How to Deep Clean a Commercial Flat Top Grill (Step-by-Step)

January 1, 2026

A well-maintained grill is the motor that runs many professional kitchens.

Over time, grease, carbon buildup, food debris, and baked on residue can drastically impair performance, reduce heat transfer efficiency, affect your cooking, and become a health hazard.

But cleaning a commercial grill top is about more than aesthetics; it’s a food safety requirement, helps avoid flare ups, extends equipment life, and can even lead to better tasting food.

In this article, you’ll learn a detailed, step-by-step process for deep cleaning a commercial grill top. We’ll also discuss safety considerations, tools, frequency recommendations, and tips to help reduce downtime. By the end, your grill top should be restored to peak performance, and you’ll feel confident about maintaining it regularly.

How Often Should You Clean Your Commercial Flat Top Grill??

Creating and sticking to a structured commercial grill cleaning schedule is one of the most effective ways to maintain consistent results and prevent heavy carbon buildup.

The frequency of each cleaning task should be based on your kitchen’s production volume, menu type, and hours of operation, but consistency is what matters most.

Below is a practical breakdown to help you design a schedule that helps keep your flat top grill performing like new.

Frequency	Type of Cleaning	Main Focus	Recommended Cleaner
Daily	Light wipe & scrape	Remove fresh grease and food particles	Mild degreaser / warm water
Weekly	Medium cleaning	Foam degrease & scrub	Victoria Bay Foaming Cleaner
Monthly	Deep cleaning	Full teardown & inspection	Victoria Bay Foaming Cleaner
Quarterly	Maintenance	Service inspection & calibration	Victoria Bay Foaming Cleaner + Professional servicing

When properly followed, this schedule helps minimize downtime, improve safety, and ensure your grill top stays in top condition all year long. Over time, staff will likely find that sticking to this plan reduces scrubbing effort and chemical use, which can help save money and labor in the long run.

Tools and Supplies Needed

Before you begin cleaning, gather the right tools and supplies for the job:

Grill scraper or heavy-duty griddle scraper (sturdy metal blade)
Grill brush (steel bristle, heat-rated)
Grill bri ck
Soft/medium abrasive pad (for heavy-duty use)
Wire brushes or narrow brushes (for corners, burner slots, etc.)
Buckets (hot water, rinse solution)
Clean rags or microfiber cloths
Personal protective equipment (PPE): gloves rated for chemical use, goggles or face shield, apron
Heat-resistant pads or mats
Drain pan or catch basin
Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner
Optionally, a steam cleaner or hot-water pressure spray (if available)
Ventilation or exhaust hood fan

Step-by-Step: Deep Cleaning Your Commercial Flat Top Grill

We’ll divide this into 7 distinct steps. Depending on your grill’s size and design you may adapt or add micro-steps to best meet the needs of your specific model.

Step 1: Safety & Preparatory Steps

Ventilate the Area

Turn on your exhaust hood fans, open vents, and, if possible, crack doors or windows to ensure good airflow.

Strong ventilation is essential because grill cleaners like Victoria Bay Foaming Cleaner release vapors during use.

Good air circulation helps keep your staff comfortable and safe.

Put on PPE

Before handling any chemicals, always put on the required personal protective equipment.

At minimum, wear chemical-resistant gloves to protect your skin, safety goggles or a face shield to guard your eyes against splashes, and a protective apron or coat to keep cleaner from staining or irritating clothing.

If you’re working in a tight or poorly ventilated area, consider using a respirator rated for chemical fumes.

Always review the cleaner’s SDS for specific PPE recommendations.

Protect Surrounding Surfaces

Lay down drip pans, tarps, or absorbent mats around the work area to catch runoff and prevent chemical overspray from damaging nearby floors, counters, or appliances.

This keeps your workspace cleaner and minimizes extra cleanup afterward.

Step 2: Pre-clean & Scrape-Off Loose Debris

Warm Residual Grease (optional)

If safe and your policy allows, bring the grill to about 200–250 °F to help soften grease.

Avoid overheating, which can cause cleaners to evaporate too quickly or create a hazardous cleaning environment.

Scrape Off Chunks and Debris

Using a robust grill scraper or griddle tool, scrape off large chunks of food, carbon, and caked debris.

Work systematically row by row, pushing toward the grease trough. Collect the debris and discard.

Wire Brush or Coarse Brushing

Grill Brush 20 IN Carbon Steel Wood 1/Each

Once large bits are off, follow up with a wire grill brush over the surface to remove lighter scale and carbon. Be diligent in corners, joints, burner slot edges, etc.

At this point, your surface should be mostly clear of loose debris, exposing the baked-on grease and residue you’ll now chemically treat.

Step 3: Apply Oven & Grill Cleaner

Shake and Prep the Aerosol Can

Shake the product thoroughly (per instructions; always check the product label or SDS).

Ensure the nozzle is clear and functional. If the nozzle is clogged, soak it in hot soapy water to loosen the clog, then use a sewing needle or thin wire to carefully poke out the softened blockage if needed. Be careful not to damage or enlarge the opening.

Apply a Generous Coating to the Grill Top

We recommend Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner . Spray the product across the entire grill top surface, including any vertical surfaces, edges, grooves, and side walls. Because it’s a foaming formula, it will cling to surfaces rather than run off immediately.

Don’t skimp here. You need full coverage so the foam can penetrate baked-on grease. For thick buildup, apply another light pass in critical areas.

Let it Dwell (Penetration Time)

Allow the foam to rest on the surface for the amount of time listed on the label (15 minutes, or until foaming action diminishes).

During this dwell time, the degreaser will break down grease matrices, loosen carbon, and emulsify grime.

