Heat and a foil ball

Nope, don’t bother with sprays or vinegar for a rusty cast iron grate. You want heat and elbow grease.

Get the grill hot — like, 500°F+ hot — and let it sit for 15 minutes. That heat expands the metal and turns loose rust into dust. Then grab a tightly crumpled ball of aluminum foil (safe, cheap, works better than a wire brush) and scrub the grate while it’s still hot. The rust flakes right off. Don’t burn yourself.

After that, wipe the grate with a paper towel dipped in high-heat oil (canola, avocado, whatever). Coat it well. That seals the bare spots and stops new rust from forming while you cook.

Done right, the grate comes out dark and semi-nonstick. You can do this before every cook if you’re lazy about