Is your BBQ dirtier than your toilet?!

A recent study has found that the average British barbecue contains twice as many germs as a toilet seat! Filled with a staggering 1.7 million microbes per sq cm, which works out to 124% more than a toilet seat, the study also found that just 36% of people clean their outdoor grills more than twice a year!!! Read all about it on the Daily Mail site here!

When it comes to the most effective deep-cleaners, the oldies are definitely the goodies. A hot, strong dose of Soda Crystals solution will get your outdoor grill at its working best and food tasting as good as it looks. Just remember to clean it every time you use it. Here's how:

Once the barbecue has cooled enough to be handled safely, disconnect from the gas (if relevant) and remove the grills, fat tray and other components to be washed. Place the parts in a large container before sprinkling liberally with Soda Crystals and pouring on hot water. Spray the rest of the barbecue with a strong Soda Crystals solution and put your feet up! After 2 hours simply scrub the grill and barbecue with a scourer and rinse with clean water.

DON’T FORGET! We’re giving away a summer’s worth of Waitrose BBQ food to one lucky family. Enter here for your chance to WIN! 

Finally some BBQ weather!

Everyone loves a BBQ! When the sun is shining and your friends around there’s nothing better than alfresco dining, even if the Great British weather system likes to play tricks on us. But after the fun and food, the last thing you want to do is tackle the greasy gril!

Keeping your BBQ clean is important to preserve the flavours of food, as well as keeping you safe from any germs but scrubbing fiddly grills and greasy work surfaces is never a fun job. Well we’ve put together a few tips to make the chore a little easier without having to resort to using strong chemical cleaners.

 

Before you start

Burnt on food is one of the hardest things to remove, but coating the grill with oil prior to cooking will help prevent food sticking and becoming burnt in the first place. Before starting the barbecue, use a brush or cloth dipped in cooking oil to smooth over the top and bottom of the grill.

Loosen the gunk

Once the barbecue has been used and is cool enough to handle, use a wire brush, or scrunch up some left over tin foil and rub up and down the grill, paying extra attention to the joins of the bars. This will remove larger pieces of food and loosen grease and gunk.

Cleaning

Soak the grill and utensils* in a strong hot Soda Crystals solution in a large container. Spray the rest of the barbecue with Liquid Soda Crystals or mix up a strong Soda Crystals solution and leave overnight to dissolve the grease and soften remaining food. In the morning simply wipe with a scourer and rinse with clean water, ready for the next garden party!

So what are you waiting for – grab your apron and tongs (and possibly a large umbrella) and get cooking!

* avoid soaking wooden handles

Summer stains - they can be beaten!

Alfresco dining can be a precarious activity given the Great British weather, but one thing’s for sure, when the sun starts shining and the temperature rises, the first thing on everyone’s mind is ‘let’s have a BBQ!’. It’s a great excuse to enjoy good food and drink with friends and family whilst soaking up the rays. However the aftermath of a dirty Barbecue and stained clothes can make you think twice before you attempt it again.

When the supermarket is packed with families with the same idea, make sure you pick up a few Dri-Pak cleaning essentials. Whilst there is a wide range of pricey, specialist products on the market to eliminate stains from clothing and clean barbecues, grills and utensils, many people have discovered that traditional, simple and versatile products do just as good job without dozens of different bottles in the cupboard under the sink.

Barbecues

At the end of a successful garden party, waiting for the Barbecue to cool, then washing those fiddly grills may be the last thing on your mind, but it doesn’t have to be a time-consuming job! Soaking the greasy grills and utensils in a strong Soda Crystal solution and leaving overnight will leave you with plenty of time to socialise at the end of the day. Apply the solution or Liquid Soda Crystals to the rest of the barbecue with a sponge and the next day simply clean using a wire brush and scourer.

Food stains

White is a great summer colour until it’s ruined by a nasty, dried on food stain that’s difficult to shift! Soda crystals are renowned for their ability to dissolve grease from ketchup, oil and other spills. Spray the stains with Liquid Soda Crystals or soak in a Soda Crystal solution before washing normally. For stubborn stains, Laundry Oxygen Bleach gives extra cleaning power along with whitening effects to make sure your clothes remain the stain-free.

Wine stains

Red wine is a great accompaniment to red meat and cheese, but not your summer clothes! When accidents happen, stains can be removed with White Vinegar! Simply wet the stain with water, apply the vinegar to the stain until it lightens, then wash as normal.

Grass stains

Kids love the warm weather and playing messy games outside, but tough grass and mud stains can be a real problem to get rid of. Soda Crystals are great for removing them by simply soaking in a strong solution or spraying Liquid Soda Crystals directly onto the stain, then washing normally.