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Welcome to Get Grillin' Week 2026 here at Tom's Guide. We're celebrating everything about the perfect backyard cookout. We want to help you choose the best grill (and the gear to go with it) as well as learn new tips and tricks when it comes to maintenance and best practices. Because now summer is here, it's time to get outside and get grillin'.
With summer fast approaching, it's time to pull the best grill out of retirement and get ready to host those backyard cookouts.
But while you might feel confident in your grilling game, experts warn that some routine outdoor grilling habits could, in fact, be secretly damaging your garden or patio.
What’s more, many homeowners only realize the damage — from permanently stained patios to ruined outdoor furniture — after the season, when it's too late.
“People usually think winter is the hardest season for patios, but summer can honestly be just as bad,” states Morgan Smith, Director of Pegseo Stone. “You’ve got grills going, sauces and drinks getting spilt, hot trays being put down, and furniture left out in all weathers. It all builds up without people really noticing.”
So before you fire up the grill for your summer gatherings, an expert shares the common grilling mistakes that are secretly damaging your garden — and the simple ways to fix them.
1. Grease stains from cooking up a feast
While grilling on a flat, paved surface is always recommended, oil spills are bound to happen. And cooking oils and grease are notorious for soaking into paving surprisingly quickly, especially on lighter stone or porous patios.
This can result in permanent stains, which will be tricky to remove and consequently ruin the aesthetic appeal of your patio.
“Grease is one of the most common issues we see over summer because spills are often missed until it is too late,” agrees Smith. “People don’t always realise how quickly it can soak into stone in hot weather.” A top tip is to tackle grease spills straight away. Use a soft brush along with a solution of warm water and dish soap for scrubbing.
Another permanent stain to be aware of is scorch marks from disposable grills. Although they offer a quick and easy way to cook food alongside your main grill, setting them directly on patios can result in scorch marks and lasting discolouration.
“Heat damage is really common in summer because people just put disposable grills straight onto paving without really thinking about it,” Smith adds. “By the time it’s been used and moved, the damage is often already there. Using a heat-resistant mat or stand underneath can help protect the surface.”
2. Rust marks from grills and metal garden furniture
If you’ve left out your metal grills, fire pits and outdoor furniture during the season, these can all lead to unsightly rust stains in your yard, particularly after overnight moisture.
“Even just damp furniture legs sitting in one spot for a while can leave marks before people even notice,” explains Smith. “It catches a lot of homeowners off guard because it can happen slowly over summer, especially when things are being left out in the garden.”
To tackle fresh rust stains, create a paste of baking soda and water to apply to the rust stain. Leave it to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing away with a brush or cloth. Alternatively, you can try using white vinegar or lemon juice instead of the baking soda paste.
And if you’re battling with a rusty grill, try this cheap and simple household trick that removes grease and rust in minutes.
3. Acidic food and drink spills
If you’re hosting a backyard gathering, it’s not uncommon for foods and drinks to topple over on tables or when left on the ground. However, acidic items, such as tomato ketchup, wine, and carbonated beverages, can leave stains on patio surfaces if they are not cleaned up quickly.
“Hot weather really catches people out because spills dry into paving much quicker than you’d expect,” says Smith. “What looks like a small mark at the time can end up setting into the surface if it’s not cleaned up quickly.”
The best approach is to clean up spills immediately to prevent any permanent stains from ruining your yard. Again, for light stains, you can try a mixture of 50:50 dish soap and water. While for more stubborn stains, you may need to use something like bleach or a more heavy-duty cleaner.
“A lot of it happens slowly over the summer, so it just goes under the radar. Then by the time you finally clean everything properly, you realise some of those stains have already soaked in and are a lot harder to get out.”
If all else fails, of course, you can invest in a good power washer to quickly tackle stubborn stains and make your yard look spotless again. In any case, avoiding these common habits entirely will ultimately save you time and hassle, allowing you to simply relax and enjoy your grilling days.
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