Cleaning the burner tubes in your grill is very important, both for making sure that they provide strong, even heat, and also to make sure that they last for as long as possible.
We recommend cleaning the burner tubes as often as you're willing to, but making sure to do so at least once a year is an absolute must. Cleaning them on a quarterly basis is a better idea, and if you use your grill multiple times a week, it's not a bad idea to clean them once a month.
Two areas on the burners that are key to keeping them operating at peak performance are the portholes (small openings running along the length of the burners) and the air shutter screens on the ends of the burner. Keeping these areas clean is essential for safe operation.
Use a clean stainless steel bristle grill brush to clean the outside of the burners by brushing across the top of the burner portholes.
Certain models have electrodes attached to the burners. Avoid damaging the ignition electrodes by carefully brushing around them.
To clean the air shutters screens, locate the ends of the burners on the underside of the control panel where they meet the valves. Depending on the exact model you own, the control panel may need to be removed to access the air shutters. Instructions for removing the control panel can be found in the owner's manual for your model grill.
Clean the air shutter screens on each of the burners using a soft bristle brush. Something like an old toothbrush works well. A special tool for cleaning the air shutter screens can be found in our maintenance kits.
When cleaning the burners, never use a brush that has already been used to clean the cooking grates, as this can transfer grease from the grates onto the burners. Also, never put sharp objects into the burner port holes, as this pushes debris into the burners, which can result in gas flow issues.