad. You can repeat this a few times too before cleaning off the residue with soap and water.

After all that scraping and scrubbing, you need to season your griddle. This is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent rust from forming in the future. To season a Blackstone grill, coat the entire surface in a thin, even layer of cooking oil or griddle seasoning conditioner. Then, turn on the flame, and keep it fired up until the whole top goes matte black in color and the oil stops smoking. Cut the heat, let the griddle cool, and repeat the oiling process three or four times.

The reason you have to season to this degree is because you just scraped off the top rusty layer, revealing unseasoned metal. After your griddle is properly seasoned, you just need to reapply a layer of fresh oil following each time you cook on or clean a Blackstone griddle. If you're diligent the first time, this will be enough to maintain the protective layer.

However, even a well-seasoned griddle is no match for water, which can also come from humid air. If possible, a cool and dry shed or garage is ideal for storage. For outdoor storage, keep the griddle away from anywhere that is particularly humid, like bathrooms or places with rain run-off. It is also worth investing in a durable cover. Additionally, one of the very best ways to prevent rust is to just use your griddle regularly, so consider that motivation for cooking on a Blackstone griddle as often as possible!