PSA - don't buy cheap grill brushes...

Maccool

My afternoon yesterday was spent dealing with this perforation of the small intestine. Initial thought from the CT scan was that it was a fishbone (the patient is a big outdoor grill fanatic) but in surgery I found that it was a steel bristle that had come loose from her grill brush, got into her food and she swallowed it. Perforated the last part of the duodenum and caused a pretty good sized abscess. The operation took a couple of hours. She's going to be here awhile recovering. Nasty business.

Moral  of the story....don't buy cheap stainless steel grill brushes and wipe the grill down after you brush it.

lousubcap

Welcome and thanks for the reminder.  Periodically this topic arises but it has been a while.  First time I have seen an "action shot" so that adds to the impact.  With all the NEO's it is a good reminder to use an alternative to the wire brush. 

 

 

 

minniemoh

Yikes!!! I hope she makes a full recovery. I think we all become a bit complacent about things like this from time to time. A reminder is good. Thank you!

fljoemon

Good advice on wiping the grill down after using any of these brushes .. even the good kind.

Smokinpig

Good advice thanks. Can anyone suggest a good alternative to grill brushes?  Anyone have any experience with a grill stone?

Acn

Smokinpig said:

Good advice thanks. Can anyone suggest a good alternative to grill brushes? 

Balled up aluminum foil and tongs.

SoCalTim

I am soo glad you posted this. I was @ Walmart a couple days ago, they had their grill brushes on sale for a dollar each. I almost bought a bunch. 

I'm glad I didn't.

DaveRichardson

Love my wadded up aluminum foil!!!!

MeTed

Great info, thanks!

RRP

I hear you and I heed the warning...OTOH I have been using one of these high quality wire brushes for years- in fact I am only now on to my second one in 14 years. 

Metalmaker

I have found wire bristles on the grate even after brushing with a "good" grill brush. Now I use a Grill Wizard.

yellowdogbbq

Thanks for the post, I'll be doing things differently from now on.

apfroggy0408

Use an onion!

SkinnyV

First hand knowledge, I pulled a piece of wire from my pops gum after an egg cook.
Lucky it could have been worse, or one of my little ones.
Man was I squeamish pulling that thing.out.

NervousDad

I've heard many terrible stories like this, which is why I only use a stone. Glad everything ended up ok for them.

fishlessman

just one more reason not to clean the grill
)

Carolina Q

fishlessman said:

just one more reason not to clean the grill
)

AMEN bro... )

TigerTony

I don't think my grill brush is a cheap one. But it still looses some of it's wires.
I hate to get rid of it, my daughter was so proud to give it to me for father's day.
But better safe then sorry.

travisstrick

fishlessman said:

just one more reason not to clean the grill
)

Yep. The only thing I use is the end of my grid lifter.

NibbleMeThis

A painters "5 in 1" tool works as a fantastic grate cleaner. 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_350004-995-3490189C_0__?productId=3364384

Botch

I wouldn't even use an "expensive" grill brush, everything breaks eventually.

 

But here's a question: what about a brass bristle brush?  Would brass dissolve in gastric juices, or stay whole like stainless?  Any biochemists here?   

JethroVA

Clean?

THEBuckeye

Do NOT buy the BGE grill brush. Spend less on Steel Wool. 

The BGE one is worthless. 

henapple

+5 on the aluminum foil. If you clean when the grill is hot, easy peasy. Why take the chance?

bettysnephew

I use one very similar to RRP. It has never lost a bristle but I do replace every couple of years as they can get kind of nasty even with cleaning in soap and water.  Mine has stainless bristles that are about 2/3 the thickness of a pin used for sewing. I have not even seen one get bent let alone being close to breaking off.  I certainly can understand the fine wire ones being a problem though.

minniemoh

I want one like @Mickey uses. Combination grid lifter and grid scraper. Where did you get that one @Mickey? I know you've shared your source in the past but I can't remember.

Mickey

minniemoh said:

I want one like @Mickey uses. Combination grid lifter and grid scraper. Where did you get that one @Mickey? I know you've shared your source in the past but I can't remember.

Send LawnRanger a note. gridlifter@gmail.com It's called a Gridlifter and he makes them.

pgprescott

THEBuckeye said:

Do NOT buy the BGE grill brush. Spend less on Steel Wool. 

The BGE one is worthless. 

cannot disagree more. I love mine. Used to use the bristle kind made by weber, but switched to the new Brillo pad type of BGE brush and haven't looked back. The loose bristles are why BGE no longer offers a bristle type grid cleaner. To each there own I guess.

bboulier

I generally go over mine with the end of a stick to knock off the crusty bits, put the grill in a sink with water and soap and let it soak, and then wipe with plastic scrubber.

SteveWPBFL

Bye bye grill brush . . . . 

Maccool

Anybody ever put their grill in their home oven and turn it onto "self-clean"? Or do a long hot Egg burn with the grill in place?

I tried using a pumice rock "griddle cleaner" for awhile but found that it left a kind of funky residue on the grill. Currently, I mostly use a scotchbrite griddle cleaner