What is Selleys BBQ Tough Clean, and where should you use it?

Selleys BBQ Tough Clean is a 400g aerosol for the big clean — it actively removes grease and grime from BBQ plates, grills and racks. Its powerful, yet non-caustic formula contains special active ingredients which lift away the grease, grime, fat and charred food, and it is applied cold, which makes it straightforward to use and a good way to get back to a spotless and healthy cooking surface.

Before anything else, read this: apply to a COLD BBQ only — the product may ignite with exposure to heat or flame. Selleys states this twice, once at the top of the directions and once in the limitations. It is the single most important line on this page, and it is the reason you cannot treat this product like a spray-on maintenance cleaner.

The safety rules that shape how you use it

Three instructions work together, and skipping any one of them undoes the others.

Cold application only. The product may ignite with exposure to heat or flame. That rules out the usual habit of cleaning a barbecue while it is still warm from cooking.

Hotplates and grills must be removed before application. The directions have you take the grills, racks and plates off and lay them on a suitable surface before you spray anything.

If a hotplate or grill cannot be removed, wait for flammable gases to disperse before using the BBQ — approximately 1 hour. This is the instruction people miss. If you had to clean a fixed plate in place, the barbecue does not go straight back into service; give it the hour first.

Wear rubber gloves for the whole job, and do not allow any overspray to dry or stand.

Where to use it

• BBQ hotplates
• Grills
• Racks

That is the complete list, and Selleys makes the boundary explicit: the product is not recommended for BBQ surfaces other than hotplates, grills and racks. For the non-cooking parts of the barbecue, Selleys BBQ Exterior Clean & Shine is the product designed for that job.

How to apply it

1. Make sure the BBQ is cold. Not warm — cold.
2. Put on rubber gloves, then remove the grills, racks and plates to be cleaned and place them on a suitable surface.
3. Scrape or wipe off excess grease, grime and charred material. The product lifts what is bonded to the metal; loose debris is your job first.
4. Shake the can well and spray liberally, holding the can upright.
5. Allow at least 10 minutes before wiping with a damp cloth. A Selleys Super Cloth is ideal.
6. Rinse thoroughly with water, then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
7. Brush cooking oil onto the cleaned surfaces to prevent corrosion — particularly if the barbecue is going into a long period of disuse.

For stubborn stains, allow BBQ Tough Clean to stand for 2 hours; scouring may be required. That two-hour figure is the upper end of the dwell time Selleys publishes, and it is a large step up from the ten-minute minimum — plan the job around it rather than trying to rush a heavily fouled plate.

If the nozzle on the can becomes clogged, remove it from the can and rinse the nozzle under water.

Limitations — where it should NOT be used

• Cold application only — the product may ignite with exposure to heat or flame.
• Avoid spraying on brass and aluminium fittings and painted surfaces.
• Avoid contact with painted or plastic surfaces.
• Do not allow any overspray to dry or stand. If overspray does go onto surfaces other than the plates, grills and racks, immediately wipe it off thoroughly with a wet rag, then dry the area with a clean cloth.
• Not recommended for BBQ surfaces other than hotplates, grills and racks.

The overspray rule is the one that requires attention while you work rather than afterwards. An aerosol drifts, and the difference between a wiped-off overspray and a dried one is a matter of minutes.

Where it fits in the range

BBQ Tough Clean is the heavy clean — Selleys suggests it for the lead-up to the summer entertaining season, and it is the right product when the barbecue has not been used for some time or the grease has genuinely baked on. To lengthen the gap between those big cleans, Selleys recommends using BBQ Tough Wipes every time you BBQ to prevent grease and grime building up. BBQ Tough Grease & Grime Cleaner is the trigger-spray option for regular cleaning — its directions are different from this product's, so follow whichever page matches the can or bottle in your hand.

Hazard classification

Classified as hazardous under Safe Work Australia GHS 7, with the signal word Danger.

• Skin corrosion — Category 1B and eye damage — Category 1. H314: causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
• Aerosols — Category 1. H222: extremely flammable aerosol. H229: pressurised container, may burst if heated.

Classified as Dangerous Goods under both Australian and New Zealand transport regulations.

This combination — a caustic that burns skin on contact, packaged as an extremely flammable aerosol — is why the barbecue must be completely cold and turned off, with the gas isolated, before you spray. A barbecue is the one appliance people are tempted to clean while it is still warm, because the grease shifts more easily. With an extremely flammable aerosol and a live burner or hot plate, that is the exact scenario H222 and H229 describe.

H314 is a burn rather than an irritation. Skin corrosion Category 1B means contact causes destruction of tissue, not discomfort that builds — so gloves and eye protection are required from the moment the cap comes off, and a splash needs flushing immediately rather than wiping.

Protection

• Gloves — nitrile rubber for intermittent contact; assess against your own conditions.
• Eye protection — chemical goggles or safety glasses.
• Ventilation — use only in a well-ventilated area, with local exhaust where available, and a respirator where an inhalation risk remains. The vapour is heavier than air and collects in hollows; do not work in a confined space.
• Clothing — overalls and safety shoes. Wash hands before eating, drinking or smoking, and wash contaminated clothing before reuse.

First aid

Exposure	What to do
Eyes	Irrigate immediately with copious running water for at least 15 minutes, holding the eyelids apart. Urgently seek medical assistance and go to hospital. A caustic burn to the eye can cause corneal damage and permanent loss of vision.
Skin	Remove all contaminated clothing immediately and wash the area with plenty of water. Seek medical attention — this product causes severe burns, not irritation. Do not break blisters.
Inhalation	Move the person to fresh air, keep them at rest and warm, and seek medical advice if effects persist.
Swallowed	Do not induce vomiting. Rinse the mouth with water and seek immediate medical attention.

If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre — 131 126 in Australia, 0800 764 766 in New Zealand — with the container to hand. Selleys emergency line: 1800 220 770 in Australia, 0800 220 770 in New Zealand.

Common questions about Selleys BBQ Tough Clean

Can I use it while the BBQ is still warm?

No. Cold application only — the product may ignite with exposure to heat or flame. This is the most important instruction on the label.

Do I have to take the plates out?

Yes. The directions have you remove the grills, racks and plates and place them on a suitable surface before applying the product.

What if the hotplate is fixed and cannot be removed?

Selleys covers this: wait for flammable gases to disperse before using the BBQ, approximately 1 hour.

How long do I leave it on?

At least 10 minutes before wiping with a damp cloth. For stubborn stains, allow it to stand for 2 hours; scouring may be required.

Is it caustic?

Selleys describes the formula as powerful yet non-caustic. It still needs rubber gloves and the full set of directions followed.

Do I need to rinse it off?

Yes. Rinse thoroughly with water, then wipe dry with a clean cloth.

Why brush oil on afterwards?

To prevent corrosion on the cleaned surfaces, particularly before long periods of disuse. A stripped, bare plate left in a damp shed over winter is the case this step is written for.

Can I use it on the outside of the barbecue or the hood?

No. It is not recommended for BBQ surfaces other than hotplates, grills and racks. Selleys BBQ Exterior Clean & Shine is the product made for the non-cooking parts.

What if I get overspray on the trolley or a painted panel?

Wipe it off immediately and thoroughly with a wet rag, then dry the area with a clean cloth. Do not let overspray dry or stand.

Can I use it on brass or aluminium fittings?

Avoid spraying it on brass and aluminium fittings, and avoid contact with painted or plastic surfaces.

The nozzle has blocked. What do I do?

Remove the nozzle from the can and rinse it under water.

What size is the can?

400g aerosol.