If You See Weird Green Stuff On Your Grill, Here’s What It Means

Got green stuff on your grill? Well, if it’s grill mold, you definitely want to take care of it before you cook anything, because ingesting mold can be dangerous. If you live in a dry climate, you might not ever encounter mold problems, but it’s a different story in a humid climate. Just ask Jessica Randhawa, who develops recipes and posts them on her popular website:

“For most of my life as a chef, I have been in dry, hot summers where I did not have to worry about grill broilers turning green. However, this last summer I was near the ocean, in a high-humidity environment, and I learned a few things about outdoor grilling in high humidity in the process.”

In this post, we’ll share her insights along with those of Ryan Schellhous, who owns a grill cleaning and repair business in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Why Are My Grill Broilers Green?

Two things can turn your grill green: heat and the lack of it. If you use your grill frequently, the heat from cooking can discolor the metal. That’s unlikely to happen, however, if you store your grill for months on end between uses, and it never gets hot. In that case, any discoloration you see is probably due to grill mold.

“We would be worried about mold in the case where a grill has not been used in a long time and wasn’t clean before it got put away,” says Schellhous. “In these cases, bacteria, mold, and even rodents love to take up residence in a box full of food (i.e. grease and leftover melted cheese) that is sheltered from the elements.”

Grill mold

Mold is an organism that grows on metal, and Randhawa offers an easy tip for identifying it: “If the surface feels slimy or fuzzy, it’s potentially mold from leftover food particles, moisture, or lack of airflow.” This can happen on both ceramic and metal grills—even stainless steel ones.

Grill mold needs time to grow. It probably won’t be a problem of you use your grill daily, but if you leave it unused for a week or longer, that could be enough time for a colony to establish itself, especially if there’s plenty of moisture in the air. “If it’s been a long time since the grill was heated above 400 degrees or professionally cleaned and/or it smells funny, it might be unsafe until addressed,” advises Schellhous.

Metallic discoloration

“If the surface is dry and the green is more of a stain or patina, it is likely due to metallic discoloration on copper, brass, or other metals,” says Randhawa. If you’re unsure, she recommends wiping the grill with a cloth. “Mold will smear and patina will remain on the metal.”

Is It Unsafe To Eat Food From a Green Grill?

It depends on what’s causing the green coloration. “Do not cook on a moldy grill. It is not safe, as mold spores can survive and contaminate your food,” warns Randhawa. But, on the other hand: “patina on metal is not harmful, but it can affect the taste of the food being grilled.”

Modern research and health findings

The detrimental effects of mold are well known. The CDC says that inhaling mold can cause stuffy nose, coughing, wheezing, burning eyes, skin rashes and even asthma. These effects are more severe in people with mold sensitivities.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, ingesting mold doesn’t necessarily expose you to the same risks. After all, people eat moldy foods like blue cheese all the time. But there are many mold strains. Some are more toxic than others, and there’s no way to tell which one are on your grill, so the danger is far from zero. “If you suddenly develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, an elevated temperature or diarrhea, you should immediately seek medical help,” it advises.

How Often Should I Clean My Grill?

“To keep my family safe, I clean my grill grates thoroughly before each use and give the whole grill a deep cleaning every couple of weeks during peak grilling season,” says Randhawa. Schellhous adds: “We recommend heavy grill users have a professional steam cleaning of the parts and firebox two to three times per year to ensure you have a safe, clean, and functional grill.”

How To Clean Grill Broilers

“To properly clean my broilers,” says Randhawa, “I scrape off food with a grill brush, then soak the grates in hot soapy water if needed. Finally, I rinse and dry before oiling lightly to prevent rust.”

When you’re deep cleaning your grill, don’t stop at eliminating grill mold on the grates. The other parts of the grill also need attention, especially the burners. Schellhous observes that “many ‘my fire isn’t hot’ and ‘my grill won’t light’ complaints we service are actually caused by improperly maintained and very dirty burners.”

End of Season Grill Maintenance

In most parts of the U.S., it’s too cold in the winter for grilling, so you’ll be putting your grill away for the season sometime in the fall. The grill should be as clean as possible to prevent mold and bacteria from growing and to keep rodents and insects away. Here’s an end-of-season maintenance checklist, courtesy of Schellhous:

• Let the grill run hot for 15–20 minutes to burn off as much food and grease as possible;
• Deep-clean the grates, burners, heat shields, and other parts of the grill;
• Disconnect the gas or propane to avoid losing gas and creating a fire hazard because of small leaks;
• Cover the grill with a properly-fitted grill cover.

If the grill is portable, it’s a great idea to move it into the garage or some other protected area. Your grill cover might leak, especially if you’ve used it before.

FAQs

How can I prevent grill flare-ups?

“It’s generally a good idea to prevent flare-ups by trimming excess fat from meats (although my husband and son protest as they want the fat),” says Randhawa. Otherwise, she says to clean the grill regularly to avoid greasy build-up on the grates or down below in the firebox. Schellhous advises making sure all of the parts that came with your grill, such as heat shields, briquette trays or flavorizer bars, are properly installed and functioning correctly.

Is it safe to grill indoors or in a garage?

If you have a gas grill, never use it indoors because you risk carbon monoxide poisoning and fire. Electric grills are generally safe to use indoors, but remember that without proper ventilation, all the smoke and grease have nowhere to go. “Not everyone wants that ‘grill smoky flavor’ in their carpets, curtains, or furniture,” observes Schellhous.

How far should my grill be from my house?

Both of our experts agree that your grill should be at least 10 feet from the house to minimize fire risk and prevent smoke from wafting in through the windows.

About the Experts

• Ryan Schellhous is the CEO of Fire and Metal, a retail outlet for grilling equipment in the Bay Area that also specializes in grill cleaning and repair.
• Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon. She creates delicious family-friendly recipes that anyone can make, and her website has over one million users per month.

Sources

• Mold, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024.
• What Happens if You Accidentally Eat Moldy Food?, Cleveland Clinic, 2021.

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