We Tried Cleaning a Grill with Onion! Here’s What Happened

If you’ve spent any time around BBQ forums or TikTok food hacks, you’ve probably seen the viral claim: “Clean your grill with an onion!”

Supposedly, this natural trick loosens burnt-on bits and leaves your grate fresh without harsh chemicals.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

We decided to put it to the test.

Here’s exactly what happened when we grabbed a big white onion, fired up the grill, and used it as our cleaning tool.

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Why People Use Onion for Cleaning

The idea comes from two main points:

• Heat + Onion Juice = Degreaser

When you rub a cut onion over hot grates, the steam releases natural acids and oils.

These are believed to help break down food residue.

Onion Oils = Anti-Bacterial

Onions contain sulfur compounds, which some claim can help kill germs lingering on the grill.

On paper, it sounds like a win.

A natural, cheap, chemical-free cleaning method.

But would it actually work on a grill caked with burger fat and sticky BBQ sauce?

For more on why people swear by this trick, check out Onion on Grill Grates: A Simple Hack for Easy Cleaning.

How We Tested It

We didn’t go easy on the onion.

The grill we picked had been through a weekend of ribs, chicken thighs, and burgers; plenty of charred sauce and black crust.

Method:

• Heated the grill for 10 minutes until it was piping hot.

• Cut a large onion in half.

• Stabbed it with a BBQ fork for grip.

• Scrubbed back and forth across the grates for about 5 minutes.

We wanted to give this hack a fair chance, so we really leaned into it.

The Results: Did It Work?

Here’s the honest truth:

• Surface grease? 

• The onion did loosen some of it.

• The hot juices helped soften lighter residue.

• Stuck-on bits?

• Not so great.

• Anything caramelized or deeply charred barely budged.

• We had to press hard, and even then it left plenty behind.

• Smell?

• The grill smelled like roasted onion.

• Not unpleasant — but not what you want every time you clean.

• Time?

• It took way longer than expected.

• After several minutes, the grill still wasn’t “clean” in the way a proper brush or scraper would leave it.

In short: the onion worked a little, but nowhere near enough for a truly clean grill.

The Problem with Onion Cleaning

The biggest downside?

It’s inconsistent.

Onion juice just doesn’t have the scrubbing power needed for heavy-duty cleaning.

If your grill is lightly used, you might get away with it.

But if you grill often and love sticky sauces, onions won’t cut it.

Also, onions shrink and break apart fast.

After a few minutes, our onion half was mushy, slippery, and hard to grip.

If you want more household tricks that can help when you’re in a pinch, take a look at DIY Grill Cleaning with Household Items for a Clean Finish.

A Better Option for Regular Grillers

After testing the onion, we went back to a proper tool: a wood grill scraper.

Unlike onions, a wood scraper shapes itself to your grate over time.

It scrapes away grease and burnt food safely — without bristles that can break off.

👉 If you’re looking for a natural, chemical-free way to clean, the Easy Function Wood Grill Scraper gives much better results, especially if you grill often.

It’s just as eco-friendly as using an onion, but it lasts way longer and actually works.

Buy Easy Function Wood Grill Scraper - Amazon USA

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Final Verdict: Onion Cleaning is a Fun Hack, But Not a Real Solution

Trying the onion method was fun, and it might help in a pinch if you don’t have tools nearby.

But for serious grillers, it’s not reliable.

The onion left behind grease, took too much effort, and honestly wasted a perfectly good onion that could’ve been grilled instead.

If you love BBQ and want a grill that stays clean and safe, skip the kitchen hacks.

Invest in a real cleaning tool and keep the onions where they belong... on your burger.

👉 Want to make grill care easier?

Click the image below to check out Easy Function’s full range of grill cleaning tools and BBQ accessories.