# The Dangers Of Using A Wire Brush On The BBQ



## Kaneohegirlinaz

My husband found this and sent it to me:

The Danger Of Using A Wire Brush

I threw ours away and went out and bought the Grill Stone instead.


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## GotGarlic

That guy is an idiot. How hard is it to look at the grill and see those? Knock them off into the grill and you're good to go. This would never have made the news if he didn't happen to be a reporter.


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## Andy M.

GotGarlic said:


> That guy is an idiot. How hard is it to look at the grill and see those? Knock them off into the grill and you're good to go. This would never have made the news if he didn't happen to be a reporter.



+1

You do have some obligation to exercise common sense.  You use the brush to clean the grill.  Don't you then check out the grill to make sure it's clean?


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## roadfix

They had discussions  about this on other dedicated BBQ forums a couple of years ago.
I remember most of them sided with the common sense approach when using a wired brush.


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## taxlady

Andy M. said:


> +1
> 
> You do have some obligation to exercise common sense.  You use the brush to clean the grill.  *Don't you then check out the grill to make sure it's clean?*


That's what I was thinking. However, I will pay extra attention now.


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## Kayelle

My eyesight sure isn't what it used to be, especially grilling without good light when the sun goes down. I grill a *lot* year round and I for one appreciate the heads up! I will be purchasing a grill cleaning stone.

Thanks Kgirl.


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## FrankZ

So it happened to one person one time and now grill brushes are evil?


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## taxlady

FrankZ said:


> So it happened to one person one time and now grill brushes are evil?


Yup, better throw away that grill brush right now.


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## Aunt Bea

With my luck I would end up with a toxic grill stone imported from China, so many things to worry about in this world!


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## Addie

A few years back management here took away the brushes (without explanation) and gave us the grill stone. The men were very upset. But after using the stone that one Saturday, they were happy. I would have to assume it was all about the bristles coming out of the brush. To the men, it just didn't seem very manly to use a stone for cleaning. Nothing like a good hard brushing to get anything clean. One of the guys suggested that they soak the grills in an engine cleaning solution. That idea got shot down real fast. 

We women have to laugh at the men here. They think women know nothing about grilling. Only men know how to do it right. Blah, blah, blah. They were sorry they opened their mouth by the time we got done with them.


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## Dawgluver

I've used crumpled aluminum foil with tongs.  I also have used my short-bristled grill brush, and really haven't paid much attention to whatever it left behind.  Guess I will now!


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## RPCookin

The only way I see that you leave bristles behind like that video is: 

1)  he bought a cheap brush that is very poorly made - probably in a Chinese sweat shop

2)  he didn't do a very good job of cleaning and left glue like gunk all over the grate.  When I use my wire brush, the grill is preheated and everything stuck to it is burned down to ash.  All I'm really doing with the brush is knocking off some lumps that turn to powder as I scrape.  The brush leaves nothing behind on the surface of the grate, because there is nothing there to hold any bristles that might break off.  

3)  he set that up for the video.  He is showing a half dozen left on the grate after a little bit of scraping?  Something doesn't jive.  That is put out as a "report", but I see it as mostly fiction.  If he is truly a reporter, then he should be fired.

I've used one brush for years and if it lost bristles at the rate his did, it would have been bald in a couple of months.  I call foul and fake.  He may actually have swallowed a bristle somehow, some way (like maybe using the brush on one part of the grate while cooking something next to it?), but I think that it was a one off rare occurrence, not something that any reasonably aware person should have to worry about.


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## Addie

RP, my first thought was I hope he doesn't lose his hair that fast. It looked like he had loosened those bristles. I am not a griller, although I do love a good grilled burger. But I would think if those bristles were coming out on their own without him loosening any of them, then there had to be some glue holding some of them. Those that were held tight should have just broken in half instead of coming out whole, if he was brushing really hard.


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## Cheryl J

I grill probably 20 times a year, and have for decades. I'm not saying it can't happen, but never before have I heard of anyone swallowing a grill brush bristle. 

I do like RP and others have said and burn stuff off first. I use the scraper side of my grill brush more often than the brush itself. It gets replaced every few years or so. 

I couldn't find the exact one I have right now, I got it from Home Depot. It looks a lot like this one, but with a longer handle. Not expensive, but does the job.


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## Cooking Goddess

GotGarlic said:


> ...This would never have made the news if he didn't happen to be a reporter.


Yup.

I always thought you were supposed to clean the grate in the same directions the rails run? Less chance of a bristle coming loose. Then aren't you supposed to go over the cleaned grate with an oiled paper towel so that your foods don't stick while you're grilling? That would have knocked off/picked up any other tiny stray fibers.

