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Brits love grilling up a storm when the sun comes out, serving up succulent and juicy burgers, sausages, and all sorts of smoky delights. However, one major downside to enjoying some al fresco cooking is the arduous process of scrapping and scrubbing stubborn grease and food off the grills.

To help home cooks and budding grill masters stay on top of barbecue cleaning, some of the UK's top chefs and barbecue experts have shared their best advice with the Express. The chefs and culinary icons are geared up for the return of Pub in the Park in Marlow this weekend, where they'll be putting their cooking skills to the test. So if you're cracking out the barbecue this weekend and want to know the best methods for cleaning your grills, this is what you need to know.

Genevieve, live fire and BBQ expert and the mastermind of the Bristol Fire School, said: "When charcoal is fully burning, it's over 500 so there's no better sterilizer on the planet than heat, so if you need to clean the inside of your BBQ, just get it really, really hot, brush it down with a good quality wire brush. Get a new brush every season - make sure it's a good one, don't want any shedding wire hairs! That's the only way I clean my BBQs."

Adam Purnell aka Shropshire Lad

Adam, who gained popularity for his outdoor cooking adventures, suggested: "Cleaning a barbecue just requires getting it really hot, and hitting it hard with a wire brush. The fire will kill all bacteria and burn off any residue on and the wire brush will remove any dirt left behind. No need for any chemicals ever!"

Big Nath's BBQ

Nathan Ritchie, the brains behind live-fire barbecue brand Big Nath's BBQ, advised: "Clean the grill after each use, get rid of the debris on the grill and rub with an onion cut in half. An ash vacuum changed my life, makes cleaning super easy, clear out the ash after every use that helps maintain the airflow."

Matt Tebbutt

Saturday Kitchen star Matt said: "Get yourself a strong wire brush and scrub well before burning those grills to a blistering heat....give them another scrub over and you're good to go."

James Martin

Celebrity chef James said: "Any good oven cleaner but using the right charcoal usually most of the residue will burn off."

Jack Blumenthal

Jack, the brains behind Ginger Wings and son of iconic chef Heston Blumenthal, shared an innovative take on cleaning hacks. He recommended: "Use a dry, crumpled onion to scrub the grill while it's still hot - works a treat. Alternatively a really powerful jetwash for the patio."

LumberJaxe

Brendon and Jaydon, the creators of family-owned seasoning and sauce brand Lumberjaxe,said: "Yes, cleaning your BBQ or grill is quite simple, fire and heat are your friends. There is no need for solutions or harsh chemicals as they may transfer to your food. Just crank the heat up and scrub the grill with a good wire brush and you're good to go!"

Melissa Thompson

Melissa, an award-winning food writer and cook, shared: "Heat and fire is your friend when it comes to cleaning your grill. Load it up with burning coal, close the lid and open the vents fully. Leave it for 10 minutes and then go at it with a wire brush. it'll burn off fat build-up, charcoal etc.

"I avoid cleaning my grills with chemicals as it's messy, unnecessary and I like to retain a bit of smokiness to the interior - I think it adds to the flavour."

Karan Gokani

Karan, the brains behind Sri Lankan restaurant Hoppers, said: "I saw Niklas Ekstedt using a lemon and charcoal mix. Personally, at the start of bbq season, I fire my bbq up to the highest temp and then brush off the grates with a wire brush and finish with cut lemon dipped in baking soda."

Simon Rimmer

Simon, chef and star of Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, said: "Get the bbq smoking hot and buy a good wire cleaning brush."

Chris Bavin

TV presenter Chris recommended: "My biggest cleaning tip is let the heat do most of the work. Clean your bbq while it's still hot and the fat and grease hasn't solidified. Use a strong wire brush and carefully clean it while still hot!"

Pub in the Park returns to Higginson Park, Marlow from Thursday, May 14 to Sunday, May 17. Tickets are available to purchase now, starting from £47. For more information, visit here.