Scrub it hot, then oil it.

Yeah, the secret is hitting the grates while they’re still hot, then giving them a thin coat of oil.

After you pull the food off, leave the burners on high for a few minutes to burn off residue. Then grab your brush or a ball of aluminum foil and scrape the grates clean. The heat makes it way easier—cold grates just smear.

Once the grates are clean, dip a wad of paper towels in high-smoke-point oil (canola, vegetable, or grapeseed) and rub it over the grates with tongs. This leaves a protective film that blocks moisture. Let it cool with the lid open for a bit so steam doesn’t settle.

You don’t need to go crazy with deep cleaning every time. Just keep leftover food from turning into carbon, keep the metal coated, and keep it dry. Rust happens when wet metal sits.

Don’t skip the oil—bare metal rusts overnight.