Which Selleys BBQ cleaner do you need, and does the BBQ have to be hot or cold?

The single question that decides which Selleys BBQ cleaner you buy is whether you clean the barbecue while it is still warm or after it has gone cold. The two main cleaners are formulated for opposite conditions, and using the wrong one at the wrong temperature is the most common reason a clean disappoints.

Selleys BBQ Tough Clean must be applied to a BBQ that is already cold, and left for 10 minutes before wiping with a damp cloth. Selleys BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner is applied to a warm hotplate or grill, and because it is fast-acting you can wipe the BBQ clean after only three minutes. If you clean straight after cooking, the second one is your product. If you clean the next morning, the first.

What this category covers

Everybody loves a BBQ, but keeping it clean is less enjoyable without the right products. The Selleys BBQ range is developed to be tough on grease and grime while remaining safe for use on most surfaces. It covers both the cooking surfaces and the rest of the unit.

Keeping the cooking plate, grill and rack clean helps prolong the life of your BBQ and clears away bacteria — but the non-cooking parts matter just as much, and they need a different product.

How to choose

Plates, grills and racks

Both BBQ Tough Clean and BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner are used for cleaning plates, grills and racks. Both are non-caustic, and both cut through grease, fat and charred food with no scrubbing needed. That "no scrubbing" claim is what the dwell time buys you: the product needs its 10 minutes, or its three minutes, to break the deposit down before you wipe.

Non-caustic matters for a BBQ specifically, because these are food-contact surfaces and because barbecue components include finishes that a harsh caustic cleaner would attack. It is the reason to use a purpose-made BBQ cleaner rather than an oven cleaner on a hotplate.

For stubborn stains that resist either cleaner, Selleys names the BBQ Tough Scourer.

The rest of the barbecue

Selleys BBQ Exterior Clean & Shine cleans and polishes all the other surfaces, including the control panel. It also leaves an invisible layer behind that helps repel dirt, so the unit stays ready for use — which is the argument for treating the outside as a separate job rather than wiping it with whatever is left on the cloth.

Keeping on top of it

Selleys BBQ Tough Wipes are the convenient format for easy BBQ cleaning. Wipes suit maintenance between proper cleans, which is the practical way to avoid the heavy build-up that makes a full clean a chore.

The products in this range

Product	Applied to	Wait before wiping
BBQ Tough Clean	A cold BBQ	10 minutes, then wipe with a damp cloth
BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner	A warm hotplate or grill	2–3 minutes
BBQ Tough Wipes	Convenient wipe format for easy BBQ cleaning	—

Selleys also publishes a brand overview for the range at Selleys BBQ Tough in Detail and a product listing at Selleys BBQ Tough Product, described as tough on grease and grime but gentle on surfaces.

Common questions about Selleys BBQ cleaners

What is the difference between BBQ Tough Clean and BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner?

Temperature and speed. BBQ Tough Clean must be applied to a BBQ that is already cold and left for 10 minutes. BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner goes on a warm hotplate or grill and works in three minutes.

Can I use BBQ Tough Clean on a warm barbecue?

No. Selleys is specific that it must be applied to a BBQ that is already cold. Use the Grease & Grime Cleaner if the barbecue is still warm.

Do I have to scrub?

Both cleaners are described as cutting through grease, fat and charred food with no scrubbing needed, provided you give them their stated time. The BBQ Tough Scourer is there for stubborn stains that remain.

Are these cleaners caustic?

No. Both BBQ Tough Clean and BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner are described as non-caustic.

What cleans the outside of the barbecue and the control panel?

Selleys BBQ Exterior Clean & Shine, which cleans and polishes all the non-cooking surfaces and leaves an invisible layer that helps repel dirt.

Why bother cleaning the plates at all?

Selleys puts it in two terms: keeping the cooking plate, grill and rack clean helps prolong the life of the BBQ, and it clears away bacteria.

When should I use the wipes instead?

For quick, convenient cleaning — they are the maintenance format, best used regularly so heavy build-up does not develop.

Are these safe on all barbecue surfaces?

Selleys describes the range as tough on grease and grime but safe for use on most surfaces. "Most" is not "all", so check the individual product page for any surface you are unsure about.