Don't have to worry about using a grill brush though. Our grate is just a wee bit shorter than our basement utility tub is wide. After the grill cools we take the grate down the bulkhead steps and put it into hot, soapy water to soak. A quick brushing with a nylon dish brush usually does the trick. If not, I finish it off with an SOS pad.   Oh no, I'm gonna die from metal shards!


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## taxlady

Cooking Goddess said:


> Yup.
> 
> I always thought you were supposed to clean the grate in the same directions the rails run? Less chance of a bristle coming loose. Then aren't you supposed to go over the cleaned grate with an oiled paper towel so that your foods don't stick while you're grilling? That would have knocked off/picked up any other tiny stray fibers.
> 
> ...


Well, that's certainly the way it's going to get more stuff off. I figure his wife told him he had to brush the grill and he never thought about why and just did it.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Addie said:


> A few years back management here took away the brushes (without explanation) and gave us the grill stone. The men were very upset. But after using the stone that one Saturday, they were happy. I would have to assume it was all about the bristles coming out of the brush. To the men, it just didn't seem very manly to use a stone for cleaning. Nothing like a good hard brushing to get anything clean. One of the guys suggested that they soak the grills in an engine cleaning solution. That idea got shot down real fast.
> 
> We women have to laugh at the men here. They think women know nothing about grilling. Only men know how to do it right. Blah, blah, blah. They were sorry they opened their mouth by the time we got done with them.



Let'snot turn this into an us against them argument.  Not all guys are idiots, and not all women are geniuses.  

Though I'm much better with the grill than is DW, it's only because I made it my mission to learn that Webber Kettle, and every technique that can be used with it.  But that's the way I am with everything.  I know men who regularly turn burgers into hockey pucks on the grill, and I knew a woman who coated her steaks with baking soda before grilling then.

None of us are born knowing much of anything, except how to breath,and suck.  And it has even been suggested that the sucking reflex is learned.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## FrankZ

I think the best way to clean the grill is fire.  Get the coals roaring hot.  It will remove all the organic material that might have stuck to the grates.

Fire is nature's cleanser.


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## CraigC

Stay away from this grill brush! Didn't lose any bristles, just didn't get the promised steam. 

http://www.amazon.com/Grill-Daddy-C...id=1434969676&sr=8-1&keywords=the+grill+daddy 

I'll stick to the "next fire" cleaning method and standard grill brush.


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## Andy M.

FrankZ said:


> I think the best way to clean the grill is fire.  Get the coals roaring hot.  It will remove all the organic material that might have stuck to the grates.
> 
> Fire is nature's cleanser.



I have no problem leaving my grill dirty until the next time I use it.  Then I turn it on full blast to pre-heat and walk away.  10-15 minutes later any food residue is ash and I just brush it off.  Then I oil before cooking.


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## RPCookin

Andy M. said:


> I have no problem leaving my grill dirty until the next time I use it.  Then I turn it on full blast to pre-heat and walk away.  10-15 minutes later any food residue is ash and I just brush it off.  Then I oil before cooking.



A guy here who is a hog raiser also has a cooker on wheels that he takes to many pig roasts each year.  He never cleans the grates until the day before an event.  That keeps the cooking surface well oiled for rust prevention.  He will fire it up the day before and burn off any residue from the previous outing.  He's been doing that for some 40 years.


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## Andy M.

RPCookin said:


> A guy here who is a hog raiser also has a cooker on wheels that he takes to many pig roasts each year.  He never cleans the grates until the day before an event.  That keeps the cooking surface well oiled for rust prevention.  He will fire it up the day before and burn off any residue from the previous outing.  He's been doing that for some 40 years.



Though I've never roasted a pig, I've been cleaning the same way for about 40 years as well.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz

I'm in that same boat of preheat, burn off the crud, brush away the ash, oil the grill grates with a paper towel (this makes for a non-stick surface).
I use a Tool Wizard BBQ Grill Brush, which uses a metal scouring pads that I replace regularly.
https://toolwizard.com/store/index.cfm/product/30_48/tool-wizard-grill-brush.cfm
I learned this method, as well as this product, from ATK and Cook's Country, it's worked for me.
I also agree that by leaving the organic matter until the next BBQ, keeps the grates from rusting, having lived in Hawaii for most of my life, it works.
We did have a cheap-o grill brush like that fellow, but threw that out, and yes, I agree, I think this "reporter" is a buffoon.


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## Zagut

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Let'snot turn this into an us against them argument. Not all guys are idiots, and not all women are geniuses.
> 
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


 
You sir, Are in big, big trouble.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

RPCookin said:


> A guy here who is a hog raiser also has a cooker on wheels that he takes to many pig roasts each year.  He never cleans the grates until the day before an event.  That keeps the cooking surface well oiled for rust prevention.  He will fire it up the day before and burn off any residue from the previous outing.  He's been doing that for some 40 years.



I do the same with my Webber Charcoal kettle.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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