It’s January. It’s cold. There’s snow, sleet, freezing rain. The prospects for the next 6-8 weeks… more of the same, but colder.

So, what do you do with your grill?

First of all… USE IT!! Wait for a day that creeps above freezing, and go out and use it. Cook some burgers, dogs, or some BBQ chicken.

Secondly, if you’re going to put your grill in hybernation for 2-3 months, then here are some tips for winterizing your grill:

1. Clean it well. Get a grill cleaner/solvent from a grill store or hardware store. Get the inside clean. You don’t want to be cooking with last year’s grease and grime when you finally pull your grill out of hybernation.
2. Clean the outside of the grill too. I use something like Windex or 409. But, you can also use a stainless steel cleaner.
3. If there are any non-stainless steel spots on your grill, you might want to try this – get a can of 3in1 oil and put a rub some oil on those spots to keep them from getting weathered or rusted.
4. If you have ceramic grates on your grill, take them in and store them in the garage. I don’t think they’ll crack in the sub-zero weather, but no use taking a chance.
5. Take the battery out of your electric starter. Most people forget they have a AA battery in there and remember in the Spring when it gets all corroded.
6. Turn off your gas tank. Just make sure it’s off. You don’t want any mosture freezing in the connection, expanding and contracting. I always turn off my gas and unscrew the hose.
7. And, for Pete’s sake… put a Grill Cover over the top of your grill.  Make sure it is velcroed, tied, or whatever you need to do to make sure the wind doesn’t sweep up underneath and blow in ice and snow.
8. Finally, wheel your grill to a location where it will get the least amount of exposure to the elements.

All in all… about 60 minutes worth of work to save your investment.

For those who live in the South… ignore this article… except for the cleaning part. Enjoy your grill year-round.