As the cost of living crisis continues to bite hard, al fresco eating remains a fashionable, inexpensive alternative to restaurants and a firm favourite for entertaining friends. And with the first rays of sunshine piercing the clouds and further sunny spells forecast, our thoughts inevitably turn to warmer weather and long summer nights spent around the barbecue. For us Brits, few things can beat dining outside, but cleaning the barbie afterwards can fill many with dread.
As many as 38 per cent confess to a dirty barbecue, with 19 per cent describing theirs as ‘absolutely filthy’. Fortunately, home and garden furniture experts VonHaus are on hand with a series of tips, from using an onion to steam clean your grill gates to a slosh of beer to make your barbecue sparkle. Here are some top cost-effective cleaning hacks to help you enjoy a sizzling hot summer over the coals.
The onion trick Effective cleaning techniques needn’t break the bank. Liam Glennon, senior outdoor leisure buyer at VonHaus explains: “One novel, natural solution to lingering grime is to clean the bars with an onion. Lightly turn up the temperature and attach half an onion to a fork to create a makeshift handle.
Rub gently over the hot grill so the onion's water naturally leaks across the barbecue - its antibacterial properties will remove any impurities. “What’s more, unlike many chemical-laden cleaners, it’s safe for food preparation. At 12p a pop, cleaning hacks don’t come much quicker th.