Pro Tip: If some areas dry out or if the foam dissipates too early, lightly reapply Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner to help keep the surface wet.

Step 4: Agitate & Scrub

Use Abrasive Pad or Scrub Pad

While the foam is active, take a medium-duty abrasive pad and scrub in firm, overlapping strokes.

Focus on the most used areas: the center, burner slots, etc.

Use Wire Brush or Detail Brushes

After bulk scrubbing, switch to wire brushes or narrow bristle brushes to reach crevices, grooves, and junctions between cooking plates or burner slots.

Between these first two steps of Phase 4, you should be able to agitate and scrub the entire grill top.

Repeat Application as Needed

For stubborn areas, you may need a reapplication of Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner, then another dwell, agitate, and scrub cycle.

Repeat as many times as needed.

Step 5: Rinse & Remove Residuals

Initial Rinse

Use hot water (preferably >120 °F) and a spray wand to rinse off the loosened debris and chemical. Work from back to front, pushing rinse toward the drain trough or catch basin.

Never use cold water for this step as the thermal shock can crack or damage your grill top surface.

Pro Tip: If your kitchen is fitted with a steam cleaner or hot water system, use them here. Spray at moderate pressure (not too high or you can damage surfaces). Combined with the heat, foam, and agitation, this will rapidly lift residue.

Wipe Down

With clean rags or microfiber cloths, wipe the grill top surface in straight, even strokes.

Inspect & Touch Up as Needed

After rinsing and wiping, inspect the grill top surface carefully under bright light.

If you detect any burned-on spots or a greasy sheen, reapply a small amount of Victoria Bay foam, scrub, and rinse again.

Air Dry or Heat Dry

Once you’ve determined the grill top surface is clean, allow the surface to air dry, or reheat the grill to ~300 °F for a short period to evaporate any residual moisture.

This can also help flash off any remaining trace of cleaning agent.

Step 6: Final Check

Briefly Fire Up the Grill

Turn on burners to medium-high for a few minutes to burn off any minute remaining residues.

Watch for smoke or smell. Any lingering odor should dissipate quickly.

Final Wipe

Once warm, do a light wipe with clean microfiber cloths to polish the surface and pick up any remaining greasy film.

At this point, your grill top should look (and perform) like new. But the job isn’t complete until you document and schedule.

Step 7: Post-Clean Documentation & Maintenance Planning

Log the Cleaning

Record the date, staff, level of buildup, any special issues, time taken, and parts replaced. This helps track patterns.

Schedule Routine Cleaning

Depending on volume, you may do light cleaning daily (scrape, wipe, spot-clean), medium weekly, deep cleans monthly, and service quarterly.

Reference the table at the beginning of this article for specific breakdowns. High-volume kitchens may need deeper cleaning more often.

Inspect & Maintain

Periodically inspect for signs of corrosion, pitting, warping, or damage.

Repair or replace parts proactively.

Also monitor your supply of cleaning chemical, brushes, pads, and PPE.

Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices

Always follow manufacturer instructions for your particular grill model and the cleaner’s SDS instructions (e.g. safe dwell time, PPE).
Don’t mix chemicals. Avoid using incompatible acids, alkalis, or bleach in combination. Stick with a single approved degreaser (like Victoria Bay).
Keep a “clean zone.” When working with foam sprays, use drip trays or shields so nearby surfaces (walls, floors, counters) don’t get hit by chemical overspray.
Mind adjacent surfaces. Turn off overhead hoods or cover them, protect surrounding equipment or storage areas.
Use proper PPE. Never skip gloves and eye protection. Degreasers can irritate skin or eyes.
Test a small patch first. If your grill has specialty coatings or finishes, test the cleaner on a small inconspicuous zone.
Optimize dwell time vs. temperature. Warm surfaces help the foam act faster, but too hot may cause evaporation or hazard.
Use the right pressure on spray. Don’t blast with high-pressure water that might warp or gouge surfaces.
Keep spare parts for parts cleaning. Sometimes grates, burner caps, drip trays need soaking in a separate sink or soak bath.
Train staff & rotate responsibility. Ensure multiple people know the full procedure so no cleaning is skipped.
Record trouble zones. If certain zones always accumulate heavy carbon, adjust cooking techniques or pre-scraping to reduce load.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often should a deep clean be done?

It depends on volume. Light cleaning should be done daily; medium-level cleaning (grates off, scrape + foam) weekly; full deep clean monthly or even biweekly in heavy kitchens.

Q: Is Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner safe for food surfaces?

When used as directed (dwell, rinse, heat-off, final wipe), trace residue should be eliminated. Always adhere to Safety Data Sheet (SDS) instructions and the product label.

Q: Does the foam damage metals or coatings?

If misused (excess dwell, high temperature, repeated overuse), aggressive degreasers can cause etching. That’s why testing in inconspicuous areas and not overdoing exposure is key.

Q: Can I use hot-water pressure washers to clean a commercial grill top?

Yes, but use moderate pressure. Too much force can warp or damage delicate components.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning a commercial flat top grill is a non-negotiable task in a restaurant or food service operation. When done properly, it helps ensure safety, better food quality, equipment longevity, and compliance.

The 7-phase method above, safety and prep, pre-scrape, foam with Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner, agitate, rinse, final check, and document, offers your team a reliable, repeatable protocol to follow. Coupled with daily maintenance, your grill should remain efficient, safe, and high-performing.

By consistently using a professional-grade cleaner like Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner, you send a clear message: your kitchen cares about quality, detail, and reliability.

Ready to revolutionize your grill maintenance? Equip your kitchen with Victoria Bay Foaming Oven & Grill Cleaner to make flat top grill cleaning fast, effective, and safe.

Visit our product page, request a sample, or contact your local Imperial Dade representative to stock up today.