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How To Keep Mice Off of Blackstone Griddle
Keeping mice off a Blackstone griddle is critically important, yet also challenging. Not only are mice droppings, urine, and fur visually unappealing on your Blackstone griddle, but they can also be a very serious health hazard.
Mice are drawn to the smell of human food like a moth to a flame. This includes the lingering food odors and the rich smell of a seasoned griddle top. Yet you don’t want to just dump a bunch of mothballs or rat poison on your griddle either. You’d just be trading biological contaminants for chemical ones.
Fortunately, there are a few techniques that can help deter mice and other rodents from coming near your Blackstone griddle. If mice do happen to get to your griddle, all is not lost. You simply need to meticulously sanitize it.
Using Cotton Balls Soaked With Peppermint Oils
Mice and many other rodents hate the smell of peppermint. It also works for cockroaches and can even help deter raccoons.
You can soak a series of cotton balls with high-quality peppermint oil and place them in key locations to deter mice.
Placing at least one or two mint oil cotton balls near each leg as well as a few on the edges of the griddle top will go a long way toward deterring mice and other rodents.
Though the effectiveness of peppermint oil is somewhat fleeting. You might need to soak or replace the cotton balls every few days to keep the peppermint aroma strong enough to keep mice at bay.
What Is a Good Mouse Deterrent?
The best way to deter mice is to eliminate all traces of food from your outdoor griddle. This means thoroughly cleaning the griddle and wiping every square inch of your grease management system clean. Though they still might be attracted to the oily aroma of the seasoned griddle or looking for a place to make a home.
Mothballs can be placed under and around a Blackstone griddle to serve as a mouse deterrent.
Though you shouldn’t put them anywhere near the griddle top or any other food prep surfaces. In food prep areas, you can use cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, or cloves. Rodents hate these smells and will generally steer clear of them. Though the aroma is only effective for a day or two before it needs to be reapplied.
Mice and rats tend to have poor eyesight. They will often follow along a wall or baseboard until an odor draws them in. Moving your Blackstone griddle a foot or two away from these surfaces and railings will decrease the chances of rodents finding the griddle in the first place.
Why Do Mice Try and Get on Blackstone Griddles?
Mice are drawn to Blackstone griddles and other outdoor cooking appliances looking for food and shelter.
Even if they don’t find an easy meal from a bit of leftover food, they might still see the warm area under your griddle cover as a suitable site to make a nest.
Rodent Proof Grill Cover
There are a few rodent-proof grill and griddle covers that essentially seal off the cooktop and hood. They do a good job but aren’t always perfect.
A determined mouse or rat with enough time on their hands could still chew or find a way in.
If you have a serious rodent problem on your deck or where you store your Blackstone griddle, you might want to also invest in deterrent strategies like mothballs on the floor, and peppermint oil-soaked cotton balls on the griddle top.
With a rodent-proof grill cover sealed over the top
Sterilizing The Blackstone Griddle
If you do have mouse debris on your Blackstone griddle, you can sterilize it with meticulous cleaning, and a little mildly soapy water.
This process requires a fair number of paper towels, a food-grade scraper, and a clean shop rag. Afterward, you will need to restore or reapply a new seasoning layer.
How to Sanitize Blackstone Griddles
You can sterilize your Blackstone griddle using the following steps.
Step One: Scrape down every square inch of your griddle top with a food-grade scraper.
Step Two: Fire up the burner elements on a low flame and let the cold-rolled steel preheat for 5 minutes. Then use a paper towel to go over the griddle again to collect grease as it loosens.
Step Three: Squirt a solution of mildly soapy water onto the griddle a few tablespoons at a time. Then scrape the simmering water toward the grease management system. The steaming hot water and soap will kill a lot of germs.
Step Four: Pour a few more tablespoons of mildly soapy water toward the edges of the griddle where it meets the side walls. Give it a minute to heat, and then scrape it away.
Step Five: Pour half a cup of clean, distilled water, without any soap, onto the griddle. Then wet a clean shop rag or towel, and move it across the griddle top with your scraper. This will pick up the last bits of debris as well as remove any lingering traces of soap. You can flip or carefully fold the towel as many times as you need to clean the surface.
Step Six: Reapply a seasoning layer using a neutral oil with a high smoke point.
Final Thoughts
Keeping mice off your Blackstone griddle starts with keeping it meticulously clean, so mice and other rodents won’t be drawn to the smell of human food. It might also help to pull the griddle out from the wall or deck railing that mice tend to follow when they are out on the prowl.
Placing some mothballs at the Blackstone griddle’s legs will help deter them from climbing.
You can also soak cotton balls in peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, or cloves to protect the griddle and other food prep surfaces.
Just remember to reapply every few days. A rodent-proof grill cover will help keep mice from getting at the cooktop.
If mice do leave a mess on your griddle, you can clean and sanitize it with meticulous scraping and hot soapy water. Afterward, you will need to reapply or update the seasoning layer.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.