How To Clean An Electric Griddle In 5 Easy Steps

Stuck trying to figure out what’s the best way to clean an electric griddle?

Keeping your electric griddle clean can be a challenge, especially when food becomes stuck on the surface.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place for answers. In this article, you’ll learn the right techniques to clean it effectively.

To clean an electric griddle, you’ll need to heat it up and scrape off any excess grease with a flat-head spatula. Then, unplug it, allow it to cool down, soak a sponge in warm-hot soapy water, and scrub the griddle down. Don’t forget to gently wipe off the remaining grease.

Read on to learn more about the cleaning process!

How to Clean Your Electric Griddle Like a Pro: 5 Steps

Cleaning your electric griddle may seem like a difficult thing to do, but with the right techniques and tools, doing so is very quick and simple.

You’ll just need to:

#1 Gather Your Tools

Before doing anything else, please gather all the necessary tools to clean your electric griddle.

The materials you’ll need are:

• Cloth/Sponge
• Warm Soapy Water & Cold Water
• Heat Resistant Gloves
• Flat Headed Spatula

If you’d like to use any heavy-duty cleaning products, please check your griddle manual to prevent any damage. I personally like to stick with traditional methods to avoid this.

Please note that you’ll also need a lot of patience. Be gentle with your griddle whilst cleaning to get the best possible outcome and prevent damaging it.

#2 Remove Grease

It’s safe to say we all share an equal hatred for grease – it stays no matter how much you clean.

A good technique to loosen grease is to actually turn on your griddle and scrape it off with a flat-head spatula.

This isn’t the most thorough method, but it’s a great way to remove grease in bulk, so we can polish the griddle off with traditional methods later.

If you’re able to, put your griddle on low heat and watch as the grease starts to heat up. Once the griddle has heated the grease, take our spatula (make sure it’s flat-headed to avoid scratching) and slowly scrape it off.

Make sure to keep your distance from the griddle when doing so, heat resistant gloves are strongly recommended.

Once you’ve removed the excess grease, turn the griddle off and allow it to cool down. Don’t worry if there’s still some grease left, as we’ll be dealing with this in our next step.

#3 Unplug Your Electric Griddle

Remember, we’re dealing with an electrical appliance. So before we get started, ensure that the griddle is unplugged.

This is a simple safety measure that will keep you from damaging your electric griddle and help you prevent electrical hazards.

#4 Use a Sponge or Cloth

First and foremost, make sure you’re using a cloth with no rugged sides. If you’re using a sponge, avoid using the rough side because you could damage the non-stick coating.

Then, dip your cloth/sponge in warm water and slowly clean off any remaining grease.

This shouldn’t take long, but if your griddle has been sitting with the dirt for a long period of time, it can become a longer and more difficult task to actually clean it.  

You can also try leaving the cleaning solution on the griddle. Leave it to soak up the grease for 30 minutes to an hour.

Come back to the satisfaction of easily wiping off any leftover grease that remains. Just remember to wipe up all excess water and let the griddle dry to avoid the appearance of marks.

#5 Clean the Drip Tray

Most electric griddles have a drip tray that catches all the juices, excess grease, and other liquids released during cooking.

It’s important to clean it, too. Most dip trays are dishwasher friendly, but please check your griddle’s manual first.

If you prefer to clean the tray by hand, simply fill it with warm soapy water and let it soak for 20 minutes.

Once the grease has broken off, you can proceed to give it an easy wash-over with a cloth. Don’t forget to let it dry and reinsert it into the griddle.

How to Prevent Grease Buildup?

Although deep cleaning your electric griddle is very simple, I’m sure you’ll want to learn how to prevent grease buildup.

The easiest way to do it is by quickly cleaning your electric griddle immediately after you’re done cooking.

This simple tip can save you time and money, as it reduces the chance of damaging your appliance.