What’s the fastest way to clean a dirty griddle?

Scrape off food debris while the griddle is still warm using a metal scraper, then pour hot water over the surface to loosen stuck-on bits. Wipe clean with paper towels—no soap needed!

Do I need to use soap to clean a griddle?

Nope! Soap can strip away the seasoning. Just use hot water, a scraper, and paper towels. For heavy buildup, you can use a griddle brick or chainmail scrubber.

Can I clean a cold griddle?

You can, but it’s way easier when it’s warm. Heat helps loosen the grime so it wipes off faster and cleaner.

How do I maintain a clean griddle after use?

After cooking, scrape off any food bits, wipe it down with a damp paper towel, and add a thin layer of oil to keep it seasoned and rust-free.

Griddle

How to Clean a Dirty Griddle Fast

By Jason Gazaway

2 comments

Let’s face it: your griddle has seen some stuff. Bacon grease, burger crusties, pancake mishaps—it’s a battlefield out there. But cleaning it doesn’t have to be a big, dramatic ordeal. In fact, we, with the help of our friend Benton Palmer with @GrillThisSmokeThat, are gonna show you how to clean that bad boy fast, so you can get back to grilling greatness.

Whether you're rockin’ a Blackstone or any flat-top griddle, this method will have it shining like new in minutes. (Spoiler alert: you probably already have what you need in your kitchen.)

🧽 What You’ll Need

Before you dive in, grab these:

Water (a squeeze bottle makes it easy!)
A metal spatula or scraper
Tongs
Paper towels
Cooking oil (like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, etc. - it needs to have a high smoke point & neutral flavor)
Grill brick or griddle stone (optional but awesome)
Patience level: low (this is fast, remember?)

🧼 Step-by-Step: How to Clean a Griddle Fast

When it comes to cleaning your griddle, there are a few things to remember before you even get started to keep in mind:

First thing, eat with your family. This is why you cooked in the first place, and it is the most important thing. Enjoy your meal and the quality time with your family and friends.
Be sure to clean the griddle within a day to keep things tidy and to protect it and prevent buildup. Plus, it will be a pain to scrape everything off if not. The sooner the better, especially while it is still hot/warm. (We address this more below.

Step 1: Heat It Up

Turn your griddle on medium-high heat. Why? Heat helps loosen all the stuck-on gunk and makes it way easier to clean. Think of it as a little warm-up before the deep clean.

🔥 Pro Tip: Cleaning your griddle while it’s still hot after cooking is 10x easier than waiting for it to cool down.

Step 2: Steam & Scrape Like You Mean It

Pour/squeeze water onto the griddle while it’s still warm. Give it a good coating. You’ll see a satisfying steam cloud—this is where the magic happens. Grab your metal scraper or spatula and go full chef-mode. Push all that greasy, crispy residue toward the grease trap.

Use the flat edge of your scraper to avoid damaging the surface.
Work in lines or zones to stay organized. (It’s oddly satisfying.)
Repeat a few times until the bubbles are clear/white. It might not be a perfect color, but the closer the better.

🔥 Pro Tip: Clean your tools on the griddle first. The heat will help loosen all the grease and grime and make them easier to clean.

Step 3: Wipe It Down

Use tongs or your scraper tool and paper towels to carefully wipe away all the mess. It’s like giving your griddle a spa day.

Be safe! That griddle is still hot, so don’t go in barehanded.
Repeat the water + wipe combo if needed.

Step 6: Rust Prevention

Once the griddle’s clean and dry, it’s time to coat it with a little oil.

Drizzle a small amount of oil on the surface.
Use paper towels (held with tongs) to rub it evenly across the griddle.

This keeps your griddle slick, rust-free, and always ready for action.

✅ Done and Dusted (Literally)

Your griddle’s now clean, happy, and probably wondering when it’s getting bacon again. Keeping it clean not only makes your food taste better but also extends the life of your gear. Win-win.