Closeup of two hands cooking vegetables on a flat-top grill.
How to clean a flat-top griddle - fast.

Your griddle works hard – are you giving it the care it needs?

  • Commercial griddles are versatile and invaluable to many restaurants and as such, go through a lot every day. Whether you’re serving up buckets of burgers daily or flipping a few perfect pancakes for the Sunday brunch crowd, if your restaurant uses a griddle – you need to know how to clean it properly.


  • Why cleanliness is next to restaurant success.

    Keeping cooking equipment clean is key to ensuring a sanitary, efficient kitchen and restaurant – and the griddle is no exception. As a griddle is used, grease, char, fats and food debris accumulate on the surface and, if left too long, can create a hard, unmanageable layer that’s difficult to clean. This extra layer can cause more food to stick and affect heat transfer, giving you inconsistent or undercooked meals. Not only that, but this dirty layer can flake off into food or pass unwanted flavors from one dish to the next, creating an unappetizing diner experience. In addition to being frustrating to work with, a dirty griddle could actually be dangerous. Grease buildup can overflow onto floors, staff or even electrical or gas components, limiting the lifetime of the griddle and creating the potential for fires.

  • What your griddle is made of.

    Commercial griddles are made from a handful of different materials, including steel, cast iron, ceramic glass and chromium, each with their own benefits and quirks – including how they should be cleaned. Knowing which material you’re working with will help avoid accidental damage that could hinder productivity.

Find the right way to clean

  • Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Griddle Liquid, Quick Clean Heavy Duty Griddle Pad, Multi-Purpose Pad Holder and Squeegee.
    • While there are many ways to get your flat top griddle gleaming, not all of them are created equal. Certain methods, such as griddle bricks or pumice stones, can be time and labor intensive and won’t necessarily get surfaces completely clean. Others can be effective but not food safe, or even dangerous, and lead to burns or metal debris. That’s why it’s important to review your cleaning methods and tools to ensure you’ve selected the best for your commercial griddle.
    • For example, the Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Griddle Cleaning System is food safe, Green Seal™ Certified and designed to make the griddle cleaning process easier, safer and more efficient. In just three simple steps, you can clean a griddle 30% faster than with a griddle brick – while the griddle is still hot.
    • Every piece of the system is designed to improve safety and efficiency. The optimized Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Griddle Liquid 700-40 loosens and lifts mess, while the Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Heavy Duty Griddle Pad 746 and Scotch-Brite™ Multi-Purpose Pad Holder 405-R make scouring fast and easy. Finish off with the Scotch-Brite™ Squeegee 410 , which safely removes residue for a gleaming griddle in 3-5 minutes.

3 simple steps

  • A commercial kitchen worker pours Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Griddle Liquid onto a flat-top griddle.
    1. Squirt

    Pour Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Griddle Liquid 700 or 701* onto hot griddle (300-350°F). This powerful liquid loosens and lifts carbonized grease and food soil on contact – without chemical odors or caustic soda.

  • A worker cleans a flat-top griddle with Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Heavy Duty Griddle Pad and Multi-Purpose Pad Holder.
    2. Scour

    Using the Scotch-Brite™ Quick Clean Heavy Duty Griddle Pad 746 and Scotch-Brite™ Multi-Purpose Pad Holder 405-R, apply light pressure and gently scour the griddle.

  • A commercial kitchen worker cleans a flat-top griddle with a Scotch-Brite™ Squeegee.
    3. Squeegee

    Use the Scotch-Brite™ Squeegee 410 to safely remove residue, leaving the flat-top griddle clean in just 3-5 minutes flat.

  • Keep your commercial griddle in great shape - for the long haul.

    By maintaining a regular cleaning schedule and choosing the right tools and methods for the job, you can not only ensure your griddle lasts but also improve your restaurant quality, consistency and efficiency.


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Related Resources

Read more commercial cleaning articles from 3M.

  • Take a virtual tour to see how 3M solutions can help your restaurant operations.

  • The back of house is the heart of your restaurant. Are you giving it enough attention?

  • Cleaning grease is a constant challenge in commercial kitchens, putting employees customers, and equipment at risk. Here's how to clean up this persistent problem.

  • A successful restaurant needs more than just good food; it needs the right tools. Do you have everything you need?


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