By now you've probably read articles in the news or watched exposes on TV about the big bad super scary grill brush bristles. While this is a legitimate concern, a few 'bad apples' are giving the whole orchard a bum rap.
Not all barbecue brushes are made alike.
A high-quality barbecue brush will have taken into consideration the damage that may be caused by doing things on the cheap and not securing their barbecue bristles properly. Before you ditch your bristled grill brush, take a look at the ways you can prevent these types of injuries from swallowing BBQ bristles.
Still a little skeptical or want to be on the safe side?
Then take a look at some of the alternatives to your traditional wire bristle brush. As this becomes a growing concern in our industry, companies are wising up and manufacturing alternatives to keep you safe and sound - at least from these hazards.
We have also been doing our homework to find good quality replacement products to offer you a selection of barbecue tools and brushes that are safe to use.
Preventing Choking Hazard with Bristle Brushes
- Check your brush for lose bristles before and after use. Run a damp cloth along the bristles to expose any bristles that may have decided to jump ship.
- Toss damaged brushes. If you brush is looking a little worse for wear (bent & damaged bristles, or clogged up with grease), or you've been BFFs for a couple years, it's time to replace it.
- Oil the grill with paper towel. This kills two birds with one stone. It gets your grills oiled but any lose bristles that may be lingering on your grates waiting to jump onto your food will be removed because they will stick to the oily paper.
- Check your food before serving. No one wants your hands all over their food before you serve it, but giving it a good glance over can help too.
Alternatives to Traditional Grill Brushes
Brander Grill Pick Grill Cleaning Tool
Designed to get in the groove - of your barbecue grates that is. This barbecue pick is to your grill grates as a toothpick is to your teeth. Vital to good oral health (no bristles in your mouth). See what we did there? It may take a little more time to use, but it will be worth it.
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Brander 'Bristle Free' V Brush
Yes, it may seem like this brush has bristles, but they are actually a series of long wires bound and twisted. Like any good detective, they've tied up all the loose ends and locked away the offenders. Cleans both sides of your grates simultaneously.
It may seem obvious to you, but similar to McDonald's putting 'caution: hot' on their coffee cups, it has to be said - DO NOT USE THIS ON A HOT GRILL.
Now that we got that out of the way... These little scrubbers when combined with warm slightly soapy water can help to remove the grease from your grills without worrying about them leaving behind those lurking bristles. Make sure to give the grates a good rinse to remove any soap residue.
It also works really well at cleaning the creosote build up off your barbecue hood - you know that stuff that flakes off that people sometime confuse for paint? That stuff.
Yes, this one does have bristles. We are aware. BUT.... They are designed in a manner that they are intertwined into the framework of the brush to prevent them from coming loose. So yes, 'bristle-free' may be a misnomer for this brush but it is a very safe alternative to the pressure-packed brushes on the market.
Skrapr Grillr Grill Scraping Tool
This tool is super useful on stainless steel grates. We caution against using it with your cast iron grates unless you're super duper delicate. If you nick your grates and don't season the area right away it could cause some rusting. The stainless steel blade has different size notches on either side to accommodate multiple sizes of stainless steel rods.
