{"id":5445,"date":"2022-07-19T16:00:37","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T20:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/?p=5445"},"modified":"2022-07-20T11:52:26","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T15:52:26","slug":"maintain-the-chillin-and-grillin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/maintain-the-chillin-and-grillin\/","title":{"rendered":"Maintain the Chillin’ and Grillin’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barbecue chicken and ice-cold lemonade, cold beers and brats, chilled watermelon and grilled hamburgers. That was a small part of my menu for the fourth of July weekend. I most definitely took advantage of some choice weather and time off to relax and recharge. My outdoor toys and appliances however, had no rest. They had 8+ children and friends to keep refreshed, full and entertained. The hose had a good workout, too!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kids<\/span><\/p>\n

But after the cooking and entertainment have concluded, the cleaning must begin. And unlike cleaning the kids, I would not recommend using the hose to undertake this process. Here are some maintenance and cleaning tips to help keep your outdoor appliances looking new and clean.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Grill<\/span><\/p>\n

Grills Are Not Self-Cleaning<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to fall into the habit of just giving your grill grates a quick swipe with a wire brush before you toss on those steaks.<\/span> <\/span>While you won\u2019t directly harm your grill by doing that, it is important to check its other components, specifically burners, valves, and hoses.<\/span> <\/span>If you have a gas grill, don\u2019t ignore the burners.<\/span> <\/span>Use a stiff brush periodically to clear grease and gunk away from them, and as you cook, pay attention to the color of the flame.<\/span> <\/span>A healthy flame on a gas grill should be blue with a yellow tip\u2014if your flames are all yellow, turn off the grill and disconnect the fuel tank so that you can check the fuel valve pressure.<\/span> <\/span>Lastly, <\/span>look<\/span> at any hoses, such as fuel lines, on the grill.<\/span> <\/span>Even if your outdoor kitchen isn\u2019t directly exposed to the elements, it is still affected by temperature changes.<\/span> <\/span>Depending on the material, grill hoses can contract and expand in response to changing seasons, so give them a brief inspection to <\/span>see if any of them have cracked or split and need to be replaced.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Brussel<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Go Nuts Cleaning Outdoor Appliances<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Stainless steel appliances are <\/span>extremely<\/span> popular in outdoor kitchens, and for good reason.<\/span> <\/span>Not only does stainless steel look nice with the hardware typically used in outdoor spaces, but it is also resistant to rust and corrosion, making it ideal for outside use.<\/span> <\/span>Although stainless steel is a <\/span>durable<\/span> material, it isn\u2019t indestructible.<\/span> <\/span>Don\u2019t cut directly on a <\/span>stainless-steel<\/span> surface<\/span>, only <\/span>use a cutting board.<\/span> <\/span>Hot pots and pans as well as other metal, steel, or <\/span>cast-iron<\/span> items can cause staining and corrosion if they\u2019re left on a <\/span>stainless steel<\/span> surface for too long, so find another resting place for them<\/span> <\/span>or use a heat resistant pad or cloth<\/span>. A rinse with soapy water will be sufficient for cleaning a <\/span>stainless<\/span> <\/span>steel<\/span> surface, but make sure that <\/span>you follow the grain of the metal and dry it completely. There\u2019s no need to use chemical <\/span>cleaners and<\/span> stay away from steel wool pads<\/span>; <\/span>little bits of them can flake off and get imbedded in your <\/span>stainless steel<\/span> surface. While the actual surface won\u2019t rust in that situation, the steel wool pieces will.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Outdoor<\/span><\/p>\n

Protect Your Outdoor Furniture<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

While it may not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of outdoor kitchens, furniture plays an important part in rounding out your backyard sanctuary.<\/span> <\/span>If possible, try to keep your outdoor kitchen <\/span>furniture out of <\/span>rain<\/span> and extreme weather by bringing it indoors<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span>I<\/span>f that<\/span> is<\/span> not an option<\/span>, try<\/span> looking for vinyl covers that don\u2019t touch the floor, which allows moisture to escape.<\/span> <\/span>You can clean vinyl, mesh, and fabric components with a mild, all-purpose cleaner<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span>Avoid <\/span>harsh bleach<\/span> <\/span>or ammonia-based cleaners<\/span>, they are not <\/span>necessary and can do more harm than good.<\/span> <\/span>As with your countertops, try to catch and wipe up spills as soon as possible.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Patio<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Forget About Your Floor<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The patio may receive the brunt of all the dirt, debris, and staining. Some of the more advanced pavers have a factory-applied sealer to help resist or even prevent stains from occurring. If you do not have one of these types of pavers, consider adding a sealer to the patio. If you are not a fan of sealers, there are many outdoor rugs and mats to help protect the unprotected areas. You can use a mild soap, warm water, and a stiff-bristled brush to help remove most stains; there are stronger and more specific cleaners if you have a stain that is proving to be a challenge.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Beers<\/span><\/p>\n

Check Your Fridge<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know that there are 2 different ratings for outdoor refrigerators? The better option is an actual \u201cOutdoor Rated\u201d refrigerator. It differs from the \u201cStandard Outdoor\u201d by having 304 stainless steel material, greater insulation, an advanced compressor, and better ventilation. This will help when the outdoor temps start to climb in the 90\u2019s. Keep your fridge full, even if it is just water bottles. This will help the fridge work less and keep your items colder.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Outdoor<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/span> <\/span>Your outdoor kitchen and fireplace area represents not only a financial investment, but also a commitment to time spent with family and friends.<\/span> <\/span>Taking a few minutes to maintain your outdoor kitchen, <\/span>patio<\/span>, and furniture will protect your investment and allow you to spend as much quality time as possible with your loved ones.<\/span> <\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bryan<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Barbecue chicken and ice-cold lemonade, cold beers and brats, chilled watermelon and grilled hamburgers. That was a small part of my menu for the fourth of July weekend. I most definitely took advantage of some choice weather and time off to relax and recharge. My outdoor toys and appliances however, had no rest. They had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5449,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,18,66,4],"tags":[37],"class_list":["post-5445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2022-posts","category-about-us","category-about-you","category-hardscape","tag-bryan-pajak"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5445"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5478,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5445\/revisions\/5478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christensensplantcenter.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}