Get Stubborn Rust Off Your Blackstone Griddle With This Kitchen Staple

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A Blackstone griddle looks best with juice-packed patties sizzling on its flat-top, or spice-coated salmon blackening on the cold-rolled steel surface. What doesn't look good is the telltale creep of crackling orange rust. Luckily, spotting rust on your Blackstone isn't necessarily a death knell for the griddle. The simple combination of cooking oil and a few cleaning tools is all it takes to get your trusty cooktop sparkling — until the next chopped cheese experiment.

Before doing a deep dive on the proper way to clean a Blackstone griddle, it's helpful to understand why rust forms in the first place. Rust is iron oxide, a compound created during the oxidation process — a chemical reaction triggered by the metal's exposure to oxygen and moisture. Not investing in a griddle cover is one of the mistakes beginners make when using a Blackstone for this exact reason. A protective cover halts oxidation and is especially useful in high-humidity environments.

If rust sets in, it is surprisingly easy to rectify with cupboard staples. You'll want to loosen it first (like easing baked-on food off a presoaked dish) by heating the griddle for about 20 minutes. Once the griddle has cooled, it's time for some satisfying scraping. Use a metal scraper to slough off every rust stain you see. From there, pour oil on the flattop and work it in with a grill stone. The final stage involves alternating between drizzles of oil and a cloth until all the orangey residue is gone.

There are a few disadvantages of using Blackstone grills. Some owners have taken issue with cold spots on the flat-top, but you should be able to eliminate them by preheating the griddle for 15 to 20 minutes. At the opposite end of the spectrum, others grumble about Blackstones getting too hot and unwieldy. New griddles are flat-packed, and some reviewers on the Blackstone website have noted multiple dents and scratches.

Still, Blackstones are well-liked. In addition to being relatively straightforward to maintain, the griddles are known for their durability. This is largely due to the extra-cold rolling step during the build, where steel is processed and worked at room temperature for a smooth finish and added strength. The Blackstone 36-inch, 4-burner portable steel griddle is listed on Amazon for $399, and customers are impressed by its heat and versatility. "My whole family loves this thing," wrote one Amazon reviewer, "We have done Japanese steak house, turkey burgers, tuna steaks, salmon. It's great to be able to cook up finely chopped veggies, then add steamed brown rice, and do fried rice on the griddle."