Wet paper towel steamed under a warm indoor grill

★ 4.5 Rex score · Kitchen · Indoor grill cooking plates · Viral claim: "A wet paper towel closed inside a warm indoor grill steams stuck food loose."

Damp paper towel + residual grill heat Softer soil Moist heat loosens residue; it does not replace a full plate cleaning.
Does it clean? 5/ 5
Is it safe? 4/ 5

Rex says

Rex Sterling, Ph.D. · Head of R&D, Clean Report · Meet Rex

"Place the paper towel on the grill plate, close lid and switch on appliance for a few minutes to ‘steam clean’."

The science

  1. Moist heat loosens stuck food

    Water in the towel warms and evaporates against the plates. Condensed moisture can soften dried food and make wiping easier; the towel itself is not a sanitizer or grease remover.

  2. A real maker describes the method

    George Foreman's support page describes a wet paper towel under a closed lid for steam cleaning. That supports the mechanism, though its powered instruction should not override the safety steps in the manual for a different grill.

  3. Heat and electricity set the limit

    A towel that dries against hot plates can scorch, and escaping steam can burn. Keep water away from the appliance housing and never immerse the unit. A cooled grill still needs the cleaning specified by its manufacturer.

Use a safer finish

Follow the grill's own care manual. Switch off and unplug before cleaning; if the model permits it, use a damp towel on warm plates without touching hot surfaces or electrical parts. Let the grill cool, remove the towel, then wipe or wash plates as directed and dry fully.

Where this came from

From the Clean Report hacks library

ModernLiving_X

X post · "Uncompromising cleaning hacks you won't regret trying" · Retrieved Oct 12, 2026

Origin

"Closing a warm indoor grill over a wet paper towel creates steam to help loosen stuck-on food."

twitter.com/ModernLiving_X/status/2109240896512237962

Archived copy on file: video/social/hacks/download-162793245625/

Needs re-check

Independent George Foreman support page documents the method; original social clip was not reviewed. Follow the manual for the actual grill model.

George Foreman

Web article · "There is an odour during or after cooking" · Retrieved Nov 10, 2026

Also seen

"George Foreman support describes placing a wet paper towel on a grill plate and closing the lid to steam clean. Model-specific care instructions still control safe cleaning."

help.georgeforemangrills.com/hc/en-gb/articles/14703494123153-There-is-an-odour-during-or-after-cooking

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