Discussions

There have been a few story's in the news about people swallowing bristles, I see another today, after reading about the one the doctor said he couldn't remove it from a mans throat I bought a wooden scrapper a month ago, I had never heard of this before it seams very plausibly a bristle attaching its self to what ever your cooking,but Ive been using a wire brush on barbecues for at least 40 years and never even heard of this, have I been just missing it the whole time, because it seems like a regular occurrence now.

I think it is more heard of due to the internet. 40 years ago you wouldn't hear about it unless locally. What I have found is people hang on to their brushes until half the bristles are missing. I know on my racks they are porcelain coated which I didn't realize you use no metal bristle brushes as it took off the finish and rusted the heck out of my grills to the point of having metal flakes in my food. After that expensive mistake as replacement grills were $200 I no longer use the brushes. What I have noticed is that almost all the grills they sell now should not have the metal brushes used on them.

My family stopped using the wire brushes a couple of years ago. On more than one occasion I found a wire in my food, and also bit one in my mouth but thankfully was not injured. We changed to the "pad" style cleaner.

Ive never understood these? are they for a cold grill only? as they melt faster than ever when used on a hot grill. And i thought that was the problem with the bristles - if you use them on a hot grill its less likely to lose one as opposed to a cold grill where it could rip the out easier?????

What is another option you can use!

I take a small dish of water mixed with a few tablespoons of canola oil, wad up a few paper towels, grab it with tongs, and scrub the grill like that. If there are larger chunks present, I will heat the grill first and let it carbonize first. I have a metal brush, but find I don't use it often.  
 
Just be careful if you do the oil trick while it is running, because it can cause flare ups.

Reusable said "Ive never understood these? are they for a cold grill only? as they melt faster than ever when used on a hot grill. And i thought that was the problem with the bristles - if you use them on a hot grill its less likely to lose one as opposed to a cold grill where it could rip the out easier????? "

My pads are designed to be used on a hot grill. No melting here.

I reuse my old cleanish tin foil.. just roll it in a ball and scrape away on warm or cold grill.. works great for me

a wonderful BBQ cleaner....he's a great husband as well *grin*