Black Stuff

[chamois]

I've spent many an evening cleaning the plates of the two George Foreman grills in my possession. When I clean them in the sink with washing-up liquid, I've been puzzled by the black, sooty deposits left on the non-stick sponge scouring pad following cleaning. No matter how many times I clean the underside of the grill plates, this black deposit recurs.

What is it about these grill plates that leaves this black, sooty deposit on the scouring pad and my fingers for that matter? What is it composed of?

When I wash the plates in the dishwasher, the same black deposit occurs on my fingertips when I take the plates out of the dishwasher.

Thank you.

[factor-fiction]

Are you sure you are supposed to use washing up liquid / dishwashers with them?
I'm not sure what you mean by plates though- our george Foreman grill doesn't have any removable bits.
I found it works to clean them with the plastic scraper and/or a damp cloth while the grill is still really hot.
I tried washing up liquid on one but it damaged the black surface.

[Brinjal]

And no scouring pads

[RATTER15]

We just wipe ours down with a damp cloth while still hot, no need to wash them. We also have no removable plates. Sorry, no idea what this black stuff is, never seen it.

[ummmm]

Like the others say, don't wash them. They just need wiping.

[jomifl]

Possibly the black stuff is the non-stick coating that hasn't been cured properly. Have you read the instructions re. cleaning.

[Mosaic]

No experience with this type of grill, but my experience with non-stick coatings is they do not last for ever. Thye all eventually come away, and like others have siad this may be the coating that you're seeing washing off. I'm told it's inert and will simply pass through you if ingested.

[bravejordy]

chamois, I completely ruined my first George Foreman grill using those sponge scouring pads because they eventually scraped off the non-stick coating. I suspect this is what is happening to yours. I learnt by my mistakes and on the next George Foreman grill I bought, I only ever use those non-abrasive plastic scouring pads (which you can buy at Wilkos).

[woofgang]

I think its oxidation of the metal that they are made of. I get similar from parts of my gas cooker rings and a pizza server that I have, both are made of aluminium, or at least with a high aluminium content.

[woofgang]

http://www.budget101.com/household-tips-n-tricks/how-fix-oxidized-kitchen-utensils-4128.html

[chamois]

Sorry folks, perhaps I didn't make myself clear. The black coating that comes off all over my fingers and sponge is from the underside of the grill plates not the, upper, non-stick surface. I like all of you, only use a plain sponge to clean the upper surface of the grill plates.

The George Foreman model I have, does have removable grill plates. The previous one I had had fixed plates.

The instructions of the grill do indeed say that that the removable plates can be put into a dishwasher.

[woofgang]

i bet its the oxidation thing...do the instructions say anything like "plates may discolour but this will not affect use"?