I'm a gardening expert - here's why using beer to clean a BBQ works

As barbecue season draws in, Brits have been advised that beer could be the key to cleaning off your outdoor cooking equipment for its first use of the year. 

Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress, has shared how the beverage can help make your BBQ look brand new in time for any hosting you have planned over the coming weeks. 

Cleaning the BBQ can be a real chore, especially when it has been tucked away over the winter months and you didn't quite get it sparkling the last time you used it. 

Mr Bonnet said: 'Having a clean BBQ is really important, not only will it allow your food to cook better but it also minimises the risk of any bacteria clinging onto your delicious BBQ food.

'A lot of people see cleaning the BBQ as a chore at the end of a great day out in the sun but if you want your appliance to last you'll need to give it the care it requires.

Chris Bonnett revealed that beer's acidity and carbonation helps scrub away grease and grime, which helps a BBQ's effectiveness cooking as well as keeping it clean

'Using beer to clean the BBQ is a great little hack if you don't have any oven cleaner available. The acidity from the beer helps to break down any grease and food that is sitting on your grill and makes it easier to scrub off.

'Ideally you want to let the grill heat up for around 10 minutes to loosen up any food and grime.

'After that, turn the BBQ off and pour a small amount of beer onto the grill, allow it to finish sizzling away before taking a coarse scouring pad or even some newspaper and scrubbing the grill.

'Once you've finished scrubbing you'll want to get rid of any remaining beer residue by wiping the BBQ down with some warm water.'

Previous research has revealed just how bad Britons can be with the upkeep of their BBQ. In 2021, HG found that Britain ranked worst in Europe for cleaning our BBQs.

Around a third of us apparently wait until it it already BBQ season again before cleaning the grill, and some even admitted to only cleaning it once all year.

Failure to clean the BBQ can turn it into a breeding ground for bacteria like E.coli and salmonella and can also ruin your appliance over time, shorten its lifespan and attract unwanted critters into your garden.

This weekend, much of the UK is set to be approaching 20 degrees, so if that is tempting you out for some al fresco dining, make sure kit is properly prepared too.