The grilling surface on my BBQ has started to rust after only about a year of use & cleaning.
Does anyone know if I can safely paint the grill cooking surface with a high temp paint or any other product I can use to restore the grilling area.
I can buy new grills for the BBQ but that would be costly.
Thanks

If it's the actual grill grates where the food sits I wouldn't paint it with anything. Steel wool the rust off and keep it dry to prevent further rusting.

I always spray my grill down with olive oil in the spray can after it cools down and so far it hasn’t rusted at all yet. I’ve had it for several years and never had a cover on it.

I’ll second that. With my Weber kettle I just go buy a new grate periodically

1. Use it more

2 Buy stainless steel grates

3. Fuggetaboutit............. Added flavor

Heat them up, wad some paper towels, soak them in oilve oil or some other handy cooking oil, hold with tongs, rub down the grill, and start grilling.

As WB says, use it more.

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I fold.

Bullpuckey..... I happen to KNOW you tuck

Yup it’s the actual grill grates where the food sits.
Gonna try the steel wool thing & oil it down each time I use it.
I use it as much as I can, but with the Jersey winters, it’s almost impossible to grill during the winter.

Thanks for your input.

Rust happens...live with it.

If you use "steel wool" rinse the hell out of it...
Do not leave steel wool on the grill,.it will stick to your food and tear the crap out of your intestines ..

#1 buy new grates, only stainless steel grates ...

Option #2...Mr. Jones style...

Go out on trash day in your area...people throw out grills all the time...search for high end grills on the curb in the trash..
Open the lid and take the stainless steel grates off...
Use latex gloves and bring along old newspaper or a big trash bag to place them into your car with...

Option #3..Mr. Jones style

Go to your local metal recycling yards...ask them if you can look at their light iron pile , to look for discarded propane grills because you need the steel grates from them because yours are rusted...

TAKE WRITTEN MEASUREMENTS OF YOUR GRATES WITH YOU AND A TAPE MEASURE TOO...
Ask if you can buy them from them at a very reduced rate per pound ..
Going rates...metal yards pay .08 cents a pound for light iron scrap..

They charge good customers *** who do not climb on the pile for any reason" .35 cents a lb if they want to buy anything off the pile...

My guess? Two used stainless steel grates will weigh 10-15 pounds tops ..times .35 cents... 10 lbs is $3.50
15 lbs is $5.50???

Do not tell them it is stainless steel, bring a magnet to prove it isn't...some really are , some aren't...

Yards charge $1.00 a lb. For stainless...
10 lbs $10
15 lbs $15
Your bill just tripled....

Many idiots throw stainless steel .45 cent lb., copper wire .90 - 2.00 lb, copper $3.00-4.00 , aluminum .45 cents lb., brass $1.90-2.20 lb...on the light iron pile because they are stupid , and don't want to spend the time to seperate metals...

Just say it is light iron from the light iron pile...

Don't be stupid...

I was at Home Depot today and because of this thread I bought a new grate for my Weber. I bought the wrong size. Frank, Frankity, Frank, Frank.

Rust is good for you, it's got iron and oxygen in it... two things you need!

As others have mentioned, a little steel wool to remove the rust and then treat the grills like a cast iron skillet. Instead of olive oil I would recommend an oil that withstands a higher temp. We treat ours with canola oil instead of peanut oil since my son is allergic to peanuts. Season the grills by cooking some onions and peppers.

If you keep the grill plates clean you could always bring them inside for the winter instead of leaving them outside. Just a thought.

yup.
or maybe avocado or another higher smoke temp oil

I'd be wary of steel wool, as Jones says, really tough to get it all off and ingesting it is not good.

Wire brush instead of steel wool. Don’t bother buying one of those high end piece of 💩 brushes made for a bbq pit. Instead get one or two of the wooden handle ones from a hardware store. They are much better than steel wool. Once clean brush the grate with avocado oil. Easy peasy.

true.

Also, good quality grill mats really work. If rinsed shortly after use they last a while too.

Measure twice, go to the store once? 😰

Spray it down with Rust-Oleum

NINE! teen

You must be one of those who got a tetanus shot. [sarcasm]