How to Dispose of Coals From a BBQ Grill

Once the BBQ is over, it is time to clean, organize and dispose of the coals properly. While the whole procedure may seem tedious, it is important to go through the motions to avoid injuries and fires and to ensure that your grill stays in top shape for future cookouts. How you dispose of the coals depends on many factors, from environment to time and tools available.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Wait until the coals are cool before you dispose of them. Depending on how much coal you use and the weather, this may take several hours. Warm coals carry a risk of fire and can cause injuries if handled prematurely.

2. Let the coals burn out completely rather than using water to extinguish them. Even water may not be completely effective in extinguishing coals, so the risk of fire or injury is still there.

3. Use sand to completely extinguish the coals if water is not available or if you want to avoid smoke. Sand is a great option if you are outdoors or if you have small children and want to get the coals cool as soon as the cooking is finished.

4. Let the coals cool off overnight if you can afford the time. Even after they seem completely exhausted, they can still flare up given the right conditions, so allowing them to stay in the grill until the next day will give them time to completely extinguish before you can dispose of them.

5. Make sure there are no coals left in your BBQ grill before you store it away. Not only would leaving them increase the risk of fire, but it could also produce grime on your grill and make it harder to clean the next time you try.

6. Dispose of the coals as you would regular garbage once you are sure the risk of fire has passed.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't let children or pets near the BBQ grill unless you are sure the coals are completely cool. The risk of injury is too high, even if there is no visible flame.
• Ashes from coals can be used in your garden or compost pile once they are completely cool.
• Never dispose of coals in plastic bags or near dry grass or twigs. The risk of fire and smoke is high, even with coals that appear extinguished.