How to Put Charcoal Out

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 15, 2021

Extinguishing the charcoal in your grill or fire pit properly can be messy and more dangerous than it seems. Use heatproof gloves and steel grilling equipment to handle hot coals and ashes. Let your grill cool down naturally for best results. Alternatively, use water to speed up the cooling process, but never pour water onto a hot grill. Instead, take the coals and ashes out and put them in a metal bucket full of water.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Shutting down a Grill Safely

1
Close the grill or fire pit for 48 hours. Wear heat-proof gloves while handling your grill to protect your hands from getting burned. Close the lid and any vents your grill has to prevent any air from getting to the coals. For a fire pit, place the lid over the opening. This will cause the fire to burn itself out.^{[1]
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- Shut your grill down right away after cooking. Charcoal takes a long time to cool down and it can be dangerous to leave it open.
- Do not pour water on your grill to cool it down faster. The dramatic change in temperature can cause your grill to crack, and the water will mix with the ashes and harden, making it much more difficult to clean out.
2
Remove cool ashes and briquettes from the grill or fire pit. Use a pair of tongs to take out the briquettes or large chunks of charcoal. Then use an ash removal bucket to scoop out most of the ashes.^{[2]
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- Some grills will cool down within 24-36 hours. However, since it can be hard to tell if the coals are still burning, it's safest to wait a full 48 hours.
- All-wood charcoal typically takes longer to cool down. Charcoal briquettes can cool down in 24 hours.
- Coals aren't fully out until they are cool to the touch.
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3
Sweep the remaining ashes out with a metal spatula. To get the rest of the ashes out of the grill or fire pit, use a metal spatula to scrape them into a bucket. Clean out the inside of the grill or fire pit thoroughly by scrubbing it with a wire brush. Spend extra time cleaning the area around the vents of a grill, since ash can build up there.^{[3]
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- To keep your grill in good working condition, use a silicone spray to lubricate the vents.
4
Use a pair of tongs to return the largest pieces of charcoal to the grill or fire pit. Next time you use your grill or fire pit, you can light the leftover briquettes to get the fire going faster. Put them into the bottom part of the grill or pit to store them. Large pieces of all-wood charcoal are best to save since charcoal briquettes are typically spent after cooking with them once.^{[4]
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- Charcoal can still be hot, even after 48 hours of cooling, so be sure to use tongs to handle them.
5
Wrap ashes and charcoal in aluminum foil to dispose of them. Don't throw any ashes or charcoal directly into the trash. Even a small spark can cause your trash to catch on fire if a piece of charcoal is still burning. Make sure the charcoal and ashes are completely wrapped up in the aluminum.^{[5]
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- It's safest to use metal to wrap the ashes. Hot ashes can melt or burn plastic and paper.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Water to Put out Coals

1
Take the coals out of the grill or fire pit with a pair of metal tongs. The charcoal will still be very hot when you take it out, so it's important to use steel grilling tongs to handle it. Wear heat-proof gloves for extra protection.^{[6]
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- This is a good way to cool down charcoal faster if you live in a fire-prone area or if you are using a public grill.
2
Douse the coals in a metal bucket of cold water. Transfer the hot coals immediately to a bucket of cold water to put them out. Use a metal bucket, since the heat from the coals can cause plastic to melt.^{[7]
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- Don't dump any water on a grill since this can cause damage and make the grill harder to clean.
3
Leave the charcoal out in the sun to dry for 2 days if you want to reuse it. If you want to reuse the charcoal the next time you grill, it needs to completely dry out and cool down. Remove the charcoal from the water using metal tongs. Leave it on a non-flammable surface in the sun, such as pavement, until it is cool and dry to the touch.^{[8]
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- This is most effective for wood charcoal rather than briquettes. Briquettes are usually spent after cooking with them once.
- The charcoal may take slightly longer or shorter to dry out. Check that it is completely dry before putting it away.
- Charcoal can stain the surface it sits on while drying. Keep this in mind and avoid porches, patios, and decks to preserve their color.
4
Scrape the ashes into aluminum foil. Keep the ashes separate from the charcoal. The heat from the ashes can cause the charcoal to reignite and start burning again. Wrap up the ashes in the foil to dispose of them.^{[9]
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- Make sure the ashes are completely covered up before throwing them away.
5
Store the charcoal until you are ready to reuse it. Store the charcoal in a fireproof container such as a metal lockbox or a metal bucket with a lid. You can also store it directly in the grill and simply add more charcoal when you're ready to use it.^{[10]
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- When you are ready to use the charcoal, supplement it with new charcoal. On its own, used charcoal won't burn hot or long enough to cook with.

Warnings

Charcoal burns at extremely high temperatures. Wear heat-proof gloves and use steel tools when handling it.

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Always keep a bucket of water or sand or a fire extinguisher on hand when working with charcoal.

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