Affiliate disclosure: Some of the links below are Amazon Associates links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend gear I’ve actually used or would happily put on my own grill.
If you cook on your grill or smoker, the last thing you want to do is spray it down with something you wouldn’t put on your kitchen counter. Oven-cleaner-grade lye, butyl ethers, harsh solvents — that stuff doesn’t just rinse away. Some of it bakes right back onto the grates the next time you fire things up, and then it’s on your dinner.
I’ve been chasing the same answer for years: what actually cuts through baked-on smoker creosote and gas-grill grease without being toxic? After running several bottles through their paces on my pellet smoker and gas grill, three cleaners keep earning their spot in the garage. Below are my top picks, plus the assist products (brushes, scrapers, gloves) that turn a cleaning session from a chore into a 20-minute job.
Top 3 Nontoxic Grill Cleaners at a Glance
- Traeger All-Natural Grill Cleaner — Best overall and a no-brainer if you run a Traeger or any pellet grill. Citrus- and plant-based, safe for use right before cooking. Check price on Amazon
- Citrusafe Grill Cleaner Spray — Best for everyday maintenance. USDA Certified Biobased, citrus-powered, works on hot or cold grates. Check price on Amazon
- Goo Gone Grill & Grate Cleaner — Best for heavy baked-on grease. Nontoxic gel that clings to grates and vertical smoker walls, breaks down stubborn buildup, works on stainless, porcelain, and cast iron. Check price on Amazon
What Makes a Grill Cleaner Truly “Nontoxic”?
“Nontoxic” gets tossed around on a lot of labels, so here’s the short version of what I actually look for:
- No lye (sodium hydroxide) or potassium hydroxide. Most heavy-duty oven and grill degreasers rely on these. They work, but they’re caustic and rough on lungs and skin.
- No butyl-based solvents or glycol ethers. If you can smell it across the yard, you don’t want it on the surface that touches your brisket.
- Plant- or citrus-based surfactants. D-limonene (from citrus peels) and coconut-derived surfactants cut grease without the harsh chemistry.
- Biodegradable and food-contact friendly. Bonus points for USDA BioPreferred certification or a clear “safe on cooking surfaces” label.
All three of my picks below check these boxes. They also have one thing in common: you rinse, and you cook. No mystery residue, no waiting 24 hours to use the grill again.
1. Traeger All-Natural Grill Cleaner — Best Overall
Traeger makes the cleaner I trust most on a pellet grill, and it’s just as good on gas grills and offsets. The formula is plant-derived, citrus-forward, and specifically built so you can spray the grates, wipe, and put food right back on — no rinse cycle required, no chemical aftertaste in the next cook. That alone is the reason it lives in my prep cart.
What I like: Safe on stainless, porcelain, and cast iron. No harsh fumes, even in an enclosed pellet hopper area. The trigger sprayer puts down a fine, even mist that gets into corners I’d otherwise have to scrub blind. And because it’s Traeger-branded, you get the peace of mind that it was formulated for grill cooking surfaces — not repurposed kitchen cleaner.
Heads up: It’s a premium product at a premium price. For ongoing maintenance after most cooks it’s worth it. For a once-a-year deep rescue, you might pair it with one of the others below.
2. Citrusafe Grill Cleaner Spray — Best for Everyday Maintenance
Citrusafe is the one I keep on the shelf right next to the grill for quick post-cook cleanups. It’s USDA Certified Biobased, the active cleaners come from citrus and plant extracts, and it’s rated safe for use on hot grates — which is huge. After a cook, I let the grill cool just enough to handle, mist the grates while they’re still warm, give it five minutes, and a quick brush takes off everything.
What I like: No fumes, no gloves required, no need to remove grates. It works on porcelain, stainless, and cast iron, and it’s gentle enough that I use it inside the smoker on the cook chamber walls too.
Heads up: For really neglected grates (think: a full season of ignored buildup), you’ll need two passes or a soak. It’s a maintenance cleaner more than a rescue cleaner — which is exactly how I want to use it.
