Cleaning your BBQ is a breeze if you clean it straight after it has been used.  If you wait until the BBQ has cooled down then you will find that the food is much more difficult to scrape off the plate.

Once you have taken off your cooked food, turn off the gas at the bottle and then at the controls - this stops gas building up in the hose.

Using a stiff wire brush or a paint scraper (which is what I use) scrape away all of the left over food remains and marinade etc.  You might need to add some olive or vegetable oil to the plate to assist you in getting the plate clean.  This will also help to 'season' the plate and that will help to stop the plate from rusting. 

If you are using a charcoal or wood BBQ then let the ashes cool completely and then remove them from the BBQ.  Remember that you should NEVER use treated wood in your BBQ!

From time to time if you are using a gas BBQ you will need to remove the slide out draining tray and clean the grease that has built up in it, otherwise you could find that fat catching fire while you are barbecuing and will cause fire flare ups which is both dangerous and also not a pleasant taste addition to most food.  When you clean out the tray, line the base of it with aluminium foil and then cover the base in fat absorber.  Some people use kitty litter as the fat absorber - it is cheaper than the commercial fat absorber and does a good job of soaking up the grease. 

Finally, if you leave your BBQ out in the weather is will deteriorate quickly.  It is worthwhile investing in a BBQ cover if you want to care for your barbecue.