Clean Your Dirty Grill While Camping With This Common Food You Already Have

While camping can be one of the most beautiful and even profound adventures a person can have, it can also be overwhelming. Whether it's your first solo trip or you're a well-seasoned camper, there's often something unexpected that comes up to put a ruffle in your feathers. Maybe it's a swarm of mosquitoes that've decided to have a family reunion on your face, or perhaps your zipper gets stuck, and you can't open your sleeping bag. This is where camping hacks come in, which can help create the smoothest experience possible or help you out in a pinch, and many of them involve using items that you probably already have with you on your trip.

Enter the onion, perhaps the most versatile member of the allium family, whose uses are so varied that it can be used to make a natural insect repellent or even soothe an earache (via TikTok). Whether you're bringing your own small grill or using a shared one, you know how frustrating (and gross) it is to cook on a dirty grate. It's best to take the extra step to clean them first. Luckily, all you need is a raw onion and a fork to clean up the grill in no time.

The next time you plan to cook on a grill and want to clean it beforehand, just cut an onion in half, stick a fork in the round part, and rub the cut section along the grate. The most effective way is to do this just before cooking, so heat up the grill and then rub the onion on it to get rid of any burnt bits or residue. This can season the grill as well. Some, like Mama Bear Outdoors, suggest putting oil or cooking spray on the cut side, so you can grease up the grill while cleaning it and have it ready for you to use right after. The onion oils can break down grime, according to Rhonda Wilson, quality lead cleaner at FreshSpace Cleaning (via Yahoo!), and this trick means fewer things to pack, like cleaning spray and a grill brush.

If you're a fan of cooking food in an aluminum pouch, you can use any extra foil to scrub off particularly stubborn pieces clinging to the grill. This common household item is a lifesaver when it comes to burnt pots and pans, and a ball of tin foil works just as well for grills if you want to get things squeaky clean for that perfect steak dinner under the cosmos.