Cockroaches and scratches are a thing of the past Get your grill grate clean with these 7 tips

The end of summer is not far away - and with it the barbecue season comes to an end. Before it is put away again, it needs a thorough clean. blue News has 7 helpful tips.

Barbecuing is to summer as fondue is to winter. After all, what could be nicer than firing up the barbecue and roasting an Olma sausage when it's still light out in the evening?

But as much as you may hate to hear it, the barbecue season is slowly coming to an end. After its hard work, the grill is usually covered in dirt. All too often, people are simply too lazy to clean the grill properly after a cozy evening.

Regardless of whether it's a gas, charcoal or electric barbecue, the result is evident at the end of the season: the grill is crusty, dirty and there may even be charred food residue on it. Disgusting.

But because after the season is before the season, now is the right time to give the appliance a thorough clean. Clean and properly stowed away, it can then be stored until next summer - ready for the next outdoor cooking season.

The following seven tips will help you clean your barbecue thoroughly:

Taking the right precautions in advance means less effort afterwards. Tip: Rub the grill with cooking oil before grilling so that less food residue sticks to it.

Helpful utensils such as baking spray, a barbecue mat or aluminum tray can also help to prevent the grill from getting so dirty in the first place. You can wash many of the mats in the dishwasher afterwards - and simply dispose of aluminum trays in the recycling garbage can.

Of course, cleaning is not the best part of barbecuing. We understand that. But it has to be done. Preferably immediately and promptly after use. Otherwise the dirt dries up and sticks so firmly to the grill that you can hardly get it off.

That's why it's better not to wait until the end of the season, but to remove the dirt from the grill straight away. The best way to do this is to soak it in water with a little washing-up liquid, which makes it easier to loosen the incrustations. Then scrub with a brush.

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Caution: You should be careful with steel wool and strong solvents, as this combination could damage the coating.

At RND.de, grill master Nick Polzin reveals a simple tip for stainless steel or cast iron grates. These can be "heated so high that the residue on the grill burns and turns to ash". Then allow the grill to cool down well and remove any remaining dirt with a brush.

You can find tons of gentle household remedies and alternatives to strong solvents online. Lemons, for example, are said to be a miracle cure. Cut them in half and dip the cut side in salt to rub off the dirt.

For this trick, you need an old newspaper that you wrap around the cooled grill grate while it is still damp. Then pour water over the paper from time to time, ideally wait a night - and then unwind the newspaper pages the next morning. This is a gentle method that allows you to remove any remaining dirt with a sponge.

This trick is used when the grid is still hot. The appliance is then ready for the next time after the barbecue. How does it work? Skewer a halved onion onto a barbecue fork and rub it over the grooves.

A completely natural cleaning tip that not only removes dirt, but also gives off a pleasant roasting smell. The onion also has a disinfectant effect.

Coffee grounds are a leftover that is often given too little attention, but they are actually a real miracle cure and can be used in many different ways.

The remains of the popular coffee grounds can also be used to clean barbecues. Here's how it works: Using cleaning gloves, you can give the grill a direct scrub - or you can pour the coffee residue onto a sponge or rag. Then wipe over again - and the grill is clean.

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