Dirty grill can cause serious injuries

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - Fourth of July is one of the biggest grilling holidays and if you're headed out to a cookout, make sure that the grill you're using is cleaned properly.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said they are seeing an increased number of injuries from bristles that fall out from grill cleaning brushes.

The bristles can stick to the grill, and then stick to burgers, hot dogs and other meats.

There are different types of cleaning brushes you can use to avoid accidentally eating sharp wire pieces. According to Rick Lavalle, the assistant manager at Rocky’s in East Longmeadow, “There is a spray cleaner that you can use, like for oven cleaner, but they make one for the grill to make cleaning easier.”

Injuries from bristles range from puncture of the soft tissues of the neck causing pain and swelling to perforation of your gastro-intestinal tract.