Doctor says you may want to replace that trusty wire barbecue brush

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Grilling is great. The cleanup is minimal, but you might want to make sure when your are cleaning those grates you're not leaving a dangerous trail behind.

If you're using a wire grill brush, be warned,  the metal wires from grill brushes can be dangerous.

"So grill brushes actually pose a real threat to people while they're grilling," said Dr. Brad Uren, University of Michigan Health. "In 20 years of practice, I've seen a handful of injuries related to grill brushes. and usually, it's the older kind, the type of the metal wires."

The emergency physician from University of Michigan Health explains it doesn't happen often, only hundreds of times a year across the country, but it's really unpleasant when it does.

"So, as they get older, they rust, they get loose, they fall out. and they can actually become
embedded in the food when people put the food on the cooktop," Uren said. "I've seen people that have come in with tooth injuries, mouth injuries, and even some that have had those bristles stuck in their throats."

What can you do? be aware, and check your grill brush or just buy a new one.

"There's no end of options out there," he said. "There's still the older traditional metal bristle brush. if you're going to use those, you should inspect them regularly. and they're relatively inexpensive 10 to $20. so that's something that you can replace regularly if you see any signs of wear loose bristles."

There are other options, like nylon bristle brushes even stones to clean the grill. One suggestion is to cut an onion in half and use that to wipe down grill after you cook.