3. Goo Gone Grill & Grate Cleaner — Best for Heavy Baked-On Grease
You probably know Goo Gone from sticker residue, but the grill-and-grate formula is its own thing — a thick, nontoxic gel that grabs onto baked-on grease and breaks it down. When a gas grill has sat under a cover all winter, or when a smoker grate is wearing a season’s worth of creosote, this is what I reach for. The gel consistency means it also clings to vertical surfaces, so it’s fair game for the inside of an offset or vertical smoker.
What I like: The gel doesn’t drip off the grates. Brush it on, walk away for 10 minutes, scrub, wipe, and the baked-on stuff peels right up. Safe on stainless steel exteriors, so I use it on the lid and side tables too.
Heads up: Use it on a cool grill — the gel works best at room temperature. The citrus scent is a bit stronger than Citrusafe, so if you’re cleaning in a closed garage, crack the door.
Assist Products: The Gear That Makes Cleaning Painless
A great cleaner is half the equation. The other half is the right tools so you’re not standing there scrubbing for an hour. Here’s what I reach for every time:
Bristle-Free Grill Brush (GRILLART or Kona)
I retired my wire-bristle brush years ago after one too many stories about stray bristles ending up in food. A coiled-wire or woven stainless bristle-free brush gets into the grates just as well without the safety risk. Browse bristle-free brushes on Amazon.
Grill Stone or Pumice Scraper
For carbonized buildup that laughs at brushes, a grill stone (basically a pumice block) shapes itself to the grate and grinds the carbon off. It crumbles as it works, which is by design. See grill stones on Amazon.
Heat-Resistant Grilling Gloves
Pulling warm grates, handling a hot Dutch oven, grabbing a still-smoking diffuser plate — a good pair of silicone-coated, heat-resistant gloves is the single best $25 you can spend in this hobby. View grilling gloves on Amazon.
Microfiber Towels (in bulk)
Paper towels disintegrate the second they hit grease. A 24-pack of cheap microfiber cloths lasts a year, wipes down lids and side tables without leaving lint, and washes clean. Browse microfiber towels on Amazon.
Aluminum Drip Pan Liners
The easiest cleanup is the one you never have to do. Disposable foil drip pans under the cook chamber catch grease before it ever bakes onto the bottom of your grill or smoker. Swap them out, toss them, done. View drip pans on Amazon.
How I Deep-Clean a Grill or Smoker (Step by Step)
- Burn off. Run the grill on high (or fire up the smoker firebox) for 10–15 minutes to carbonize residue.
- Cool down. Let it drop to warm-but-handleable. Traeger and Citrusafe can go on warm grates; Goo Gone wants cool.
- Spray and sit. Coat the grates, walls, and drip tray. Walk away for 10–15 minutes.
- Scrub. Bristle-free brush for grates, microfiber + gloves for walls, grill stone for stubborn carbon.
- Rinse and reseason. Wipe everything down with a damp microfiber, dry, then lightly oil the grates with a high-smoke-point oil to keep rust off.
FAQ
Are these cleaners safe to use right before cooking?
All three are designed to be wiped or rinsed off and cooked on. The Traeger All Natural Cleaner is specifically formulated for spray-wipe-cook with no rinse needed. I still run the grill on high for a few minutes after a heavier clean to flash off any residual moisture before I put food down.
Can I use these on cast-iron grates?
Yes — but cast iron needs to be re-oiled (seasoned) afterward. The cleaner strips the seasoning layer along with the grease. A thin coat of high-smoke-point oil and 10 minutes on heat puts it back.
What about pellet smokers and kamado grills?
All three work on pellet smokers — Traeger’s own cleaner is the obvious match if you run a Traeger or similar pellet grill. For kamados (ceramic), I stick to Traeger or Citrusafe on the grates and avoid getting cleaners on the porous ceramic interior so flavors don’t transfer.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need toxic chemistry to get a clean grill. A good citrus- or plant-based spray, a bristle-free brush, and 20 minutes of attention every few cooks will keep your gas grill or smoker in better shape than most people’s “deep cleans” once a year with harsh stuff. Start with Traeger All Natural Cleaner as your everyday workhorse, keep Citrusafe on hand for hot-grate quick cleans, and let Goo Gone Grill & Grate handle the heavy baked-on rescue jobs.
Got a cleaner you swear by that I didn’t mention? Drop it in the comments — I’m always testing new ones.
